Computing the dilation of edge-augmented graphs in metric spaces

AbstractLet G=(V,E) be an undirected graph with n vertices embedded in a metric space. We consider the problem of adding a shortcut edge in G that minimizes the dilation of the resulting graph. The fastest algorithm to date for this problem has O(n4) running time and uses O(n2) space. We show how to improve the running time to O(n3logn) while maintaining quadratic space requirement. In fact, our algorithm not only determines the best shortcut but computes the dilation of G∪{(u,v)} for every pair of distinct vertices u and v

Minimizing the Continuous Diameter when Augmenting Paths and Cycles with Shortcuts

We seek to augment a geometric network in the Euclidean plane with shortcuts to minimize its continuous diameter, i.e., the largest network distance between any two points on the augmented network. Unlike in the discrete setting where a shortcut connects two vertices and the diameter is measured between vertices, we take all points along the edges of the network into account when placing a shortcut and when measuring distances in the augmented network. We study this network augmentation problem for paths and cycles. For paths, we determine an optimal shortcut in linear time. For cycles, we show that a single shortcut never decreases the continuous diameter and that two shortcuts always suffice to reduce the continuous diameter. Furthermore, we characterize optimal pairs of shortcuts for convex and non-convex cycles. Finally, we develop a linear time algorithm that produces an optimal pair of shortcuts for convex cycles. Apart from the algorithms, our results extend to rectifiable curves. Our work reveals some of the underlying challenges that must be overcome when addressing the discrete version of this network augmentation problem, where we minimize the discrete diameter of a network with shortcuts that connect only vertices

Improving the dilation of a metric graph by adding edges

Most of the literature on spanners focuses on building the graph from scratch. This paper instead focuses on adding edges to improve an existing graph. A major open problem in this field is: given a graph embedded in a metric space, and a budget of k edges, which k edges do we add to produce a minimum-dilation graph? The special case where k=1 has been studied in the past, but no major breakthroughs have been made for k > 1. We provide the first positive result, an O(k)-approximation algorithm that runs in O(n^3 \log n) time

Shortcut sets for the locus of plane Euclidean networks

We study the problem of augmenting the locus N of a plane Euclidean network N by in- serting iteratively a finite set of segments, called shortcut set , while reducing the diameterof the locus of the resulting network. There are two main differences with the classicalaugmentation problems: the endpoints of the segments are allowed to be points of N as well as points of the previously inserted segments (instead of only vertices of N ), and the notion of diameter is adapted to the fact that we deal with N instead of N . This increases enormously the hardness of the problem but also its possible practical applications to net- work design. Among other results, we characterize the existence of shortcut sets, computethem in polynomial time, and analyze the role of the convex hull of N when inserting a shortcut set. Our main results prove that, while the problem of minimizing the size of ashortcut set is NP-hard, one can always determine in polynomial time whether insertingonly one segment suffices to reduce the diameter.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MTM2015-63791-

Improving the stretch factor of a geometric network by edge augmentation

Given a Euclidean graph $G$ in $\mathbb{R}^d$ with $n$ vertices and $m$ edges, we consider the problem of adding an edge to $G$ such that the stretch factor of the resulting graph is minimized. Currently, the fastest algorithm for computing the stretch factor of a graph with positive edge weights runs in $\cal{O}$$(nm+n^2 \log n)$ time, resulting in a trivial $\cal{O}$$(n^3m+n^4 \log n)$-time algorithm for computing the optimal edge. First, we show that a simple modification yields the optimal solution in $\cal{O}$$(n^4)$ time using $\cal{O}$$(n^2)$ space. To reduce the running time we consider several approximation algorithms

Improving the stretch factor of a geometric network by edge augmentation

Given a Euclidean graph $G$ in $\mathbb{R}^d$ with $n$ vertices and $m$ edges, we consider the problem of adding an edge to $G$ such that the stretch factor of the resulting graph is minimized. Currently, the fastest algorithm for computing the stretch factor of a graph with positive edge weights runs in $\cal{O}$$(nm+n^2 \log n)$ time, resulting in a trivial $\cal{O}$$(n^3m+n^4 \log n)$-time algorithm for computing the optimal edge. First, we show that a simple modification yields the optimal solution in $\cal{O}$$(n^4)$ time using $\cal{O}$$(n^2)$ space. To reduce the running time we consider several approximation algorithms