All Outputs (103)

A harmony search algorithm for nurse rostering problems (2013)
Journal Article
Hadwan, M., Ayob, M., Kendall, G., & Qu, R. (2013). A harmony search algorithm for nurse rostering problems. Information Sciences, 233, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2012.12.025

Harmony search algorithm (HSA) is a relatively new nature-inspired algorithm. It evolves solutions in the problem search space by mimicking the musical improvisation process in seeking agreeable harmony measured by aesthetic standards. The nurse rost... Read More about A harmony search algorithm for nurse rostering problems.

A nondominated sorting genetic algorithm for bi-objective network coding based multicast routing problems (2013)
Journal Article
Xing, H., & Qu, R. (2013). A nondominated sorting genetic algorithm for bi-objective network coding based multicast routing problems. Information Sciences, 233, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2013.01.014

Network coding is a new communication technique that generalizes routing, where, instead of simply forwarding the packets they receive, intermediate nodes are allowed to recombine (code) together some of the data packets received from different incom... Read More about A nondominated sorting genetic algorithm for bi-objective network coding based multicast routing problems.

Particle swarm optimization for the Steiner tree in graph and delay-constrained multicast routing problems (2013)
Journal Article
Qu, R., Xu, Y., Castro-Gutierrez, J., & Landa-Silva, D. (2013). Particle swarm optimization for the Steiner tree in graph and delay-constrained multicast routing problems. Journal of Heuristics, 19(2), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10732-012-9198-2

This paper presents the first investigation on applying a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to both the Steiner tree problem and the delay constrained multicast routing problem. Steiner tree problems, being the underlining models of many ap... Read More about Particle swarm optimization for the Steiner tree in graph and delay-constrained multicast routing problems.

Domain transformation approach to deterministic optimization of examination timetables (2013)
Journal Article
Abdul Rahim, S., Bargiela, A., & Qu, R. (2013). Domain transformation approach to deterministic optimization of examination timetables. Artificial Intelligence Research, 2(1), https://doi.org/10.5430/air.v2n1p122

In this paper we introduce a new optimization method for the examinations scheduling problem. Rather than attempting direct optimization of assignments of exams to specific time-slots, we perform permutations of slots and reassignments of exams upon... Read More about Domain transformation approach to deterministic optimization of examination timetables.

A time predefined variable depth search for nurse rostering (2013)
Journal Article
Burke, E., Curtois, T., Qu, R., & Vanden Berghe, G. (2013). A time predefined variable depth search for nurse rostering. INFORMS Journal on Computing, 25(3), https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.1120.0510

This paper presents a variable depth search for the nurse rostering problem. The algorithm works by chaining together single neighbourhood swaps into more effective compound moves. It achieves this by using heuristics to decide whether to continue ex... Read More about A time predefined variable depth search for nurse rostering.

A survey of workforce scheduling and routing (2012)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Castillo-Salazar, A., Landa-Silva, D., & Qu, R. A survey of workforce scheduling and routing. Presented at Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling (PATAT 2012)

In the context of workforce scheduling, there are many scenarios in which personnel must carry out tasks at different locations hence requiring some form of transportation. Examples of these type of scenarios include nurses visiting patients at home,... Read More about A survey of workforce scheduling and routing.

Tabu assisted guided local search approaches for freight service network design (2011)
Journal Article
Bai, R., Kendall, G., Qu, R., & Atkin, J. A. (2012). Tabu assisted guided local search approaches for freight service network design. Information Sciences, 189, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2011.11.028

The service network design problem (SNDP) is a core problem in freight transportation. It involves the determination of the most cost-effective transportation network and the character- istics of the corresponding services, subject to various constra... Read More about Tabu assisted guided local search approaches for freight service network design.

A survey of search methodologies and automated system development for examination timetabling (2008)
Journal Article
Qu, R., Burke, E., McCollum, B., Merlot, L., & Lee, S. (2008). A survey of search methodologies and automated system development for examination timetabling. Journal of Scheduling, 12(1), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-008-0077-5

Examination timetabling is one of the most important administrative activities that takes place in all academic institutions. In this paper, we present a critical discussion of the research on exam timetabling which has taken place in the last decade... Read More about A survey of search methodologies and automated system development for examination timetabling.

Hybridizations within a graph based hyper-heuristic framework for university timetabling problems (2008)
Journal Article
Qu, R., & Burke, E. (2008). Hybridizations within a graph based hyper-heuristic framework for university timetabling problems. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 60(9), https://doi.org/10.1057/jors.2008.102

A significant body of recent literature has explored various research directions in hyper-heuristics (which can be thought as heuristics to choose heuristics). In this paper, we extend our previous work to construct a unified graph-based hyper-heuris... Read More about Hybridizations within a graph based hyper-heuristic framework for university timetabling problems.

A graph-based hyper heuristic for timetabling problems (2007)
Journal Article
Burke, E., MacCloumn, B., Meisels, A., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. (2007). A graph-based hyper heuristic for timetabling problems. European Journal of Operational Research, 176(1), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2005.08.012

This paper presents an investigation of a simple generic hyper-heuristic approach upon a set of widely used constructive heuristics (graph coloring heuristics) in timetabling. Within the hyperheuristic framework, a Tabu Search approach is employed to... Read More about A graph-based hyper heuristic for timetabling problems.

