2D shape optimization through genetic algorithms

I just recently started learning about genetic algorithms and am now trying to implement them in 2D shape optimization in physics simulaiton. The simulation produces a single scalar for each shape. (I guess this is kind of similar to boxcar2d http://boxcar2d.com/)

The 2D shapes are actually the union of several 2D "sub shapes." Each subshape is stored as an list of angles/radii. The 2D shape is then stored as a list of subshape lists. This serves as my chromosone right now.

Right now for fitness, I will probably use the scalar the simulation produced. My question is, how should I go about the selection and reproduction process? Would tournament be more appropriate, or would I want to use truncation in combination with the proportional selection? Also, how do you find a good mutation rate/population size, etc

sor开发者_运维技巧ry for so many questions but thanks in advance. I just don't really know where to start.

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On my point of view the best way is to use adaptive reproduction strategy during evolution: at the first steps (let name it - "the first phase of calculations") you might set high mutation probability, at this phase you should find enough good solution. At the "second phase" of algorithm you might set decreasing of mutation probability every few steps - at this phase you should improve your solution. But sometimes in my practice I've noticed degradation of population during second phase of optimization (when each chromosome is strongly similar to other) - which effects with extremly slowing down of optimization pperformance, so my solution was to improve algorithm with high valued mutation random perturbations and it helps.

Also I'll advice you to read about differential evolution algorithm - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_evolution. As for me it's performance is much more faster than genetic algorithm.