A novel differential evolution algorithm with multi-population and elites regeneration

Abstract

Differential Evolution (DE) is widely recognized as a highly effective evolutionary algorithm for global optimization. It has proven its efficacy in tackling diverse problems across various fields and real-world applications. DE boasts several advantages, such as ease of implementation, reliability, speed, and adaptability. However, DE does have certain limitations, such as suboptimal solution exploitation and challenging parameter tuning. To address these challenges, this research paper introduces a novel algorithm called Enhanced Binary JADE (EBJADE), which combines differential evolution with multi-population and elites regeneration. The primary innovation of this paper lies in the introduction of strategy with enhanced exploitation capabilities. This strategy is based on utilizing the sorting of three vectors from the current generation to perturb the target vector. By introducing directional differences, guiding the search towards improved solutions. Additionally, this study adopts a multi-population method with a rewarding subpopulation to dynamically adjust the allocation of two different mutation strategies. Finally, the paper incorporates the sampling concept of elite individuals from the Estimation of Distribution Algorithm (EDA) to regenerate new solutions through the selection process in DE. Experimental results, using the CEC2014 benchmark tests, demonstrate the strong competitiveness and superior performance of the proposed algorithm.