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Workshops on Applications of Evolutionary Computation

EvoWorkshops 2003: Applications of Evolutionary Computing pp 334–345Cite as

Ant Algorithms for the University Course Timetabling Problem with Regard to the State-of-the-Art

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2611))

Abstract

Two ant algorithms solving a simplified version of a typical university course timetabling problem are presented - Ant Colony System and MAX-MIN Ant System. The algorithms are tested over a set of instances from three classes of the problem. Results are compared with recent results obtained with several metaheuristics using the same local search routine (or neighborhood definition), and a reference random restart local search algorithm. Further, both ant algorithms are compared on an additional set of instances. Conclusions are drawn about the performance of ant algorithms on timetabling problems in comparison to other metaheuristics. Also the design, implementation, and parameters of ant algorithms solving the university course timetabling problem are discussed. It is shown that the particular implementation of an ant algorithm has significant influence on the observed algorithm performance.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRIDIA, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 194/6, Av. Franklin D. Roosevelt 50, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Krzysztof Socha, Michael Sampels & Max Manfrin

Authors
  1. Krzysztof Socha
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  2. Michael Sampels
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  3. Max Manfrin
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Computer Engineering, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/a, 43100, Parma, Italy

    Stefano Cagnoni

  2. Computing Laboratory, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NF, UK

    Colin G. Johnson

  3. Dept. of Information and Communications Technologies Faculty of Computer Science, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, CP 15071, Spain

    Juan J. Romero Cardalda

  4. Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science, Free University of Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1081a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Elena Marchiori

  5. Schol of Systems Engineering, University of Reading, PO Box 225, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AY, UK

    David W. Corne

  6. AnimatLab, 8 rue du capitaine Scott, 75015, Paris, France

    Jean-Arcady Meyer  & Agnès Guillot  & 

  7. SAP AG, Neurottstrasse 16, 69190, Walldorf, Germany

    Jens Gottlieb

  8. Parallel Computing and Complex Systems Group, University of Leipzig, Augustusplatz 10/11, 04109, Leipzig, Germany

    Martin Middendorf

  9. Algorithms and Data Structures Group Institute of Computer Graphics, Vienna University of Technology, Favoritenstrasse 9-11/186, 1040, Vienna, Austria

    Günther R. Raidl

  10. School of Computing, Napier University, 219 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH14 1DJ, UK

    Emma Hart

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Socha, K., Sampels, M., Manfrin, M. (2003). Ant Algorithms for the University Course Timetabling Problem with Regard to the State-of-the-Art. In: Cagnoni, S., et al. Applications of Evolutionary Computing. EvoWorkshops 2003. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2611. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-36605-9_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-36605-9_31

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-00976-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-36605-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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