We consider two algorithms, one heuristic and one genetic, for finding solutions for the Optimal Communications Spanning Tree Problem (OCSTP). We first describe the basic problem and these two approaches to its solution. We then present computational experience with the algorithms, comparing them with one another. We show that while the heuristic is generally faster and produces results as good or better than the genetic algorithm (GA), the GA is more robust than the heuristic and is able to continue to produce reliably good solutions, without any modification to the basic procedure, even when the problem changes radically. The quality of the solutions produced by the heuristic, on the other hand, deteriorates as the underlying problem changes. Thus, the GA is important for validating heuristics and for helping to discover new ones as the new types of problems arise.
By: Charles C. Palmer , Aaron Kershenbaum
Published in: RC19394 in 1994
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