<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE article  PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD Journal Publishing DTD v3.0 20080202//EN" "http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/3.0/journalpublishing3.dtd"><article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" dtd-version="3.0" xml:lang="en" article-type="research article"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">JCC</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title>Journal of Computer and Communications</journal-title></journal-title-group><issn pub-type="epub">2327-5219</issn><publisher><publisher-name>Scientific Research Publishing</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.4236/jcc.2022.106009</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">JCC-118227</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Articles</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="Discipline-v2"><subject>Computer Science&amp;Communications</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title>
 
 
  Components Assignment Problem for Multi-Source Multi-Sink Flow Networks with Reliability and Budget Constraints
 
</article-title></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Noha</surname><given-names>Nasr Elden</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1"><sup>*</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Moatamad</surname><given-names>Hassan</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1"><sup>*</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Mohamed</surname><given-names>Abd El-Aziz</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"><sup>2</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1"><sup>*</sup></xref></contrib></contrib-group><aff id="aff1"><addr-line>Mathematics and Computer Science Department, Faculty of Science, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt</addr-line></aff><aff id="aff2"><addr-line>Information Systems Department, Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt</addr-line></aff><pub-date pub-type="epub"><day>09</day><month>06</month><year>2022</year></pub-date><volume>10</volume><issue>06</issue><fpage>99</fpage><lpage>111</lpage><history><date date-type="received"><day>17,</day>	<month>May</month>	<year>2022</year></date><date date-type="rev-recd"><day>27,</day>	<month>June</month>	<year>2022</year>	</date><date date-type="accepted"><day>30,</day>	<month>June</month>	<year>2022</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement>&#169; Copyright  2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. </copyright-statement><copyright-year>2014</copyright-year><license><license-p>This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</license-p></license></permissions><abstract><p>
 
 
  System reliability optimization problem of multi-source multi-sink flow network is defined by searching the optimal components that maximize the reliability and minimize the total assignment cost. Therefore, a genetic-based approach is proposed to solve the components assignment problem under budget constraint. The mathematical model of the optimization problem is presented and solved by the proposed genetic-based approach. The proposed approach is based on determining the optimal set of lower boundary points that maximize the system reliability such that the total assignment cost does not exceed the specified budget. Finally, to evaluate our approach, we applied it to various network examples with different numbers of available components; two-source two-sink network and three-source two-sink network.
 
</p></abstract><kwd-group><kwd>Multi-Source Multi-Sink Stochastic-Flow Networks</kwd><kwd> System Reliability Optimization</kwd><kwd> Components Assignment Problem</kwd></kwd-group></article-meta></front><body><sec id="s1"><title>1. Introduction</title><p>The assignment problem (AP) is one of the most important concerns in manufacturing and service systems and it has gotten a lot of attention from scholars. AP is in charge of allocating various resources to various activities on a one-to- one basis [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref1">1</xref>]. The goal of the Component Assignment Problem (CAP) is to find the best way to assign n accessible components to m positions in a system in order to enhance system reliability [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref2">2</xref>]. In [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref3">3</xref>] discussed CAP in a single-source single-sink stochastic flow network (SFN), they studied the matter of searching the optimal components to be appointed to the network for maximizing reliability. The system reliability of an SFN is improved in [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref4">4</xref>] by searching for the best resource to assign using a genetic algorithm approach (GA). Existing [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref5">5</xref>] defined the topic as a double-resource assignment problem and suggested an optimization technique solution for the two resource types, transmission line and transmission facility. They devised a method that used the GA to solve the CAP with the optimal reliability while adhering to the assignment budget constraint [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref6">6</xref>]. They discovered an efficient technique based on a GA to handle the resource assignment problem by finding the optimal resource assignment, which leads to maximum system reliability, in the CAP for a Stochastic-Flow Network (SFN) presented in [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref3">3</xref>]. The Component Assignment Problem (CAP) attempts to find the best way to assign n suitable components to m places in a system in order to maximize system reliability [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref2">2</xref>]. Additionally, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref7">7</xref>] has solved the aforementioned problem as a multi-objective CAP. They suggested a two-stage solution to the multi-objective CAP due to reliability and assignment cost for SFN.