Abstract. In this article, we study Pareto local optimum sets for the biobjective Traveling Salesman Problem applying straightforward extensions of local search algorithms for the single objective case. The performance of the local search algorithms is illustrated by experimental results obtained for well known benchmark instances and comparisons to methods from literature. In fact, a 3-opt local search is able to compete with the best performing metaheuristics in terms of solution quality. Finally, we also present an empirical study of the features of the solutions found by 3-opt on a set of randomly generated instances. The results indicate the existence of several clusters of near-optimal solutions that are separated by only a few edges.

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The university course timetabling problem is an optimisation problem in which a set of events has to be scheduled in timeslots and located in suitable rooms. Recently, a set of benchmark instances was introduced and used for an 'International Timetabling Competition' to which 24 algorithms were submitted by various research groups active in the field of timetabling. We describe and analyse a hybrid metaheuristic algorithm which was developed under the very same rules and deadlines imposed by the competition and outperformed the official winner. It combines various construction heuristics, tabu search, variable neighbourhood descent and simulated annealing. Due to the complexity of developing hybrid metaheuristics, we strongly relied on an experimental methodology for configuring the algorithms as well as for choosing proper parameter settings. In particular, we used racing procedures that allow an automatic or semi-automatic configuration of algorithms with a good save in time. Our successful example shows that the systematic design of hybrid algorithms through an experimental methodology leads to high performing algorithms for hard combinatorial optimisation problems.

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