Hybrid optimization: combining global and local search algorithms for efficient non-convex optimization

Non-convex optimization problems are prevalent in scientific and engineering applications, often characterized by multiple local minima that challenge standard optimization techniques. Global optimization methods, such as Genetic Algorithms (GA) (1992) [4] and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) (1995) [6], provide robust global exploration but tend to converge slowly. Conversely, local search methods, such as Newton’s method (2004) [1], (2006) [7], and the Conjugate Gradient (CG) (1964) [3] method, offer rapid convergence but are susceptible to local minima. In this paper, we present four hybrid optimization algorithms that integrate the exploratory strength of global algorithms with the refinement ability of local methods. The proposed hybrids, Genetic Algorithms (GA) + Newton, GA + CG, PSO + Newton, and PSO + CG, are evaluated against their standalone counterparts on standard benchmark functions (2013) [5], including Rosenbrock, Rastrigin, Ackley, and Himmelblau. This work builds upon our previous research on the hybridization of two global search algorithms, the Nelder–Mead (simplex) algorithm and the Bat algorithm, which resulted in the Hybrid Simplex Bat Algorithm (HSBA) [2], recently Published. Results demonstrate that the hybrid approaches consistently outperform traditional methods in terms of accuracy, convergence rate, and computational efficiency.