Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/3061
Title: The development and application of metaheuristics for problems in graph theory: A computational study
Authors: Consoli, Sergio
Advisors: Darby-Dowman, K
Issue Date: 2008
Publisher: Brunel University, School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics PhD Theses
Abstract: It is known that graph theoretic models have extensive application to real-life discrete optimization problems. Many of these models are NP-hard and, as a result, exact methods may be impractical for large scale problem instances. Consequently, there is a great interest in developing e±cient approximate methods that yield near-optimal solutions in acceptable computational times. A class of such methods, known as metaheuristics, have been proposed with success. This thesis considers some recently proposed NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems formulated on graphs. In particular, the min- imum labelling spanning tree problem, the minimum labelling Steiner tree problem, and the minimum quartet tree cost problem, are inves- tigated. Several metaheuristics are proposed for each problem, from classical approximation algorithms to novel approaches. A compre- hensive computational investigation in which the proposed methods are compared with other algorithms recommended in the literature is reported. The results show that the proposed metaheuristics outper- form the algorithms recommended in the literature, obtaining optimal or near-optimal solutions in short computational running times. In addition, a thorough analysis of the implementation of these methods provide insights for the implementation of metaheuristic strategies for other graph theoretic problems.
Description: This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.
URI: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/3061
Appears in Collections:Computer Science
Dept of Mathematics Theses
Mathematical Sciences

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