A generalized version of graph-based ant system and its applicability and convergence

Abstract

A generalized version of Gutjahr's Graph-based Ant System (GBAS) framework for solving static combinatorial optimization problems is examined in the present paper. A new transition rule which in-tends to balance between the exploration and the exploitation in the search progress of Ant-based algorithms, is added into Gutjahr's GBAS model. As shown in this paper, our generalized model still holds all convergent properties of the GBAS model and may show a promising improvement in solution quality to Ant-based algorithms in literature.