Solving Quadratic Assignment Problem Using Water Cycle Optimization Algorithm

Abstract

The Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) is one of combinatorial optimization problems which devote some facilities to some locations. The aim of this problem is assignment of each facility to a location which minimizes total cost. Because the QAP is NP-hard, so it couldn’t be solved by exact methods. In recent years, meta-heuristic algorithms are used in solving NP-hard optimization problems increasingly. In this article Water Cycle Optimization Algorithms (WCO) is used to solve QAP. The implementation of proposed algorithms on standard test functions and also its result comparison with other meta-heuristics algorithms express algorithm`s desirable quality and its prominence to other meta-heuristics algorithms.