A decimal-coded evolutionary algorithm for constrained optimization

A proposed integer decimal coding is described and compared with corresponding binary codings. An evolutionary program for structural design optimization is developed based on a decimal coding of the design variables. It is shown that decimal coding, processed using ranking, elitism and mutation, provides a satisfactory computational basis and offers certain advantages over binary versions. Two types of mutation are used, one random and the other 'intelligent' or beneficial. The program is applied to constrained numerical minimization problems and to constrained structural minimum weight evaluations. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.