Tree-based decompositions of graphs on surfaces and applications to the traveling salesman problem

The tree-width and branch-width of a graph are two well-studied examples of parameters that measure how well a given graph can be decomposed into a tree structure. In this thesis we give several results and applications concerning these concepts, in particular if the graph is embedded on a surface. In the first part of this thesis we develop a geometric description of tangles in graphs embedded on a fixed surface (tangles are the obstructions for low branch-width), generalizing a result of Robertson and Seymour. We use this result to establish a relationship between the branch-width of an embedded graph and the carving-width of an associated graph, generalizing a result for the plane of Seymour and Thomas. We also discuss how these results relate to the polynomial-time algorithm to determine the branch-width of planar graphs of Seymour and Thomas, and explain why their method does not generalize to surfaces other than the sphere. We also prove a result concerning the class C_2k of minor-minimal graphs of branch-width 2k in the plane, for an integer k at least 2. We show that applying a certain construction to a class of graphs in the projective plane yields a subclass of C_2k, but also show that not all members of C_2k arise in this way if k is at least 3. The last part of the thesis is concerned with applications of graphs of bounded tree-width to the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). We first show how one can solve the separation problem for comb inequalities (with an arbitrary number of teeth) in linear time if the tree-width is bounded. In the second part, we modify an algorithm of Letchford et al. using tree-decompositions to obtain a practical method for separating a different class of TSP inequalities, called simple DP constraints, and study their effectiveness for solving TSP instances.Ph.D.Committee Chair: Thomas, Robin; Committee Co-Chair: Cook, William J.; Committee Member: Dvorak, Zdenek; Committee Member: Parker, Robert G.; Committee Member: Yu, Xingxin

Integrality and cutting planes in semidefinite programming approaches for combinatorial optimization

Many real-life decision problems are discrete in nature. To solve such problems as mathematical optimization problems, integrality constraints are commonly incorporated in the model to reflect the choice of finitely many alternatives. At the same time, it is known that semidefinite programming is very suitable for obtaining strong relaxations of combinatorial optimization problems. In this dissertation, we study the interplay between semidefinite programming and integrality, where a special focus is put on the use of cutting-plane methods. Although the notions of integrality and cutting planes are well-studied in linear programming, integer semidefinite programs (ISDPs) are considered only recently. We show that manycombinatorial optimization problems can be modeled as ISDPs. Several theoretical concepts, such as the Chvátal-Gomory closure, total dual integrality and integer Lagrangian duality, are studied for the case of integer semidefinite programming. On the practical side, we introduce an improved branch-and-cut approach for ISDPs and a cutting-plane augmented Lagrangian method for solving semidefinite programs with a large number of cutting planes. Throughout the thesis, we apply our results to a wide range of combinatorial optimization problems, among which the quadratic cycle cover problem, the quadratic traveling salesman problem and the graph partition problem. Our approaches lead to novel, strong and efficient solution strategies for these problems, with the potential to be extended to other problem classes

A Brief Review on Mathematical Tools Applicable to Quantum Computing for Modelling and Optimization Problems in Engineering

Since its emergence, quantum computing has enabled a wide spectrum of new possibilities and advantages, including its efficiency in accelerating computational processes exponentially. This has directed much research towards completely novel ways of solving a wide variety of engineering problems, especially through describing quantum versions of many mathematical tools such as Fourier and Laplace transforms, differential equations, systems of linear equations, and optimization techniques, among others. Exploration and development in this direction will revolutionize the world of engineering. In this manuscript, we review the state of the art of these emerging techniques from the perspective of quantum computer development and performance optimization, with a focus on the most common mathematical tools that support engineering applications. This review focuses on the application of these mathematical tools to quantum computer development and performance improvement/optimization. It also identifies the challenges and limitations related to the exploitation of quantum computing and outlines the main opportunities for future contributions. This review aims at offering a valuable reference for researchers in fields of engineering that are likely to turn to quantum computing for solutions. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-01-020 Full Text: PD

Proceedings of the 8th Cologne-Twente Workshop on Graphs and Combinatorial Optimization

International audienceThe Cologne-Twente Workshop (CTW) on Graphs and Combinatorial Optimization started off as a series of workshops organized bi-annually by either Köln University or Twente University. As its importance grew over time, it re-centered its geographical focus by including northern Italy (CTW04 in Menaggio, on the lake Como and CTW08 in Gargnano, on the Garda lake). This year, CTW (in its eighth edition) will be staged in France for the first time: more precisely in the heart of Paris, at the Conservatoire National d’Arts et Métiers (CNAM), between 2nd and 4th June 2009, by a mixed organizing committee with members from LIX, Ecole Polytechnique and CEDRIC, CNAM

Structure Exploitation in Mixed-Integer Optimization with Applications to Energy Systems

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist neue numerische Methoden für gemischt-ganzzahlige Optimierungsprobleme zu entwickeln um eine verbesserte Geschwindigkeit und Skalierbarkeit zu erreichen. Dies erfolgt durch Ausnutzung gängiger Problemstrukturen wie separierbarkeit oder Turnpike-eigenschaften. Methoden, die diese Strukturen ausnutzen können, wurden bereits im Bereich der verteilten Optimierung und optimalen Steuerung entwickelt, sie sind jedoch nicht direkt auf gemischt-ganztägige Probleme anwendbar. Um verteilte Rechenressourcen zur Lösung von gemischt-ganzzahligen Problemen nutzen zu können, sind neue Methoden erforderlich. Zu diesem Zweck werden verschiedene Erweiterungen bestehender Methoden sowie neuartige Techniken zur gemischt-ganzzahligen Optimierung vorgestellt. Benchmark-Probleme aus Strom- und Energiesystemen werden verwendet, um zu demonstrieren, dass die vorgestellten Methoden zu schnelleren Laufzeiten führen und die Lösung großer Probleme ermöglichen, die sonst nicht zentral gelöst werden können. Die vorliegende Arbeit enthält die folgenden Beiträge: - Eine Erweiterung des Augmented Lagrangian Alternating Direction Inexact Newton-Algorithmus zur verteilten Optimierung für gemischt-ganzzahlige Probleme. - Ein neuer, teilweise-verteilter Optimierungsalgorithmus für die gemischt-ganzzahlige Optimierung basierend auf äußeren Approximationsverfahren. - Ein neuer Optimierungsalgorithmus für die verteilte gemischt-ganzzahlige Optimierung, der auf branch-and-bound Verfahren basiert. - Eine erste Untersuchung von Turnpike-Eigenschaften bei Optimalsteuerungsproblemen mit gemischten-Ganzzahligen Entscheidungsgrößen und ein spezieller Algorithmus zur Lösung dieser Probleme. - Eine neue Branch-and-Bound Heuristik, die a priori Probleminformationen effizienter nutzt als aktuelle Warmstarttechniken. Schließlich wird gezeigt, dass die Ergebnisse der vorgestellten Optimierungsalgorithmen für verteilte gemischt-ganzzahlige Optimierung stark Partitionierungsabhängig sind. Zu diesem Zweck wird auch eine Untersuchung von Partitionierungsmethoden für die verteilte Optimierung vorgestellt