Faster approximation algorithms for packing and covering problems

We adapt a method due to Nesterov so as to obtain an algorithm for solving block-angular fractional packing or covering problems to relative tolerance epsilon, while using a number of iterations that grows polynomially in the size of the problem and whose dependency on epsilon is proportional to 1/epsilon. Citation CORC report TR-2004-09, Computational Optimization … Read more

Approximate fixed-rank closures of set covering problems

We show that for any fixed rank, the closure of a set covering problem (and related problems) can be approximated in polynomial time — we can epsilon-approximate any linear program over the closure in polynomial time. Citation CORC report TR-2003-01, Computational Optimization Research Center, Columbia University Article Download View Approximate fixed-rank closures of set covering … Read more

On cost matrices with two and three distinct values of Hamiltonian paths and cycles

Polynomially testable characterization of cost matrices associated with a complete digraph on $n$ nodes such that all the Hamiltonian cycles (tours) have the same cost is well known. Tarasov~\cite{TARA81} obtained a characterization of cost matrices where tour costs take two distinct values. We provide a simple alternative characterization of such cost matrices that can be … Read more

A semidefinite programming based polyhedral cut and price algorithm for the maxcut problem

We investigate solution of the maximum cut problem using a polyhedral cut and price approach. The dual of the well-known SDP relaxation of maxcut is formulated as a semi-infinite linear programming problem, which is solved within an interior point cutting plane algorithm in a dual setting; this constitutes the pricing (column generation) phase of the … Read more

A randomized heuristic for scene recognition by graph matching

We propose a new strategy for solving the non-bijective graph matching problem in model-based pattern recognition. The search for the best correspondence between a model and an over-segmented image is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem, defined by the relational attributed graphs representing the model and the image where recognition has to be performed, together … Read more

Routing and wavelength assignment by partition coloring

We show in this work how the problem of routing and wavelength assignment in all-optical networks may be solved by a combined approach involving the computation of alternative routes for the lightpaths, followed by the solution of a partition coloring problem in a conflict graph. A new tabu search heuristic is also proposed for the … Read more

Heuristics for the mirrored traveling tournament problem

Professional sports leagues are a major economic activity around the world. Teams and leagues do not want to waste their investments in players and structure in consequence of poor schedules of games.Game scheduling is a difficult task, involving several decision makers, different types of constraints, and multiple objectives to optimize. The Traveling Tournament Problem abstracts … Read more

Solving diameter constrained minimum spanning tree problems in dense graphs

In this study, a lifting procedure is applied to some existing formulations of the Diameter Constrained Minimum Spanning Tree Problem. This problem typically models network design applications where all vertices must communicate with each other at minimum cost, while meeting or surpassing a given quality requirement. An alternative formulation is also proposed for instances of … Read more

A hybrid bin-packing heuristic to multiprocessor scheduling

The multiprocessor scheduling problem consists in scheduling a set of tasks with known processing times into a set of identical processors so as to minimize their makespan, i.e., the maximum processing time over all processors. We propose a new heuristic for solving the multiprocessor scheduling problem, based on a hybrid heuristic to the bin packing … Read more