</p><p>[<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref8">8</xref>] studied the CAP under lead-time constraints to maximize system reliability, and [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref9">9</xref>] solved it as a multi-objective problem. In the case of considering both lead-time and assignment cost, the CAP has been studied by [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref10">10</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref11">11</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref12">12</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref13">13</xref>]. In [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref10">10</xref>], a multi-objective GA-based on RWGA approach was proposed to obtain the optimal solution, i.e., the system reliability was maximized and both the total lead-time and the assignment cost were minimized. In [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref11">11</xref>] the CAP has been formulated as a fuzzy linear optimization problem, considering node failure [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref12">12</xref>]. In [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref13">13</xref>] presented a MOPSO-based approach for determining the optimal components that can be assigned to an SFN to maximize system reliability while minimizing total cost and total lead-time.</p><p>The problem of allocating various resources at the source nodes in order to maximize the system reliability for multi-source multi-sink SFN is discussed in [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref14">14</xref>]. An algorithm was developed to solve it. Considering the transmission cost constraints, the resource allocation problem was developed and solved by [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref15">15</xref>]. Hsieh and Lin [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref16">16</xref>] proposed updating schemes to solve the resource allocation problem for an unreliable multi-source multi-sink flow network, taking into consideration changing the resource demand or the characteristic of the SFN. In [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref17">17</xref>] and [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref5">5</xref>], the multi-source multi-sink SFN flow assignment problem was discussed. Additionally, to maximize system reliability, the flow assignment problem for multi-source multi-sink SFN was studied and solved using a proposed GA [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref18">18</xref>]. While in [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref19">19</xref>], the transmission cost was considered in order to maximize the reliability of the capacity vector. A GA-based algorithm was presented by [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref20">20</xref>] to determine the best set of lower boundary points for maximizing system reliability such that transmission cost does not exceed a specified upper bound. Finally, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref21">21</xref>] studied the components assignment problem subject to reliability of the capacity vector.</p><p>The components assignment problem in the context of system reliability is investigated in this work. I.e., I expanded on the issue raised by [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref22">22</xref>]. In addition, a genetic-based algorithm was devised to overcome the CAP limitation in multi-source multi-sink flow networks while maximizing system reliability.</p><p>The following is a summary of the paper’s structure. The mathematical formulation of the problem is presented in Section 2. The components of the suggested strategy are described in Section 3. Section 4 contains the pseudo-code for the proposed technique. In part 5, we include some examples, and in section 6, we present our conclusions. Finally, we offer notations at the appendix.</p></sec><sec id="s2"><title>2. Problem Formulation</title><p>Assume that C = { � 1 , � 2 , � 3 , ⋯ , � n } is set of components assigned to the set of arcs A such that � i ≠ � e for i ≠ e . The problem is then formulated as:</p><p>Maximize R s ( C )</p><p>s.t.</p><p>Z ( C ) ≤ B</p><p>where Z ( C ) = ∑ i = 1 n z i ; z i represents the cost of the assigned components C i and B represents the budget.</p><sec id="s2_1"><title>2.1. The Proposed Algorithm</title><sec id="s2_1_1"><title>2.1.1. Representation</title><p>The following subsections explain the steps of the proposed algorithm. The chromosome C = { � 1 , � 2 , � 3 , ⋯ , � n } with length n, represents the set of candidate components. The component � 1 is assigned to arc a<sub>1</sub>, � 2 is assigned to a<sub>2</sub>, …, and � n is assigned to a<sub>n</sub>.</p></sec><sec id="s2_1_2"><title>2.1.2. Crossover</title><p>Uniform crossover is used to generate new offspring. To avoid duplicate components we use modified crossover [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref17">17</xref>]. <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1">Figure 1</xref> shows the crossover process.