A Parametric Multi-start Algorithm for Solving the Response Time Variability Problem

The Multi-start metaheuristic has been applied straight or hybridized with other metaheuristics to solve a wide range of optimisation problems Moreover, this metaheuristic is very easy to be adapted and implemented for a wide variety of problems In this study, we propose a parametric multi-start algorithm that keeps its original simplicity To test the proposed algorithm, we solve the Response Time Variability Problem (RTVP) The RTVP is a NP-hard sequencing combinatorial optimisation problem that has recently defined in the literature This problem has a wide range of real-life applications in, for example, manufacturing, hard real-time systems, operating systems and network environment The RTVP occurs whenever products, clients or jobs need to be sequenced so as to minimise variability in the time between the instants at which they receive the necessary resources The computational experiment shows the robustness of the proposed multi-start technique.

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