| Title | Managing the tabu list length using a fuzzy inference system: an application to exams timetabling |
| Publication Type | Unpublished |
| Year of Publication | 2009 |
| Authors | Pais TC, Amaral P |
| Series Title | Preprint |
| Keywords | Exams timetabling, Fuzzy Inference System, Tabu Search |
| Abstract | In this paper we present an application of Tabu Search (TS) to the exams timetabling problem. One of the drawback of this meta-heuristic is related to the necessity of tuning some parameter (like tabu tenure) whose choice affects the performance of the algorithm. The importance of developing an automatic procedure is clear considering that most of the users of timetabling software, like university and school staff, do not have the expertise to conduct such tuning. The goal of this paper is to present a method to automatically manage the memory in the TS using a Decision Expert System. More precisely a Fuzzy Inference Rule Based System (FIRBS) was implemented to handle the tabu tenure based on two concepts "frequency" and "inactivity". These concepts are related to the number of times a move was attempted and the last time it was called. Computational results show that the implemented FIRBS handles well the tuning of the tabu status duration improving as well the performance of Tabu Search. |
| URL | http://www.dm.fct.unl.pt/sites/www.dm.fct.unl.pt/files/preprints/2009/5_09.pdf |
