{"ID":2885090,"CreatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.05154","arxiv_id":"2508.05154","title":"Domain-driven Metrics for Reinforcement Learning: A Case Study on Epidemic Control using Agent-based Simulation","abstract":"For the development and optimization of agent-based models (ABMs) and rational agent-based models (RABMs), optimization algorithms such as reinforcement learning are extensively used. However, assessing the performance of RL-based ABMs and RABMS models is challenging due to the complexity and stochasticity of the modeled systems, and the lack of well-standardized metrics for comparing RL algorithms. In this study, we are developing domain-driven metrics for RL, while building on state-of-the-art metrics. We demonstrate our ``Domain-driven-RL-metrics'' using policy optimization on a rational ABM disease modeling case study to model masking behavior, vaccination, and lockdown in a pandemic. Our results show the use of domain-driven rewards in conjunction with traditional and state-of-the-art metrics for a few different simulation scenarios such as the differential availability of masks.","short_abstract":"For the development and optimization of agent-based models (ABMs) and rational agent-based models (RABMs), optimization algorithms such as reinforcement learning are extensively used. However, assessing the performance of RL-based ABMs and RABMS models is challenging due to the complexity and stochasticity of the model...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.05154","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2508.05154v1","authors":"[\"Rishabh Gaur\",\"Gaurav Deshkar\",\"Jayanta Kshirsagar\",\"Harshal Hayatnagarkar\",\"Janani Venugopalan\"]","published":"2025-08-07T08:40:19Z","proceeding":"cs.LG","tasks":"[\"cs.LG\",\"cs.AI\",\"cs.MA\"]","methods":"[\"Reinforcement Learning\"]","has_code":false}