Many methods have been developed for structural size and configuration optimization in which cross-sectional areas are usually assumed to be continuous. In most practical structural engineering design problems, however, the design variables are discrete. This paper proposes two efficient structural optimization methods based on the harmony search (HS) heuristic algorithm that treat both discret...

in the field of health losses resulting from failure to establish the facilities in a suitable location and the required number, beyond the cost and quality of service will result in an increase in mortality and the spread of diseases. so the facility location models have special importance in this area. in this paper, a successively inclusive hierarchical model for location of health centers i...

This study first reviews fuzzy random Portfolio selection theory and describes the concept of portfolio optimization model as a useful instrument for helping finance practitioners and researchers. Second, this paper specifically aims at applying possibility-based models for transforming the fuzzy random variables to the linear programming. The harmony search algorithm approaches to resolve the ...

One of the main challenges for any university administrations is building a timetable for course sessions. Such a challenge not only relates to how to build a usable timetable but also how to build an optimal timetable at the same time. The university course timetable is classified as an NP-Complete problem. In general, it means assigning predefined courses to certain rooms and timeslots under ...

The purpose of this research to present for the first time a practical plan to cost optimize the composite metal floor deck, so that the designer, by having the dimensions of the main beam framing, will be able to come to the most design including: the section of composite steel beam, the beam span, the thickness of metal deck sheets and the thickness of the concrete slab. The main method of op...

Abstract: In this paper, a new fuzzy harmony search algorithm (FHS) for solving optimization problems is presented. FHS is based on a recent method using fuzzy logic for dynamic adaptation of the harmony memory accepting (HMR) and pitch adjustment (PArate) parameters that improve the convergence rate of traditional harmony search algorithm (HS). The objective of the method is to dynamically adj...