An Improved Hybrid Algorithm for Stochastic Bus-Network Design

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to present the Elastic Hybrid Algorithm: a method that deals in a realistic manner with the Bus-Network Design Problem. The novel technique integrates a Floyd-Warshall initialization method, a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm based on the Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm 2, and a simulation procedure. The Floyd-Warshall procedure initializes the distances and routes between each pair of bus stops. The Evolutionary stage obtains several quasi-optimal bus networks, with the help of a simulation procedure that calculates the values of the environmentally-dependent dynamic variables associated to the user. The method was successfully tested with a real case study and its relevance was assessed after it was compared with other authors´ works. As a conclusion subsequent to several experimental stages, it can be confirmed that the Elastic Hybrid Algorithm achieves highly competitive results in comparison to those from the literature, whilst obtaining solutions that exhibit a strong closeness to various real features of the problem under study.