Combining path relinking and genetic algorithms for the multiple-level warehouse layout problem

Path relinking is a method to generate new solution by exploring trajectories that connect high quality solutions. In this paper, a class of new hybrid heuristics are proposed by combining a genetic algorithm and path relinking and applying these to a multiple-level warehouse layout problem. Parallel and series combinations to integrate crossover and mutation operations of a genetic algorithm with path relinking are investigated. We proposed position and sequence based path relinking methods to connect two solutions, which are either elites or ones selected randomly. Extensive experiments are carried out to compare the performance of the new heuristics.