Abstract
Differential Evolution (DE) is one of the prevailing search techniques in the present era to solve global optimization problems. However, it shows weakness in performing a localized search, since it is based on mutation strategies that take large steps while searching a local area. Thus, DE is not a good option for solving local optimization problems. On the other hand, there are traditional local search (LS) methods, such as Steepest Decent and Davidon-Fletcher-Powell (DFP) that are good at local searching, but poor in searching global regions. Hence, motivated by the short comings of existing search techniques, we propose a hybrid algorithm of a DE version, reflected adaptive differential evolution with two external archives (RJADE/TA) with DFP to benefit from both search techniques and to alleviate their search disadvantages. In the novel hybrid design, the initial population is explored by global optimizer, RJADE/TA, and then a few comparatively best solutions are shifted to the archive and refined there by DFP. Thus, both kinds of searches, global and local, are incorporated alternatively. Furthermore, a population minimization approach is also proposed. At each call of DFP, the population is decreased. The algorithm starts with a maximum population and ends up with a minimum. The proposed technique was tested on a test suite of 28 complex functions selected from literature to evaluate its merit. The results achieved demonstrate that DE complemented with LS can further enhance the performance of RJADE/TA.