Solving the multidimensional knapsack problem using an evolutionary algorithm hybridized with branch and bound

A hybridization of an evolutionary algorithm (EA) with the branch and bound method (B&B) is presented in this paper. Both techniques cooperate by exchanging information, namely lower bounds in the case of the EA, and partial promising solutions in the case of the B&B. The multidimensional knapsack problem has been chosen as a benchmark. To be precise, the algorithms have been tested on large problems instances from the OR-library. As it will be shown, the hybrid approach can provide high quality results, better than those obtained by the EA and the B&B on their own.