Cloud branching
Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-17301
- Branch-and-bound methods for mixed-integer programming (MIP) are traditionally based on solving a linear programming (LP) relaxation and branching on a variable which takes a fractional value in the (single) computed relaxation optimum. In this paper we study branching strategies for mixed-integer programs that exploit the knowledge of multiple alternative optimal solutions (a cloud) of the current LP relaxation. These strategies naturally extend state-of-the-art methods like strong branching, pseudocost branching, and their hybrids. We show that by exploiting dual degeneracy, and thus multiple alternative optimal solutions, it is possible to enhance traditional methods. We present preliminary computational results, applying the newly proposed strategy to full strong branching, which is known to be the MIP branching rule leading to the fewest number of search nodes. It turns out that cloud branching can reduce the mean running time by up to 30% on standard test sets.
Author: | Timo BertholdORCiD, Domenico SalvagninORCiD |
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Document Type: | ZIB-Report |
Tag: | branching rule; dual degeneracy; mixed integer programming; search strategy |
MSC-Classification: | 90-XX OPERATIONS RESEARCH, MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING / 90Cxx Mathematical programming [See also 49Mxx, 65Kxx] / 90C10 Integer programming |
90-XX OPERATIONS RESEARCH, MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING / 90Cxx Mathematical programming [See also 49Mxx, 65Kxx] / 90C11 Mixed integer programming | |
90-XX OPERATIONS RESEARCH, MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING / 90Cxx Mathematical programming [See also 49Mxx, 65Kxx] / 90C57 Polyhedral combinatorics, branch-and-bound, branch-and-cut | |
Date of first Publication: | 2013/01/02 |
Series (Serial Number): | ZIB-Report (13-01) |
ISSN: | 1438-0064 |
Published in: | Appeared in: Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming for Combinatorial Optimization Problems. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 7874, pp. 28-43 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38171-3_3 |