</p></sec><sec id="s2_1_3"><title>2.1.3. Mutation</title><p>Swap mutation is used to keep the cost value of the selected components and to avoid duplicate ones. <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig2">Figure 2</xref> explains the mutation process.</p></sec><sec id="s2_1_4"><title>2.1.4. Evaluation</title><p>We will generalize the approach proposed by [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref20">20</xref>] to find all lower vectors satisfying the following constraints:</p><p>∑ i = 1 σ ∑ k = 1 k i , j f i , j , k , w = d w , j ,     w = 1 , ⋯ , m ;   j = 1 , ⋯ , θ (1)</p><p>∑ j = 1 θ ∑ k = 1 k i , j f i , j , k , w ≤ r w , i ,     w = 1 , ⋯ , m ;   i = 1 , ⋯ , σ (2)</p><p>x e = ∑ i = 1 σ ∑ j = 1 θ ∑ k = 1 k i , j ∑ w = 1 m { f i , j , k , w | a e ∈ M P i , j , k } ≤ M e ,     e = 1 , 2 , 3 , ⋯ , n (3)</p><p>f i , j , k , w ≤ ℂ ,     i = 1 , ⋯ , σ ;   j = 1 , ⋯ , θ ;   w = 1 , ⋯ , m ;   k = 1 , ⋯ , k i , j (4)</p><p>where ℂ = Min { L k | k = 1 , 2 , ⋯ , n p } and L k is the maximum capacity of M P i , j , k given by L k = min { M e | a e ∈ M P i , j , k } . If X 1 , X 2 , ⋯ , X P o p s i z e represent a generated set of capacity vectors that corresponds to the flow vectors that satisfy constraints (3) through (6). If the network is cyclic, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref22">22</xref>], then remove the non-minimal ones in X 1 , X 2 , ⋯ , X P o p s i z e to obtain all lower boundary points. Otherwise, the generated capacity vectors are all lower boundary points, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref23">23</xref>]. Finally, if X 1 , X 2 , ⋯ , X q are all lower boundary points, then system reliability R s ( C ) is defined as:-</p><p>R s ( C ) = P r ∪ i = 1 q { Y | Y ≥ X i } (5)</p><p>Here, P r { Y } = P r { y 1 } ⋅ P r { y 2 } ⋅ ⋯ ⋅ P r { y n } . We use the inclusion/exclusion rule, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref24">24</xref>] to evaluate the expression given in (7).</p></sec><sec id="s2_1_5"><title>2.1.5. Fitness Function</title><p>The fitness function is the system reliability for the assigned components R s ( C ) if Z ( C ) less than or equals B . Otherwise, the fitness value is set to zero.</p><p>F i t ( C ) = { R s ( C ) if   Z ( C ) ≤ B 0 Otherwise (6)</p></sec><sec id="s2_1_6"><title>2.1.6. Selection Process</title><p>The Roulette Wheel selection process is used here to select new parents [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref22">22</xref>]. The following steps summarize the selection process: summing all fitness values of chromosomes ( S ) in the current population. Generate a random number r in the range 0 ≤ r ≤ S . Starting from the first to the current one, calculate the sum of fitness values � . If � ≥ r , then the current chromosome is selected. Otherwise, go to repeat Step i.</p></sec></sec><sec id="s2_2"><title>2.2. The Algorithm</title><p>The following steps describe the whole algorithm used to solve the CAP problem. In addition, the corresponding flowchart is shown in <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig3">Figure 3</xref>.</p><p>Begin</p><p>Set parameters M, R, D, Pc, Pm, 𝒫, and 𝒢</p><p>Set gn = 0, gt = 0</p><p>Initialize 𝒫</p><p>While gn &lt; 𝒢, do</p><p>While gt &lt; 𝒫, do</p><p>Randomly select two chromosomes</p><p>Apply crossover according to Pc</p><p>Apply mutation according to Pm</p><p>Evaluate the current chromosome (Calculate Z(𝒞), R<sub>s</sub>(𝒞), and fit(𝒞))</p><p>If (fit(𝒞) &gt; 0), then set gt = gt + 1</p><p>End do</p><p>Set gn = gn + 1</p><p>Replace the parents</p><p>End do</p><p>Report the best solution found (The highest fit(𝒞))</p><p>End</p></sec></sec><sec id="s3"><title>3. Experimental Results</title><sec id="s3_1"><title>3.1. Two-Source Two-Sink Network</title><p>We study in first example, the computer network shown in <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig4">Figure 4</xref> which has two sources and two sinks. <xref ref-type="table" rid="table1">Table 1</xref> lists the available components, and the minimal path MPs for this network are:- MP<sub>1,1,1</sub> = {a<sub>1</sub>, a<sub>5</sub>}, MP<sub>1,1,2</sub> = {a<sub>1</sub>, a<sub>6</sub>, a<sub>9</sub>} , MP<sub>1,1,3</sub> = {a<sub>2</sub>, a<sub>7</sub>, a<sub>9</sub>}, MP<sub>1,2,1</sub> = {a<sub>1</sub>, a<sub>6</sub>, a<sub>14</sub>}, MP<sub>1,2,2</sub> = {a<sub>2</sub>, a<sub>7</sub>, a<sub>14</sub>}, MP<sub>2,1,1</sub> = {a<sub>3</sub>, a<sub>7</sub>, a<sub>9</sub>}, MP<sub>2,1,2</sub> = {a<sub>4</sub>, a<sub>8</sub>, a<sub>13</sub>, a<sub>9</sub>}, MP<sub>2,2,1</sub> = {a<sub>3</sub>, a<sub>7</sub>, a<sub>14</sub>}, MP<sub>2,2,2</sub> = {a<sub>4,</sub> a<sub>8</sub>, a<sub>13</sub>, a<sub>14</sub>}, MP<sub>2,2,3</sub> = {a<sub>4</sub>, a<sub>8</sub>, a<sub>10</sub>} and MP<sub>2,2,4</sub> = {a<sub>4</sub>, a<sub>11</sub>, a<sub>12</sub>}.</p><p>Here we let R = (r<sub>1,1</sub>, r<sub>1,2</sub>, r<sub>2,1</sub>, r<sub>2,2</sub>) = (15, 17, 10, 13), D = (d<sub>1,1</sub>, d<sub>1,2</sub>, d<sub>2,1</sub>, d<sub>2,2</sub>) = (9, 10, 5, 8), and costs of the available components are (41, 52, 51, 32, 61, 52, 31, 42, 21, 62, 51, 52 ,41, 22, 31, 22, 11, 32, 51, 51).