An Efficient Local Search for Partial Latin Square Extension Problem

A partial Latin square (PLS) is a partial assignment of n symbols to an nxn grid such that, in each row and in each column, each symbol appears at most once. The partial Latin square extension problem is an NP-hard problem that asks for a largest extension of a given PLS. In this paper we propose an efficient local search for this problem. We focus on the local search such that the neighborhood is defined by (p,q)-swap, i.e., removing exactly p symbols and then assigning symbols to at most q empty cells. For p in {1,2,3}, our neighborhood search algorithm finds an improved solution or concludes that no such solution exists in O(n^{p+1}) time. We also propose a novel swap operation, Trellis-swap, which is a generalization of (1,q)-swap and (2,q)-swap. Our Trellis-neighborhood search algorithm takes O(n^{3.5}) time to do the same thing. Using these neighborhood search algorithms, we design a prototype iterated local search algorithm and show its effectiveness in comparison with state-of-the-art optimization solvers such as IBM ILOG CPLEX and LocalSolver.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Scheduling Algorithms for Procrastinators

This paper presents scheduling algorithms for procrastinators, where the speed that a procrastinator executes a job increases as the due date approaches. We give optimal off-line scheduling policies for linearly increasing speed functions. We then explain the computational/numerical issues involved in implementing this policy. We next explore the online setting, showing that there exist adversaries that force any online scheduling policy to miss due dates. This impossibility result motivates the problem of minimizing the maximum interval stretch of any job; the interval stretch of a job is the job's flow time divided by the job's due date minus release time. We show that several common scheduling strategies, including the "hit-the-highest-nail" strategy beloved by procrastinators, have arbitrarily large maximum interval stretch. Then we give the "thrashing" scheduling policy and show that it is a \Theta(1) approximation algorithm for the maximum interval stretch.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Optimal Sequencing of Inspection of Dependent Characteristics

We address the problem of sequentially inspecting the dependent characteristics of a product, where the dependency is expressed in terms of the joint probabilities of the fitness of the characteristics. We show that, even when the inspection has classification errors, the joint probability mass function of the observed fitness of the characteristics is independent of the sequence of inspection. Using this result, a dynamic programming approach is presented for finding the optimal sequence that minimizes the expected total cost of inspection. Previously reported policies for independent characteristics are shown to be special cases of the results presented here.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45190/1/10957_2004_Article_411720.pd

Optimal ordering rule for a stochastic sequencing model

In this note, necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the optimality of a sequencing rule for a class of stochastic sequential models. The optimal sequential rule generalizes the deterministic results, given in Refs. 1–2, for situations when some of the parameters of the problem are random variables. Two cases are given to demonstrate the usefulness of the results.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45247/1/10957_2005_Article_BF02275359.pd

A Study of Memetic Search with Multi-parent Combination for UBQP

We present a multi-parent hybrid genetic–tabu algorithm (denoted by GTA) for the Unconstrained Binary Quadratic Programming (UBQP) problem, by incorporating tabu search into the framework of genetic algorithm. In this paper, we propose a new multi-parent combination operator for generating offspring solutions. A pool updating strategy based on a quality-and-distance criterion is used to manage the population. Experimental comparisons with leading methods for the UBQP problem on 25 large public instances demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed algorithm in terms of both solution quality and computational efficiency

Elementary landscape decomposition of the 0-1 unconstrained quadratic optimization

Journal of Heuristics, 19(4), pp.711-728Landscapes’ theory provides a formal framework in which combinatorial optimization problems can be theoretically characterized as a sum of an especial kind of landscape called elementary landscape. The elementary landscape decomposition of a combinatorial optimization problem is a useful tool for understanding the problem. Such decomposition provides an additional knowledge on the problem that can be exploited to explain the behavior of some existing algorithms when they are applied to the problem or to create new search methods for the problem. In this paper we analyze the 0-1 Unconstrained Quadratic Optimization from the point of view of landscapes’ theory. We prove that the problem can be written as the sum of two elementary components and we give the exact expressions for these components. We use the landscape decomposition to compute autocorrelation measures of the problem, and show some practical applications of the decomposition.Spanish Ministry of Sci- ence and Innovation and FEDER under contract TIN2008-06491-C04-01 (the M∗ project). Andalusian Government under contract P07-TIC-03044 (DIRICOM project)