Case Based Heuristic Selection for Timetabling Problems (2006)
Journal Article
Burke, E., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. (2006). Case Based Heuristic Selection for Timetabling Problems. Journal of Scheduling, 9(2),

This paper presents a case-based heuristic selection approach for automated university course and exam timetabling. The method described in this paper is motivated by the goal of developing timetabling systems that are fundamentally more general than... Read More about Case Based Heuristic Selection for Timetabling Problems.

Multiple-retrieval case-based reasoning for course timetabling problems (2006)
Journal Article
Burke, E., MacCarthy, B. L., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. (2006). Multiple-retrieval case-based reasoning for course timetabling problems. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 57(2),

The structured representation of cases by attribute graphs in a Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) system for course timetabling has been the subject of previous research by the authors. In that system, the case base is organised as a decision tree and the r... Read More about Multiple-retrieval case-based reasoning for course timetabling problems.

Hybrid Variable Neighborhood HyperHeuristicsfor Exam Timetabling Problems (2005)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Qu, R., & Burke, E. (2005, August). Hybrid Variable Neighborhood HyperHeuristicsfor Exam Timetabling Problems. Paper presented at The Sixth Metaheuristics International Conference 2005, Vienna, Austria

This paper presents our work on analysing the high level search within a graph based hyperheuristic. The graph based hyperheuristic solves the problem at a higher level by searching through permutations of graph heuristics rather than the actual solu... Read More about Hybrid Variable Neighborhood HyperHeuristicsfor Exam Timetabling Problems.

A Decomposition, Construction and Post-Processing Approach for Nurse Rostering (2005)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Brucker, P., Qu, R., Burke, E., & Post, G. A Decomposition, Construction and Post-Processing Approach for Nurse Rostering. Presented at Multidisciplinary International Conference on Scheduling : Theory and Applications

This paper presents our work on decomposing a specific nurse rostering problem by cyclically assigning blocks of shifts, which are designed considering both hard and soft constraints, to groups of nurses. The rest of the shifts are then assigned to t... Read More about A Decomposition, Construction and Post-Processing Approach for Nurse Rostering.

Hybrid Graph Heuristics within a Hyper-heuristic Approach to Exam Timetabling Problems (2005)
Book Chapter
Burke, E., Dror, M., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. (2005). Hybrid Graph Heuristics within a Hyper-heuristic Approach to Exam Timetabling Problems. In B. Golden, S. Raghavan, & E. Wasil (Eds.), The Next Wave in Computing, Optimization, and Decision Technologies. Springer

This paper is concerned with the hybridization of two graph coloring heuristics (Saturation Degree and Largest Degree), and their application within a hyperheuristic for exam timetabling problems. Hyper-heuristics can be seen as algorithms which inte... Read More about Hybrid Graph Heuristics within a Hyper-heuristic Approach to Exam Timetabling Problems.

Analysing similarity in exam timetabling (2004)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Burke, E., Eckersley, A., McCollum, B., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. (2004, August). Analysing similarity in exam timetabling. Presented at International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling 2004

In this paper we carry out an investigation of some of the major features of exam timetabling problems with a view to developing a similarity measure. This similarity measure will be used within a case-based reasoning (CBR) system to match a new prob... Read More about Analysing similarity in exam timetabling.

Using simulated annealing to study behaviour of various exam timetabling data sets (2003)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Burke, E., Eckersley, A., McCollum, B., Sanja, P., & Qu, R. (2003, August). Using simulated annealing to study behaviour of various exam timetabling data sets. Presented at The Fifth Metaheuristics International Conference 2003, Kyoto, Japan

Similarity Measures for Exam Timetabling Problems (2003)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Burke, E., Eckersley, A., McCollum, B., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. Similarity Measures for Exam Timetabling Problems. Presented at Multidisciplinary International Conference on Scheduling : Theory and Applications

A large number of heuristic algorithms have been developed over the years which have been aimed at solving examination timetabling problems. However, many of these algorithms have been developed specifically to solve one particular problem instance o... Read More about Similarity Measures for Exam Timetabling Problems.

Knowledge discovery in hyper-heuristic using case-based reasoning on course timetabling (2002)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Burke, E., MacCarthy, B. L., Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. Knowledge discovery in hyper-heuristic using case-based reasoning on course timetabling. Presented at International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling

This paper presents a new hyper-heuristic method using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) for solving course timetabling problems. The term Hyper-heuristics has recently been employed to refer to 'heuristics that choose heuristics' rather than heuristics tha... Read More about Knowledge discovery in hyper-heuristic using case-based reasoning on course timetabling.

Case-Based Reasoning as a Heuristic Selector in a Hyper-Heuristic for Course Timetabling Problems (2002)
Book Chapter
Petrovic, S., & Qu, R. (2002). Case-Based Reasoning as a Heuristic Selector in a Hyper-Heuristic for Course Timetabling Problems. In Knowledge-Based Intelligent Information Engineering Systems and Allied Technologies. IOS Press

This paper studies Knowledge Discovery (KD) using Tabu Search and Hill Climbing within Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) as a hyper-heuristic method for course timetabling problems. The aim of the hyper-heuristic is to choose the best heuristic(s) for given... Read More about Case-Based Reasoning as a Heuristic Selector in a Hyper-Heuristic for Course Timetabling Problems.