A Level-3 Reformulation-linearization Technique Based Bound for the Quadratic Assignment Problem

We apply the level-3 Reformulation Linearization Technique (RLT3) to the Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP). We then present our experience in calculating lower bounds using an essentially new algorithm, based on this RLT3 formulation. This algorithm is not guaranteed to calculate the RLT3 lower bound exactly, but approximates it very closely and reaches it in some … Read more

Test problems for quasi-satellite packing: Cylinders packing with behavior constraints and all the optimal solutions known

This paper presents seven test problems with all the optimal solutions known on the background of the layout optimization problem of a simplified international communication satellite module, aiming to evaluate the algorithm performance on solving three-dimensional packing problem with behavior constraints. The test problems are constructed in the following step. First, place N (=217) cylinders … Read more

Improved strategies for branching on general disjunctions

Within the context of solving Mixed-Integer Linear Programs by a Branch-and-Cut algorithm, we propose a new strategy for branching. Computational experiments show that, on the majority of our test instances, this approach enumerates fewer nodes than traditional branching. On average, on instances that contain both integer and continuous variables the number of nodes in the … Read more

Near-Optimal Solutions and Integrality Gaps for Almost All Instances of Single-Machine Precedence-Constrained Scheduling

We consider the problem of minimizing the weighted sum of completion times on a single machine subject to bipartite precedence constraints where all minimal jobs have unit processing time and zero weight, and all maximal jobs have zero processing time and unit weight. For various probability distributions over these instances–including the uniform distribution–we show several … Read more

Minimum Dissatisfaction Personnel Scheduling

In this paper we consider two problems regarding the scheduling of available personnel in order to perform a given quantity of work, which can be arbitrarily decomposed into a sequence of activities. We are interested in schedules which minimize the overall dissatisfaction, where each employee’s dissatisfaction is modeled as a time-dependent linear function. For the … Read more

On the Relative Strength of Split, Triangle and Quadrilateral Cuts

Integer programs defined by two equations with two free integer variables and nonnegative continuous variables have three types of nontrivial facets: split, triangle or quadrilateral inequalities. In this paper, we compare the strength of these three families of inequalities. In particular we study how well each family approximates the integer hull. We show that, in … Read more

The N – k Problem in Power Grids: New Models, Formulations and Computation

Given a power grid modeled by a network together with equations describing the power flows, power generation and consumption, and the laws of physics, the so-called N – k problem asks whether there exists a set of k or fewer arcs whose removal will cause the system to fail. We present theoretical results and computation … Read more

Branching proofs of infeasibility in low density subset sum problems

We prove that the subset sum problem has a polynomial time computable certificate of infeasibility for all $a$ weight vectors with density at most $1/(2n)$ and for almost all integer right hand sides. The certificate is branching on a hyperplane, i.e. by a methodology dual to the one explored by Lagarias and Odlyzko; Frieze; Furst … Read more

Nonlinear optimization for matroid intersection and extensions

We address optimization of nonlinear functions of the form $f(Wx)$~, where $f:\R^d\rightarrow \R$ is a nonlinear function, $W$ is a $d\times n$ matrix, and feasible $x$ are in some large finite set $\calF$ of integer points in $\R^n$~. Generally, such problems are intractable, so we obtain positive algorithmic results by looking at broad natural classes … Read more