Tabu Search metaheuristics for global optimization of electromagnetic problems

This paper presents a Tabu Search based strategy which has been applied to optimize the objective function associated to the design of a solenoids system. For this kind of problem, Tabu Search strategies are able to find the global minimum with considerably better performance than that obtained using a Simulated Annealing algorithm. Algorithms used to perform the self-tuning of Tabu Search parameters have also been developed, achieving interesting improvements in terms of computing time and quality of the solutions. Such algorithms are an original development of Reactive Tabu Search and they are based on the past history of the search. Tabu Search strategies have also been applied in continuous optimization of the same problem with encouraging results.