Population-based Optimization Research Articles

An adaptive differential evolution with opposition-learning based diversity enhancement

Differential Evolution (DE), as a powerful population-based stochastic optimization algorithm, has attracted the attention of researchers from various fields due to its advantages such as simple operation, strong robustness, and few control parameters. However, many existing DE variants often suffer from drawbacks such as premature convergence and stagnation when solving complicated optimization problems. In view of the aforementioned issues, this paper proposes an adaptive DE with opposition learning-based diversity enhancement (OLBADE). The main contributions can be summarized as follows: Firstly, a new adaptive parameter control is proposed with a non-linear weighting strategy incorporating into the framework of parameter adaptation. Secondly, a donor vector perturbation strategy is introduced to complement existing strategy for increasing population diversity. Thirdly, a novel stagnation indicator is proposed, and then opposition learning strategy is employed to renew stagnated individuals in the population when stagnation occurs. OLBADE is compared with five excellent DE variants under a large test-bed containing CEC2013, CEC2014, CEC2017 and CEC2022 test suites to verify its effectiveness. In addition, OLBADE is applied in parameter identification problem of photovoltaic model to verify its feasibility. Experimental results demonstrate that OLBADE achieves higher solution accuracy, faster convergence speed and better stability.

Design optimizer for planar soft-growing robot manipulators

Soft-growing robots are innovative devices that feature plant-inspired growth to navigate environments. Thanks to their embodied intelligence of adapting to their surroundings and the latest innovations in actuation and manufacturing, it is possible to employ them for specific manipulation tasks. The applications of these devices include exploration of delicate/dangerous environments, manipulation of items, or assistance in domestic environments.This work presents a novel approach for design optimization of soft-growing robots, which will be used prior to manufacturing to suggest to engineers – or robot designer enthusiasts – the optimal size of the robot to be built for solving a specific task. The design process is modeled as a multi-objective optimization problem, optimizing the kinematic chain of a soft manipulator to reach targets and avoid unnecessary overuse of material and resources. The method exploits the advantages of population-based optimization algorithms, in particular evolutionary algorithms, to transform the problem from multi-objective into single-objective thanks to an efficient mathematical formulation, the novel rank-partitioning algorithm, and obstacle avoidance integrated within the optimizer operators. The proposed method was tested on different tasks to assess its optimality, which showed significant performance in solving the problem: the retrieved designs are short, smooth, and precise at reaching targets. Finally, comparative experiments show that the proposed method works better than the one existing in the literature in terms of precision (14% higher), resource consumption (2% shorter configurations with 4% fewer links), actuation (85% less wavy and undulated configurations), and run time (13% faster).

An archive-based self-adaptive artificial electric field algorithm with orthogonal initialization for real-parameter optimization problems

In this article, a series of learning strategies are proposed to enhance the optimization ability of the artificial electric field algorithm. Orthogonal learning is an important mathematical tool that can greatly influence the adaptability of population-based optimization algorithms. This article proposes, (i) an orthogonal array-based learning strategy to generate a better initial population for the artificial electric field algorithm. Along with the changes in the initialization mechanism, this article also proposes, (ii) an archive-based self-adaptive learning strategy for an artificial electric field algorithm. The proposed learning strategy divides the population into ordinary and extraordinary sub-populations, each with distinct learning mechanisms. The ordinary sub-population utilizes six learning strategies based on three archives, which contain individuals of different quality levels. We incorporate, (iii) a mutation strategy also to update the extraordinary sub-population. Finally, (iv) a self-adaptive strategy is implemented to dynamically adjust the parameters of the proposed algorithm. The effectiveness of these mechanisms is assessed through an extensive analysis of exploration–exploitation dynamics and diversity. Furthermore, an independent structural study is conducted to examine the impact of implemented mechanisms on the algorithm’s behavior and efficiency. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on real parameter CEC 2017 problems across different dimensional search spaces. It is compared to eleven state-of-the-art algorithms, and the results demonstrate superior performance in terms of solution accuracy, convergence rate, search capability, and stability. The overall ranking highlights its exceptional potential for solving challenging optimization problems. Additionally, it outperforms other state-of-the-art algorithms across various dimensions, achieving accuracy rates of 64.48%, 70.05%, 78.73%, and 79.25% for dimensions 10, 30, 50, and 100, respectively. Furthermore, it demonstrates superior performance, outperforming others in 73.13% and 60.61% of the problems concerning average accuracy and statistical significance across all dimensions, respectively.

