GAAP. genetic algorithm with auxiliary populations applied to continuous optimization problems

Abstract

Genetic algorithms have been used successfully to solve continuous optimization problems. However, an early convergence to low-quality solutions is one of the most common difficulties encountered when using these strategies. In this paper, a method that combines multiple auxiliary populations with the main population of the algorithm is proposed. The role of the auxiliary populations is dual: to prevent or hinder the early convergence to local suboptimal solutions, and to provide a local search mechanism for a greater exploitation of the most promising regions within the search space.