Clonal Selection Algorithm for Corridor Allocation Problem

Layout problems are combinatorial optimization problems that deal with the physical arrangement of facilities in a given area. In real-world situations, this type of problem can be applied to the efficient distribution of rooms in corridors, components on printed circuit boards, and machines in production lines. The Corridor Allocation Problem (CAP) is a typical layout problem where facilities are allocated in a two-sided corridor, not allowing empty spaces between them. Although exact methods have been presented, this problem is commonly addressed through approximate methods, given its complexity. Evolutionary algorithms, such as the Clonal Selection Algorithm (CLONALG), are widely used in combinatorial optimization problems. Thus, we propose a CLONALG approach combined with Random Variable Neighborhood Search for solving CAP. A set of 89 problem instances with up to 70 facilities was solved. The proposal achieved results statistically equivalent to those from the literature with a significant improvement in the processing times.