A framework for real-time operation of urban detention reservoirs: Application of the cellular automata and rainfall nowcasting

Detention reservoirs are employed in urban drainage systems to reduce peak flows downstream of reservoirs. In addition to the volume of detention reservoirs, their operational policies could significantly affect their performance. This paper presents a framework for the real-time coordinated operation of detention reservoirs using deep-learning-based rainfall nowcasting data. Considering the short concentration time of urban basins, the real-time operating policies of urban detention reservoirs should be developed quickly. In the proposed framework, a cellular automata (CA)-based optimization algorithm is linked with the storm water management model (SWMM) to optimize real-time operating policies of gates at the inlets and outlets of detention reservoirs. As CA-based optimization models are not population-based, their computational costs are much less than population-based metaheuristic optimization techniques such as genetic algorithms. To evaluate the applicability and efficiency of the framework, it is applied to the east drainage catchment (EDC) of Tehran metropolitan area in Iran. The results illustrate that the proposed framework could reduce the overflow volume by up to 60%. For complete flood control in the study area, in addition to the real-time operation of detention reservoirs, constructing five tunnels with a total length of 13200 m is recommended. To evaluate the performance of the CA-based optimization model, its results are compared with those obtained from the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm III (NSGA-III). It is shown that the CA-based model provides similar results with only 5% of the run-time of NSGA-III. A sensitivity analysis is also performed to evaluate the effects of optimization models’ parameters on their performance.

I-CPA: An Improved Carnivorous Plant Algorithm for Solar Photovoltaic Parameter Identification Problem.

The carnivorous plant algorithm (CPA), which was recently proposed for solving optimization problems, is a population-based optimization algorithm inspired by plants. In this study, the exploitation phase of the CPA was improved with the teaching factor strategy in order to achieve a balance between the exploration and exploitation capabilities of CPA, minimize getting stuck in local minima, and produce more stable results. The improved CPA is called the I-CPA. To test the performance of the proposed I-CPA, it was applied to CEC2017 functions. In addition, the proposed I-CPA was applied to the problem of identifying the optimum parameter values of various solar photovoltaic modules, which is one of the real-world optimization problems. According to the experimental results, the best value of the root mean square error (RMSE) ratio between the standard data and simulation data was obtained with the I-CPA method. The Friedman mean rank statistical analyses were also performed for both problems. As a result of the analyses, it was observed that the I-CPA produced statistically significant results compared to some classical and modern metaheuristics. Thus, it can be said that the proposed I-CPA achieves successful and competitive results in identifying the parameters of solar photovoltaic modules.

Uncovering structural bias in population-based optimization algorithms: A theoretical and simulation-based analysis of the Generalized Signature Test

