388 research outputs found
On the approximability of robust spanning tree problems
In this paper the minimum spanning tree problem with uncertain edge costs is
discussed. In order to model the uncertainty a discrete scenario set is
specified and a robust framework is adopted to choose a solution. The min-max,
min-max regret and 2-stage min-max versions of the problem are discussed. The
complexity and approximability of all these problems are explored. It is proved
that the min-max and min-max regret versions with nonnegative edge costs are
hard to approximate within for any unless
the problems in NP have quasi-polynomial time algorithms. Similarly, the
2-stage min-max problem cannot be approximated within unless the
problems in NP have quasi-polynomial time algorithms. In this paper randomized
LP-based approximation algorithms with performance ratio of for
min-max and 2-stage min-max problems are also proposed
Fault-Tolerant Shortest Paths - Beyond the Uniform Failure Model
The overwhelming majority of survivable (fault-tolerant) network design
models assume a uniform scenario set. Such a scenario set assumes that every
subset of the network resources (edges or vertices) of a given cardinality
comprises a scenario. While this approach yields problems with clean
combinatorial structure and good algorithms, it often fails to capture the true
nature of the scenario set coming from applications.
One natural refinement of the uniform model is obtained by partitioning the
set of resources into faulty and secure resources. The scenario set contains
every subset of at most faulty resources. This work studies the
Fault-Tolerant Path (FTP) problem, the counterpart of the Shortest Path problem
in this failure model. We present complexity results alongside exact and
approximation algorithms for FTP. We emphasize the vast increase in the
complexity of the problem with respect to its uniform analogue, the
Edge-Disjoint Paths problem
Bicriteria Network Design Problems
We study a general class of bicriteria network design problems. A generic
problem in this class is as follows: Given an undirected graph and two
minimization objectives (under different cost functions), with a budget
specified on the first, find a <subgraph \from a given subgraph-class that
minimizes the second objective subject to the budget on the first. We consider
three different criteria - the total edge cost, the diameter and the maximum
degree of the network. Here, we present the first polynomial-time approximation
algorithms for a large class of bicriteria network design problems for the
above mentioned criteria. The following general types of results are presented.
First, we develop a framework for bicriteria problems and their
approximations. Second, when the two criteria are the same %(note that the cost
functions continue to be different) we present a ``black box'' parametric
search technique. This black box takes in as input an (approximation) algorithm
for the unicriterion situation and generates an approximation algorithm for the
bicriteria case with only a constant factor loss in the performance guarantee.
Third, when the two criteria are the diameter and the total edge costs we use a
cluster-based approach to devise a approximation algorithms --- the solutions
output violate both the criteria by a logarithmic factor. Finally, for the
class of treewidth-bounded graphs, we provide pseudopolynomial-time algorithms
for a number of bicriteria problems using dynamic programming. We show how
these pseudopolynomial-time algorithms can be converted to fully
polynomial-time approximation schemes using a scaling technique.Comment: 24 pages 1 figur
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