Ensuring comparable experiment conditions in UA-FLP: The AB20 benchmark revisited
摘要
The facility layout problem (FLP) has been a prominent subject of research due to its practical significance and computational complexity. In the course of our study, we explored widely used benchmark problems and observed significant discrepancies in the reported outcomes for one particular instance, AB20. A prior study reported exceptionally good results on this problem, prompting further investigation. Our analysis revealed that, unlike other benchmarks, AB20 exhibits considerable variation in results due to inconsistencies in the underlying dataset, despite being referenced by the same name across multiple studies. This lack of standardization undermines the comparability of results and may lead to misleading conclusions. In this work, we systematically review previous studies that employed the AB20 benchmark and evaluate the consistency of the datasets used. Based on our findings, we propose guidelines to promote fair and reproducible benchmarking practices in FLP research. The study highlights the need for greater transparency and standardized datasets to ensure valid comparisons across future work.