System reliability optimization with heterogeneous components using hosted cuckoo optimization algorithm

•The Reliability-Redundancy Allocation Problem (RRAP) is addressed.•The assumption of heterogeneous components is considered in the RRAP problem.•A new solution approach, called hosted cuckoo optimization algorithm, is proposed.•The proposed approach is applied to five case studies.•The results are compared with those obtained by four methods. During the last decade, system reliability optimization has been widely investigated. New strategies have been introduced recently to improve the overall system reliability, such as the standby and heterogeneous redundant components. However, the problem formulations of these strategies are more complex. This paper addresses the system reliability-redundancy allocation problem (RRAP) with heterogeneous components. A new solution approach, called hosted cuckoo optimization algorithm (HO-COA), is proposed to effectively solve the problem. It is based on the latest researches on the cuckoos. The egg-laying recognition used in this paper is more realistic than the simple cuckoo optimization algorithm (COA). The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified on five case studies and the application results are compared to those obtained in the literature, the simple cuckoo optimization algorithm (COA), the differential evolution method (DE), and the flower pollination algorithm (FPA). The fifth case study represents a large-scale system highlighting the superiority of the HO-COA.