A Novel Chimp Optimization Algorithm with Refraction Learning and Its Engineering Applications

Abstract

The Chimp Optimization Algorithm (ChOA) is a heuristic algorithm proposed in recent years. It models the cooperative hunting behaviour of chimpanzee populations in nature and can be used to solve numerical as well as practical engineering optimization problems. ChOA has the problems of slow convergence speed and easily falling into local optimum. In order to solve these problems, this paper proposes a novel chimp optimization algorithm with refraction learning (RL-ChOA). In RL-ChOA, the Tent chaotic map is used to initialize the population, which improves the population’s diversity and accelerates the algorithm’s convergence speed. Further, a refraction learning strategy based on the physical principle of light refraction is introduced in ChOA, which is essentially an Opposition-Based Learning, helping the population to jump out of the local optimum. Using 23 widely used benchmark test functions and two engineering design optimization problems proved that RL-ChOA has good optimization performance, fast convergence speed, and satisfactory engineering application optimization performance.