Improved Bat Algorithm for Reliability-Redundancy Allocation Problems

Abstract

The bat algorithm is a recently proposed meta-heuristic algorithm. Usually in solving the problem of optimization, the position of virtual bats is updated by flying speed, which decreases efficiency of the algorithm and accuracy of the solution. This paper has improved the location update strategy and individual selection strategy of bat algorithm, then puts forward an improved bat algorithm. The algorithm is used to solve three typical reliability-redundancy allocation problems, and the simulation experiment results show that the presented algorithm greatly enhances the computation efficiency, convergence speed and precision of the optimal solution in addressing the problem of reliability redundancy optimization. When compared with the best results reported in the previous literatures, the algorithm achieves a better or equally good optimal solution. It is demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is effective in solving reliability-redundancy allocation problems.