Opposition based levy flight search in differential evolution algorithm

Abstract

Differential Evolution (DE) is a simple and fast population based Nature Inspired Algorithm (NIA). When it is experimented for benchmark problems as well as real world problems it outperformed other population based NIAs and other search metaheuristics in terms of rate of convergence. But it is not an exception in class of population based algorithms, it also show premature convergence and stagnates at suboptimal points. Therefore this paper tries to sustain a better convergence speed and keep away from stagnation by introducing levy flight random search process along with opposition based learning strategy in original DE algorithm. The proposed algorithm named as Opposition Based Levy Flight Search in DE (OLFDE) Algorithm. The newly proposed algorithm OLFDE tested over fourteen benchmark problems and three real world problems (Pressure Vessel Design, Parameter estimation for frequency modulated sound wave and Compression Spring problem) in order to prove its efficiency over some recent variants of DE.