A fuzzy bacterial evolutionary solution for crisp three-dimensional bin packing problems

This paper presents an evolutionary quasi-solution for a problem commonly occurring in practical logistics, the three-dimensional version of the bin packing problem. The algorithm presented here is a variation of the bacterial evolutionary approach, and utilizes fuzzy logic in the fitness calculation. The goal is to give a useful alternative method to the basic problem, and to demonstrate that the addition of fuzzy logic elements to the fitness function increases the speed of the evolutionary process. The paper first describes the specific problem, then moves on to the details of every key part of the algorithm. Finally, the results from a number of test runs are used to show the general efficiency, and the contrast between the crisp and fuzzy fitness functions. It is clearly shown that the application of fuzzy approach in the fitness function can improve the speed of convergence, so the fuzzy logic can be helpful even in solving crisp problems.