</p><table-wrap-group id="1"><label><xref ref-type="table" rid="table1">Table 1</xref></label><caption><title> Available components</title></caption><table-wrap id="1_1"><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle"  rowspan="2"  >P</th><th align="center" valign="middle"  colspan="12"  >Capacity</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.006</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.060</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.150</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.943</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.006</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.919</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.016</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.040</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.050</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.060</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.806</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.891</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.022</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.016</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.006</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.941</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.030</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.902</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.012</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.040</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.895</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.018</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.031</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.016</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.021</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.024</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >16</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.006</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.014</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.022</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >17</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >18</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.004</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >19</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.001</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.005</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.009</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.013</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.014</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >20</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.003</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.006</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.007</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.013</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.915</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >16</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >17</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >18</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >19</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >20</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >21</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >22</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >23</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >24</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.733</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.856</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.030</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.817</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.884</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.016</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.019</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.002</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.857</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap><table-wrap id="1_2"><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.853</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.030</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.035</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.040</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.060</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.719</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.027</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.870</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.030</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.035</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.040</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.761</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.018</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.019</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.022</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.844</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.013</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.014</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.014</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.015</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.017</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.019</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.023</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.025</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.026</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.740</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.020</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.030</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.851</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.000</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap></table-wrap-group><p><xref ref-type="table" rid="table2">Table 2</xref> lists the lower vectors for the proposed algorithm’s first generation. The best R s ( C ) values obtained at each generation are shown in <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig5">Figure 5</xref>. The best value of R s ( C ) was 0.981306 at the first generation. <xref ref-type="table" rid="table3">Table 3</xref> presents the results of our suggested approach for various C values.