Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm for Solving the Provider - Modified Traveling Salesman Problem

The paper concerns the introduced and defined problem which was called the Provider. This problem coming from practice and can be treated as a modified version of Travelling Salesman Problem. For solving the problem an algorithm (called ACO) based on ant colony optimization ideas has been created. The properties of the algorithm were tested using the designed and implemented experimentation system. The effectiveness of the algorithm was evaluated and compared to reference results given by another implemented Random Optimization algorithm (called RO) on the basis of simulation experiments. The reported investigations have shown that the ACO algorithm seems to be very effective for solving the considered problem. Moreover, the ACO algorithm can be recommended for solving other transportation problems.