A Multi-User Interactive Coral Reef Optimization Algorithm for Considering Expert Knowledge in the Unequal Area Facility Layout Problem

The problem of Unequal Area Facility Layout Planning (UA-FLP) has been addressed by a large number approaches considering set quantitative criteria. Moreover, more recently, the personal qualitative preferences an expert designer or decision-maker (DM) have taken into account too. This article deals with capturing than single DM’s to obtain common and collaborative design including whole from all DMs complex, complete, realistic solutions. To best our knowledge, this is first time that one considered in UA-FLP. new strategy implemented on Coral Reef Optimization (CRO) algorithm using two techniques acquire DMs’ evaluations. demands simultaneous presence DMs, while second does not. Both tested over three well-known instances literature results show it possible sufficient designs maintaining low values fitness function.