Population-based optimization algorithms are popular tools for optimization, influenced by two interactive factors: landscape bias, which guides the population toward better objective function values, and structural bias, which directs the population to a specific location in the search domain. Structural bias can impede the exploration of algorithms, compelling the population to revisit a particular area of the search domain, which leads to increased computing costs without yielding any new information. In this study, we present a comprehensive survey of structural bias. Identifying this bias in a general algorithm is challenging. We propose the ‘Generalized Signature Test’ as a methodology to detect and analyze the structural bias in population-based optimization algorithms. Numerical simulations are performed using six well-known metaheuristic algorithms: Genetic Algorithm, Differential Evolution, Particle Swarm Optimization, Grey Wolf Optimizer, Whale Optimization Algorithm, and Harris Hawks Optimization. Experimental results suggest that Differential Evolution displays the least bias toward the center of the search domain, whereas the Harris Hawks Optimization exhibits a significant axial-diagonal bias toward the origin. Our findings indicate that the proposed method is both efficient and straightforward for assessing algorithmic structural bias. The Generalized Signature Test provides an in-depth analysis and understanding of biases, tailor-made for thorough bias behavior investigations. The Generalized Signature Test can identify bias in established algorithms and evaluate bias in emerging algorithms at their early development stages.

Liquid Silicone Rubber Headlamp Lens Injection Molding Process Optimization Based on Tie Bar Elongation and NSGA III.

This study aimed to improve the injection molding quality of LSR material lenses by optimizing the process parameters. To achieve this goal, we employed the population-based optimization algorithm NSGA-III, which can simultaneously optimize multiple objective functions and identify an equilibrium point among them, thereby reducing the time required to find the optimal process parameters. We utilized analysis software to simulate the injection molding process of LSR material lenses, with a specific focus on examining the relationship between tie bar elongation and the optimized process parameters. During the study, we intentionally varied key process parameters, including the melt temperature, holding pressure, and holding time, to analyze their impact on the residual stress of the final product. In order to investigate the intricate relationship between the tie bar yield, injection molding process parameters, and lens residual stress, we installed strain sensors on the tie bar to continuously monitor changes in clamping force throughout the injection molding process. The experimental results showed that both the tie bar force and mold cavity pressure exerted significant influence on residual stresses. By applying the NSGA-III algorithm for optimization, we successfully determined the optimal process parameters, which included a melt temperature of 34.92 °C, a holding pressure of 33.97 MPa, and a holding time of 9.96 s. In comparison to the initially recommended process parameters during the design phase, the optimized parameters led to reductions of 12.98% in clamping force and 47.14% in residual stress. Furthermore, the average transmittance of the actual product remained within the range of 95-98%. In summary, this approach not only enables the prediction of the lens's residual stress trends based on the tie bar elongation, but also leads to a substantial enhancement of lens quality, characterized by reduced residual stress and improved transmittance through the optimization of process parameters. This methodology can serve as a valuable guide for optimizing real-world injection molding processes.

Analysis of one-shot device testing data under logistic-exponential lifetime distribution with an application to SEER gallbladder cancer data

In the literature, the reliability analysis of one-shot devices is found under accelerated life testing in the presence of various stress factors. The application of one-shot devices can be extended to the bio-medical field, where we often evidence that inflicted with a certain disease, survival time would be under different stress factors like environmental stress, co-morbidity, the severity of disease etc. This work is concerned with a one-shot device data analysis and applies it to SEER gallbladder cancer data. The two-parameter logistic-exponential distribution is applied as a lifetime distribution. For robust parameter estimation, weighted minimum density power divergence estimators (WMDPDE) is obtained along with the conventional maximum likelihood estimators (MLE). The asymptotic behaviour of the WMDPDE and the robust test statistic based on the density power divergence measure are also studied. The performances of estimators are evaluated through extensive simulation experiments. Later those developments are applied to SEER gallbladder cancer data. Citing the importance of knowing exactly when to inspect the one-shot devices put to the test, a search for optimum inspection times is performed. This optimization is designed to minimize a defined cost function which strikes a trade-off between the precision of the estimation and experimental cost. The search is accomplished through the population-based heuristic optimization method genetic algorithm.

