In this paper we introduce a new algorithm for the k-Shortest Simple Paths (k-SSP) problem with an asymptotic running time matching the state of the art from the literature. It is based on a black-box algorithm due to Roddity and Zwick that solves at most 2k instances of the Second Shortest Simple Path (2-SSP) problem … Read more
\(\) We consider linear combinatorial optimization problems under uncertain disruptions that increase the cost coefficients of the objective function. A decision-maker, or planner, can invest resources to probe the components (i.e., the coefficients) in order to learn their disruption status. In the proposed probing optimization problem, the planner, knowing just the disruptions’ probabilities, selects which … Read more
We consider network-based decentralized optimization problems, where each node in the network possesses a local function and the objective is to collectively attain a consensus solution that minimizes the sum of all the local functions. A major challenge in decentralized optimization is the reliance on communication which remains a considerable bottleneck in many applications. To … Read more
This study presents a polynomial time algorithm to solve the lossless battery charging problem. In this problem the optimal charging and discharging schedules are chosen to maximize total profit. Traditional solution approaches have relied on either approximations or exponential algorithms. By studying the optimality conditions of this problem, we are able to reduce it to … Read more
Protecting critical infrastructure from intentional damage requires foreseeing the strategies of possible attackers. The problem faced by the defender of such infrastructure can be formulated as a Stackelberg security game. A defender must decide what specific targets to protect with limited resources, maximizing their expected utility (e.g., minimizing damage value) and considering that a second … Read more
Network design problems involve constructing edges in a transportation or supply chain network to minimize construction and daily operational costs. We study a stochastic version where operational costs are uncertain due to fluctuating demand and estimated as a sample average from historical data. This problem is computationally challenging, and instances with as few as 100 … Read more
When partitioning a state into political districts, a common criterion is that political subdivisions like counties should not be split across multiple districts. This criterion is encoded into most state constitutions and is sometimes enforced quite strictly by the courts. However, map drawers, courts, and the public typically do not know what amount of splitting … Read more
In unsplittable network flow problems, certain nodes must satisfy a combinatorial requirement that the incoming arc flows cannot be split or merged when routed through outgoing arcs. This so-called “no-split no-merge” requirement arises in unit train scheduling where train consists should remain intact at stations that lack necessary equipment and manpower to attach/detach them. Solving … Read more
This paper presents two heuristic algorithms for the distance-based critical node problem (DCNP) that finds k nodes whose removal minimizes the pairwise connection within D hops in the remaining network. The structural properties of the complex networks have not yet been extensively addressed in the literature. Specifically, the community structure of complex networks needs to … Read more
In this paper we study the Consistent Traveling Salesman Problem with positional consistency constraints (CTSP), where we seek to generate a set of routes with minimum cost, in which all the clients that are visited in several routes require total positional consistency, that is, they need to appear in the same relative position in all … Read more