Colony search optimization algorithm using global optimization.

This paper proposes a novel metaheuristic optimizer, named Colony Search Optimization Algorithm (CSOA). The algorithm mimics the social behavior of early humans. Early humans expanded their settlements in search of more livable places to live. In CSOA, the worst solution is used to escape from local optima. And the number of these redundant solutions' updates is reduced to improve the performance of the algorithm. CSOA is tested with 26 mathematical optimization problems and 4 classical engineering optimization problems. The optimization results are compared with those of various optimization algorithms. The experimental results show that the CSOA is able to provide very competitive results on most of the tested problems. Then, a new effective method is provided for solving optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]