A new method proposed for realizing human gait pattern recognition: Inspirations for the application of sports and clinical gait analysis

BackgroundFinding the best subset of gait features among biomechanical variables is considered very important because of its ability to identify relevant sports and clinical gait pattern differences to be explored under specific study conditions. This study proposes a new method of metaheuristic optimization-based selection of optimal gait features, and then investigates how much contribution the selected gait features can achieve in gait pattern recognition. MethodsFirstly, 800 group gait datasets performed feature extraction to initially eliminate redundant variables. Then, the metaheuristic optimization algorithm model was performed to select the optimal gait feature, and four classification algorithm models were used to recognize the selected gait feature. Meanwhile, the accuracy results were compared with two widely used feature selection methods and previous studies to verify the validity of the new method. Finally, the final selected features were used to reconstruct the data waveform to interpret the biomechanical meaning of the gait feature. ResultsThe new method finalized 10 optimal gait features (6 ankle-related and 4-related knee features) based on the extracted 36 gait features (85 % variable explanation) by feature extraction. The accuracy in gait pattern recognition among the optimal gait features selected by the new method (99.81 % ± 0.53 %) was significantly higher than that of the feature-based sorting of effect size (94.69 % ± 2.68 %), the sequential forward selection (95.59 % ± 2.38 %), and the results of previous study. The interval between reconstructed waveform-high and reconstructed waveform-low curves based on the selected feature was larger during the whole stance phase. SignificanceThe selected gait feature based on the proposed new method (metaheuristic optimization-based selection) has a great contribution to gait pattern recognition. Sports and clinical gait pattern recognition can benefit from population-based metaheuristic optimization techniques. The metaheuristic optimization algorithms are expected to provide a practical and elegant solution for sports and clinical biomechanical feature selection with better economy and accuracy.

An application of kho-Kho optimization algorithm to estimation parameter of permanent magnet synchronous machine

Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) are among the popular motors used in industrial applications. Designing an appropriate control scheme to obtain the desired output for these motors depends on the motor parameters. In this aspect, this paper presents the application of a well-known meta-heuristics optimization scheme, i.e., the Kho-Kho optimization (KKO) algorithm to estimate the parameters of PMSM. The KKO algorithm introduced in [1] is a population-based meta-heuristic optimization scheme that replicated the chasing strategy of a defending team in a Kho-Kho game. To show the supremacy of the suggested scheme in determining the unknown parameters of the PMSM, a PMSM with known coefficients is considered and the parameter of the model is estimated using the KKO algorithm.

EGFA-NAS: a neural architecture search method based on explosion gravitation field algorithm

Neural architecture search (NAS) is an extremely complex optimization task. Recently, population-based optimization algorithms, such as evolutionary algorithm, have been adopted as search strategies for designing neural networks automatically. Various population-based NAS methods are promising in searching for high-performance neural architectures. The explosion gravitation field algorithm (EGFA) inspired by the formation process of planets is a novel population-based optimization algorithm with excellent global optimization capability and remarkable efficiency, compared with the classical population-based algorithms, such as GA and PSO. Thus, this paper attempts to develop a more efficient NAS method, called EGFA-NAS, by utilizing the work mechanisms of EGFA, which relaxes the search discrete space to a continuous one and then utilizes EGFA and gradient descent to optimize the weights of the candidate architectures in conjunction. To reduce the computational cost, a training strategy by utilizing the population mechanism of EGFA-NAS is proposed. In addition, a weight inheritance strategy for the new generated dust individuals is proposed during the explosion operation to improve performance and efficiency. The performance of EGFA-NAS is investigated in two typical micro search spaces: NAS-Bench-201 and DARTS, and compared with various kinds of state-of-the-art NAS competitors. The experimental results demonstrate that EGFA-NAS is able to match or outperform the state-of-the-art NAS methods on image classification tasks with remarkable efficiency improvement.

