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How To Solve The Maximum Flow Problem in A Network Using Ford Method

The document describes the Ford-Fulkerson method for finding the maximum flow in a network. It involves iterating through the following steps: (1) finding an augmenting path from the source to the sink, (2) calculating the residual capacity and updating the network flows and residual capacities accordingly, (3) repeating until no more augmenting paths exist. An example applies these steps to a water treatment network to find the optimal maximum flow of 10 million gallons from the source to the sink.

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Angga Anggara
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209 views

How To Solve The Maximum Flow Problem in A Network Using Ford Method

The document describes the Ford-Fulkerson method for finding the maximum flow in a network. It involves iterating through the following steps: (1) finding an augmenting path from the source to the sink, (2) calculating the residual capacity and updating the network flows and residual capacities accordingly, (3) repeating until no more augmenting paths exist. An example applies these steps to a water treatment network to find the optimal maximum flow of 10 million gallons from the source to the sink.

Uploaded by

Angga Anggara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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how to solve the maximum flow problem in a network using the Ford-Fulkerson method.

step 1: if the exist a path from the source to the sink, go to step 2. otherwise, the
optimal solution is determined by the backward arcs
step 2: calculate the residual flow network
- find the smallest capacity of the arcs on the path. Denote it by C
- subtract c from the capacity of each arc on the path
- add a backward arc for each arc on the path. add c to the capacity of each reverse arc
- go back to step 1

example

Suppose a water treatment plant wants to pump the maximum amount of water
through pipelines. From source node S to sink node T. The water supply network is
shown here. For example, from node S to node A, the capacity is 6 million gallons of
water per day; from node A to node B, the capacity is 2 million gallons per day, and so
on.
In the first step, let's find a path from S to T. There are several paths.
We only need to identify one path at this time. For example, this path S-A-B-T.

Now, in step 2, we need to find the smallest capacity of the arcs on this path. Denote it
by c. So c=2.
Subtract 2 from the capacity of each arc on the path. This will be changed to 4, this will
be 0 and we can remove it from the network, and this will be changed to 1.
Now, we add a backward arc for each arc on that path. Add 2 to the capacity of each
reverse arc. This will be 2, this will be 2, and this will be 2.

So, this is a residual flow network.

Let's go back to Step 1 and check if there is still a path from S to T. Yes, there is a path, S-
C-D-T.
We need to find the smallest capacity of the arcs on this path. Denote it by c. So c=5.
Subtract 5 from the capacity of each arc on the path. This will be 0 and we can remove it
from the network, this will be changed to 2, and this will be changed to 3.

Now, we add a backward arc for each arc on that path.

Add 5 to the capacity of each reverse arc. This will be 5, this will be 5, and this will be 5.
So, this is a residual flow network.
Let's go back to Step 1 and check if there is still a path from S to T. Yes, there is a path, S-
A-D-T.

We need to find the smallest capacity of the arcs on this path. Denote it by c. So c=3.
Subtract 3 from the capacity of each arc on the path. This will be changed to 1, this will
be changed to 1, and this will be 0 and we can remove it from the network.

Now, we add a backward arc for each arc on that path. Add 3 to the capacity of each
reverse arc. There is already a reverse arc from A to S and its old capacity is 2. So 2+3=5.
There is no reverse arc between D and A, so we add a reverse arc and the capacity is 3.
There is already a reverse arc from T to D and its old capacity is 5. So 5+3=8.
So, this is a residual flow network.

Let's go back to Step 1 and check if there is still a path from S to T. We can no longer find
a path from S to T. So, the optimal solution is determined by the backward arcs. Let's
remove the original forward arcs and only keep the backward arcs.

This is the optimal solution. That means, we should pump 5 million gallons of water
from S to A, 2 million gallons from A to B, and so on. The maximum flow is 5+5 or 2+8,
which is equal to 10 million gallons. Okay, that is how to solve the maximum flow
problem in a network using the Ford-Fulkerson method.

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