Fundamentals of scatter search and path relinking

The evolutionary approach called Scatter Search, and its generalized form called Path Relinking, have proved unusually effective for solving a diverse array of optimization problems from both classical and real world settings. Scatter Search and Path Relinking differ from other evolutionary procedures, such as genetic algorithms, by providing unifying principles for joining solutions based on generalized path constructions (in both Euclidean and neighborhood spaces) and by utilizing strategic designs where other approaches resort to randomization. Scatter Search and Path Relinking are also intimately related to the Tabu Search metaheuristic, and derive additional advantages by making use of adaptive memory and associated memory-exploiting mechanisms that are capable of being adapted to particular contexts. We describe the features of Scatter Search and Path Relinking that set them apart from other evolutionary approaches, and that offer opportunities for creating increasingly more versatile and effective methods in the future.