Global optimization and structural analysis of Coulomb and logarithmic potentials on the unit sphere using a population-based heuristic approach

Global optimization of high-dimensional non-convex functions arises in many important applications and researches. In this paper, we focus on the minimum energy configuration problem on the unit sphere, whose goal is to determine the minimum-energy configuration of N particles interacting via the standard Coulomb potential or the discrete logarithmic potential on the unit sphere. This is a classic global optimization problem with many important applications in mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry, and is one of the 18 great mathematical problems for the twenty-first century listed by the Fields Medal winner (Smale, 1998). To determine the minimum-energy configuration for these two potential functions, we propose a population-based global optimization algorithm that combines a two-phase local optimization method with early-stopping strategy, a random perturbation operator, a distance-based population update strategy using a novel distance function to measure the difference between solutions, and a population rebuilding method. Computational results show that the proposed algorithm is very competitive compared to the best known results in the literature. In particular, it improves the best-known result for one instance of the classic Thomson problem (i.e., N=360) widely studied in the literature. The configurations of instances with up to N=500 particles are systematically optimized for the first time by the proposed algorithm for the discrete logarithmic potential. The comparative study shows that the putative optimal configurations have a high similarity for the Coulomb and logarithmic potentials and that the defects play an important role in reducing the energy of configuration. The energies of particles on the putative optimal configurations are analyzed for the studied logarithmic potential.

Population-Based Hyperparameter Tuning With Multitask Collaboration.

Population-based optimization methods are widely used for hyperparameter (HP) tuning for a given specific task. In this work, we propose the population-based hyperparameter tuning with multitask collaboration (PHTMC), which is a general multitask collaborative framework with parallel and sequential phases for population-based HP tuning methods. In the parallel HP tuning phase, a shared population for all tasks is kept and the intertask relatedness is considered to both yield a better generalization ability and avoid data bias to a single task. In the sequential HP tuning phase, a surrogate model is built for each new-added task so that the metainformation from the existing tasks can be extracted and used to help the initialization for the new task. Experimental results show significant improvements in generalization abilities yielded by neural networks trained using the PHTMC and better performances achieved by multitask metalearning. Moreover, a visualization of the solution distribution and the autoencoder's reconstruction of both the PHTMC and a single-task population-based HP tuning method is compared to analyze the property with the multitask collaboration.

Advanced slime mould algorithm incorporating differential evolution and Powell mechanism for engineering design

The slime mould algorithm (SMA) is a population-based swarm intelligence optimization algorithm that simulates the oscillatory foraging behavior of slime moulds. To overcome its drawbacks of slow convergence speed and premature convergence, this paper proposes an improved algorithm named PSMADE, which integrates the differential evolution algorithm (DE) and the Powell mechanism. PSMADE utilizes crossover and mutation operations of DE to enhance individual diversity and improve global search capability. Additionally, it incorporates the Powell mechanism with a taboo table to strengthen local search and facilitate convergence toward better solutions. The performance of PSMADE is evaluated by comparing it with 14 metaheuristic algorithms (MA) and 15 improved MAs on the CEC 2014 benchmarks, as well as solving four constrained real-world engineering problems. Experimental results demonstrate that PSMADE effectively compensates for the limitations of SMA and exhibits outstanding performance in solving various complex problems, showing potential as an effective problem-solving tool.

Analysis of drilling behavior of flax/PP composites

ABSTRACT The current research investigation aims to use and compare three different population-based optimization approaches to optimize the operating factors of drilling process to reduce thrust force (TF) and subsequently delamination in flax/PP laminates. Five different tool point geometries and three levels of spindle speed (SS) and feed rate (FR) were considered. Analysis of variance indicated that drill point geometry was most significant parameter affecting the TF, whereas SS had the most negligible impact. Moreover, the lowest and maximum TF and delamination factor (DF) were recorded for the U-shape drill bit and 135°- point angle twist drill bit, respectively. The outcome of the experimental investigation revealed that a low FR value (0.05 mm/rev) and medium-range SS value (1500–1800 RPM) were optimum parameters for each drill geometry. Although all optimization techniques provided almost the same optimum values, but TLBO (teaching learning-based optimization) technique’s convergence rate was fast compared to others.