</p></sec><sec id="s3_2"><title>3.2. Three-Source Two-Sink Network</title><p>The second example we present in this paper includes three sources and two sinks shown in <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig6">Figure 6</xref>. <xref ref-type="table" rid="table4">Table 4</xref> shows the available components with capacities, costs and probabilities. The best R s ( C ) equals to 0.540484 and the corresponding Z ( C ) and C is 21 and (3, 7, 8, 12, 11, 2, 9, 1, 10, 6) respectively. The corresponding lower vectors are given in <xref ref-type="table" rid="table5">Table 5</xref>. The Minimal Paths (MPs) are:- MP<sub>1,1,1</sub> = {a<sub>1</sub>, a<sub>7</sub>}, MP<sub>1,1,2</sub> = {a<sub>2</sub>,a<sub>9</sub>}, MP<sub>1,2,1</sub> = {a<sub>1</sub>, a<sub>8</sub>}, MP<sub>2,1,1</sub> = {a<sub>3</sub>, a<sub>9</sub>}, MP<sub>2,2,1</sub> = {a<sub>4</sub>, a<sub>10</sub>}, MP<sub>3,1,1</sub> = {a<sub>5</sub>, a<sub>9</sub>} and MP<sub>3,2,1</sub> = {a<sub>6</sub>, a<sub>10</sub>}. R = (r<sub>1,1</sub>, r<sub>1,2</sub>, r<sub>1,3</sub>, r<sub>2,1</sub>, r<sub>2,2</sub>, r<sub>2,3</sub>, r<sub>3,1</sub>, r<sub>3,2</sub>, r<sub>3,3</sub>) = (5, 2, 3, 5, 3, 2, 2, 2, 3) and D = (d<sub>1,1</sub>, d<sub>1,2</sub>,, d<sub>2,1</sub>, d<sub>2,2</sub>, d<sub>3,1</sub>, d<sub>3,2</sub>) = (3, 1, 2, 2, 1, 3).</p></sec></sec><sec id="s4"><title>4. Discussion</title><p>Through the searching process about the best components, the GA parameters were 𝒫 = 10, 𝒢 = 100, 𝒸𝓇 = 0.70 and 𝓂𝓇 = 0.02 for all studied cases. Generating all lower boundary to evaluate R s ( C ) is based on discovering all possible flow vector solutions. It is impossible to estimate the number of viable solutions. As a result, in order to generate all possible flow vector solutions, F, that satisfies the constraints (1) to (4) given in section 2.1.4, we run the inner GA more than one time. So, the value of R s ( C ) is corresponding to the optimal components and the optimal set of lower vectors.</p><p>To the best of our knowledge, solving the CAP considering system reliability and assignment budget is never studied or discussed before.</p><p>In addition, this study is different from [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref19">19</xref>] that solved the CAP to maximize a single capacity vector. Furthermore, authors in [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.118227-ref20">20</xref>] studied the system reliability optimization subject to transmission cost. Therefore, there is no comparison available here.</p><table-wrap id="table2" ><label><xref ref-type="table" rid="table2">Table 2</xref></label><caption><title> Capacity vectors generated at the first generation</title></caption><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle"  colspan="14"  >Capacity Vectors</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >17</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >16</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >19</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >19</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >16</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >13</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >16</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >8</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap><table-wrap id="table3" ><label><xref ref-type="table" rid="table3">Table 3</xref></label><caption><title> Obtained Results for different values for ℬ</title></caption><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle" >ℬ</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >Z(𝒞)</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >Min R<sub>s</sub>(𝒞)</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >Max R<sub>s</sub>(𝒞)</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >Mean</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >STD</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >170</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >170*</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.961365</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.995901</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.979251</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.011876</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >190</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >174</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.970998</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.999708</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.992354</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.008022</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >200</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >180</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.942018</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.999480</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.987502</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.01055</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >220</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >182</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.942018</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.999480</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.987436</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.010517</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap><p>*The value of cost that corresponding to Max Rs.