A new self-adaptative crossover operator for real-coded evolutionary algorithms

Abstract

In this paper we propose a new self-adaptative crossover operator for real coded evolutionary algorithms. This operator has the capacity to simulate other real-coded crossover operators dynamically and, therefore, it has the capacity to achieve exploration and exploitation dynamically during the evolutionary process according to the best individuals. In other words, the proposed crossover operator may handle the generational diversity of the population in such a way that it may either generate additional population diversity from the current one, allowing exploration to take effect, or use the diversity previously generated to exploit the better solutions. In order to test the performance of this crossover, we have used a set of test functions and have made a comparative study of the proposed crossover against other classic crossover operators. The analysis of the results allows us to affirm that the proposed operator has a very suitable behavior; although, it should be noted that it offers a better behavior applied to complex search spaces than simple ones. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.