A fusion algorithm based on whale and grey wolf optimization algorithm for solving real-world optimization problems

In order to better understand and analyze population-based meta-heuristic optimization algorithms, this paper proposed a new hybrid algorithm combined Lévy flight with modified Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) , which is called LMWOAGWO to discard the dross and select the essence. Firstly, the population is initialized by using the uniform distribution space combined with the pseudo-reverse learning strategy, which lays the foundation for global search. Then, modifications were made to both WOA and GWO. For WOA algorithm, random adjustment control parameters strategy and different chaotic maps are used to adjust the main parameters of WOA to avoid the algorithm falling into local optimum in the later stage. For GWO algorithm, a new optimal solution is added to the grey wolf population to increase the optimal update position of the algorithm. On this basis, the dynamic weighting strategy is introduced to improve the convergence accuracy and convergence speed of the algorithm. Subsequently, new conditions were added during the WOA exploitation phase to formulate LMWOAGWO and the greedy strategy is used to retain better iteration update locations. Finally, Lévy flight is used to improve the global search ability of the algorithm. Extensive numerical experiments were conducted using 23 standard test benchmark functions, 25 CEC2005 functions, 15 popular benchmark functions and 10 CEC2019 functions to test the performance of LMWOAGWO compared with other well-known swarm optimization algorithms. Experimental and statistical results show that the performance of LMWOAGWO algorithm is better than many state-of-the-art algorithms. Then, 22 real-world optimization problems were used to further study the effectiveness of LMWOAGWO. Winners of CEC2020 Real World Single Objective Constraint Optimization Competition, such as iLSHADEϵ algorithm, sCMAgES algorithm, COLSHADE algorithm and EnMODE algorithm are selected as four comparison algorithms in real world optimization problems. Experimental results show that the proposed LMWOAGWO has the capability to solve real-world optimization problems. Finally, the application efficiency of LMWOAGWO in solving two basic optimization problems in wireless networks is briefly introduced, and compared with the original WOA and GWO. Simulation results show that the performance of the LMWOAGWO is better than WOA and GWO.

Analysis of Meta-Heuristic Feature Selection Techniques on classifier performance with specific reference to psychiatric disorder

Optimization plays an important role in solving complex computational problems. Meta-Heuristic approaches work as an optimization technique. In any search space, these approaches play an excellent role in local as well as global search. Nature-inspired approaches, especially population-based ones, play a role in solving the problem. In the past decade, many nature-inspired population-based methods have been explored by researchers to facilitate computational intelligence. These methods are based on insects, birds, animals, sea creatures, etc. This research focuses on the use of Meta-Heuristic methods for the feature selection. A better optimization approach must be introduced to reduce the computational load, depending on the problem size and complexity. The correct feature set must be chosen for the diagnostic system to operate effectively. Here, population-based Meta-Heuristic optimization strategies have been used to pick the features. By choosing the best feature set, the Butterfly Optimization Algorithm (BOA) with the Enhanced Lion Optimization Algorithm (ELOA) approach would reduce classifier overhead. The results clearly demonstrate that the combined strategy has higher performance outcomes when compared to other optimization strategies.

Using the Modified Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm to Find the Non-Archimedean Epsilon for Evaluating the Efficiency in DEA

The artificial bee colony algorithm is one of the population-based optimization methods inspired by the evolutionary principles of the social behavior of bees. On the other hand, one of the sub-fields of operations research science is data envelopment analysis. There are some difficulties in DEA models for selecting the appropriate numerical value for an infinitesimal non-Archimedean epsilon. So far, various methods have been proposed to solve this problem and choose the suitable non-Archimedean epsilon. In order to solve the problem, the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC), and modification of the original ABC algorithm (MABC) are adopted and proposed in this paper. The impacts of our proposed algorithms on the suitable non-Archimedean epsilon by solving only one linear programming (LP), instead of n LP are investigated. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated by comparing the solutions obtained from GAMS software based on the presented examples.