</p><table-wrap-group id="4"><label><xref ref-type="table" rid="table4">Table 4</xref></label><caption><title> Available components with capacities, costs and probabilities</title></caption><table-wrap id="4_1"><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle"  rowspan="2"  >p</th><th align="center" valign="middle"  colspan="5"  >Capacity</th><th align="center" valign="middle"  rowspan="2"  >Cost</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.02</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.04</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.14</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.80</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.04</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.06</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.65</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.02</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.03</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.90</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.08</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.87</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.01</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.04</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.85</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >6</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.02</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.78</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >7</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.85</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap><table-wrap id="4_2"><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle" >8</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.04</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.06</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.15</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.75</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >4</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >9</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.03</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.80</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >10</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.01</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.04</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.15</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.75</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >11</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.03</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.07</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.85</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >12</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.01</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.02</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.07</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.90</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.00</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap></table-wrap-group><table-wrap id="table5" ><label><xref ref-type="table" rid="table5">Table 5</xref></label><caption><title> Lower vectors for <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig5">Figure 5</xref> network</title></caption><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle" ></th><th align="center" valign="middle"  colspan="9"  >Capacity vectors</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >3</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >4</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap></sec><sec id="s5"><title>5. Conclusions</title><p>In this paper, the multi-source multi-sink stochastic flow networks system reliability optimization problem assignment budget is studied and formulated. A GA-based approach is presented to solve it. The presented approach based on GA is used to determine the optimal components that could be assigned to a multi-source multi-sink flow network in order to maximize system reliability while minimizing total assignment cost.</p><p>The multi-source multi-sink flow networks are used to represent many real-life systems, such as computer systems, manufacturing systems, and logistics systems, to evaluate their performance by considering one or more constraints. Therefore, this research presented GA-based approach to optimize the reliability subject to an assignment budget.</p><p>In future work, one may extend the problem by considering multiple constraints, such as, system reliability, lead-time, and budget.</p></sec><sec id="s6"><title>Conflicts of Interest</title><p>The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.</p></sec><sec id="s7"><title>Cite this paper</title><p>Elden, N.N., Hassan, M. and El-Aziz, M.A. (2022) Components Assignment Problem for Multi-Source Multi-Sink Flow Networks with Reliability and Budget Constraints. Journal of Computer and Communications, 10, 99-111. https://doi.org/10.4236/jcc.2022.106009</p></sec><sec id="s8"><title>Appendix</title><p>N Number of nodes.</p><p>MPs Minimal paths.</p><p>A Set of arcs.</p><p>S Set of source nodes.</p><p>T Set of sink nodes.</p><p>M { M 1 , M 2 , ⋯ , M n } , where M<sub>e</sub> maximum capacity of a<sub>e</sub> and M<sub>e</sub> is an integer.</p><p>d w , j The demand of resource w at sink node tj.</p><p>r w , i Maximum quantity for resource w which source node si can supply.</p><p>𝒫 Population size.</p><p>𝒢 Maximum generation.</p><p>𝒸𝓇 Crossover rate.</p><p>𝓂𝓇 Mutation rate.</p></sec></body><back><ref-list><title>References</title><ref id="scirp.118227-ref1"><label>1</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Chu, P.C. and Beasley, J.E. (1997) A Genetic Algorithm for the Generalised Assignment Problem. 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