Optimal planning and allocation of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles charging stations using a novel hybrid optimization technique.

India's expanding population has necessitated the development of alternate transportation methods with electric vehicles (EVs) being the most indigenous and need for the current scenario. The major hindrance is the undue influence on the power distribution system caused by incorrect charging station setup. Renewable Energy Sources (RES) have a lower environmental impact than the non-renewable sources of energy and due to which Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) charging stations are installed in the highest-ranking buses to facilitate their effective placements. Based on meta-heuristic optimization, this study offers an effective PHEV charging stations allocation approach for RES applications. The primary objective of the developed system is to create a charging network at a reasonable cost while maintaining the operational features of the distribution network. These troublesare handled by applying meta-heuristic algorithms and optimum planning based on renewable energy systems to satisfy the outcomes of the variables. As a result, by adding charging station parameters, this research proposes to conceptualize the distribution of optimal charging stationsas multiple-objectives of the problem. Furthermore, the PHEV RES and charging station location problem is handled in this study by deploying a novel hybrid algorithm termed as Atom Search Woven Aquila Optimization Algorithm (AT-AQ) that includes the ideas of both Aquila Optimizer (AO) and Atom Search Optimization (ASO) Algorithms. In reality, Aquila Optimizer is a unique population-based optimization approach energized by Aquila's behaviour when seeking prey and it solves the problems of slow convergence and local optimum trapping. According to the findings of the experiments, the proposed model outperformed the other methods in terms of minimized cost function.

Great Wall Construction Algorithm: A novel meta-heuristic algorithm for engineer problems

In recent years, the optimization community has witnessed a surge in the popularity of population-based optimization methods. However, many of these methods suffer from various shortcomings, including unclear performance characteristics, incomplete validation, excessive reliance on metaphors, inadequate exploration and exploitation components, and compromised trade-offs between exploration and exploitation in real-world scenarios. As a result, users often find themselves needing to extensively modify and fine-tune these methods to achieve faster convergence, stable balance, and high-quality results. To shift the optimization community’s focus towards performance rather than metaphorical changes, we propose a general population-based optimization technique called the Great Wall Construction Algorithm (GWCA). This study presents GWCA as a simple yet robust method with competitive performance for efficiently solving constrained and unconstrained problems. GWCA draws inspiration from the competition and elimination mechanisms observed among workers during the construction of the ancient Great Wall. It introduces a mathematical model of the labor movement to simulate the algorithm’s dynamics. Unlike other methods that employ multiple models to generate new solutions, GWCA randomly assigns a single predefined motion model to each worker in every iteration. This unique approach showcases GWCA’s dynamic nature, simple structure, high convergence performance, and ability to deliver satisfactory solution quality, thus outperforming existing optimization methods in terms of efficiency. To validate GWCA, we conduct extensive comparisons with popular and advanced algorithms on the IEEE CEC 2017 benchmark suite across different dimensions (D = 10, 30, 50, 100). Additionally, GWCA is applied to solve 16 constrained engineering problems and 6 NP-Hard problems, demonstrating its applicability in handling constrained and complex nonlinear problems. Finally, we compare GWCA’s optimized solutions with those obtained from 33 advanced meta-heuristic algorithms, including the winner of CEC 2017. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed optimizer in solving a wide range of single-objective problems, surpassing popular base optimizers, advanced variants of existing methods, and several CEC winners. We present GWCA as an open-source population-based method that can serve as a standard optimization tool across various domains of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It exhibits a range of exploratory and exploitative features, offering high performance and optimization capabilities. The method is highly flexible, scalable, and can be further extended in terms of structure and application to accommodate diverse forms of optimization scenarios. https://github.com/guangian/Great-Wall-Construction-Algorithm-a-novel-meta-heuristic-algorithm-for-global-optimization.