Network Models

Dr. Sundaramurthy Pandurangan

19th February 2020

 Shortest-Route Problem
• We consider a problem in which the objective is to determine the shortest route, or path,
between two nodes in a network.
• We will demonstrate the shortest-route problem by considering the situation facing the
Gorman Construction Company.
• Gorman has several construction sites located throughout a three-county area.
• With multiple daily trips carrying personnel, equipment, and supplies from Gorman’s
office to the construction sites, the costs associated with transportation activities are
substantial.
• The travel alternatives between Gorman’s office and each construction site can be
described by the road network.
• The road distances in miles between the nodes are shown above the corresponding arcs.
• In this application, Gorman would like to determine the route that will minimize the
total travel distance between Gorman’s office (located at node 1) and the construction
site located at node 6.
Transshipment Network for the Gorman Shortest-Route Problem
• The transshipment network for the Gorman shortest-route problem is
 Gorman Shortest-Route Problem

• Arrows added to the arcs show the direction of flow, which is always out of the
origin node and into the destination node.

• Note also that two directed arcs are shown between the pairs of transshipment
nodes.

• For example, one arc going from node 2 to node 3 indicates that the shortest route
may go from node 2 to node 3, and one arc going from node 3 to node 2 indicates
that the shortest route may go from node 3 to node 2.

• The distance between two transshipment nodes is the same in either direction.
 Gorman Shortest-Route Problem

• To find the shortest route between node 1 and node 6, think of node 1 as having a
supply of 1 unit and node 6 as having a demand of 1 unit.
• Let xij denote the number of units that flow or are shipped from node i to node j.
• Because only 1 unit will be shipped from node 1 to node 6, the value of xij will be
either 1 or 0. Thus, if xij =1, the arc from node i to node j is on the shortest route
from node 1 to node 6; if xij = 0, the arc from node i to node j is not on the
shortest route.
• Because we are looking for the shortest route between node 1 and node 6, the
objective function for the Gorman problem is
 Gorman Shortest-Route Problem
• To develop the constraints for the model, we begin with node 1.
• Because the supply at node 1 is 1 unit, the flow out of node 1 must equal 1.
• Thus, the constraint for node 1 is written

• For transshipment nodes 2, 3, 4, and 5, the flow out of each node must equal the
flow into each node; thus, the flow out minus the flow in must be 0.
• The constraints for the four transshipment nodes are as follows:
 Gorman Shortest-Route Problem
• Because node 6 is the destination node with a demand of one unit, the flow into
node 6 must equal 1.
• Thus, the constraint for node 6 is written as

• Including the non-negative constraints xij ≥ 0 for all i and j, the linear
programming model for the Gorman shortest-route problem is
The solution to the Gorman shortest-route problem
The solution to the Gorman shortest-route problem

• The objective function value of 32 indicates that the shortest route between
Gorman’s office located at node 1 to the construction site located at node 6 is 32
miles.
• With x13 = 1, x32 = 1, x24 = 1, and x46 = 1, the shortest-route from node 1 to
node 6 is 1–3–2–4–6.
• In other words, the shortest route takes us from node 1 to node 3; then from node
3 to node 2; then from node 2 to node 4; and finally from node 4 to node 6.
 Practice Problems
• Problem 1.
 Practice Problems
• Ans1
 Maximal Flow Problem

• The objective in a maximal flow problem is to determine the maximum amount

of flow (vehicles, messages, fluid, etc.) that can enter and exit a network system in
a given period of time.
• In this problem, we attempt to transmit flow through all arcs of the network as
efficiently as possible.
• The amount of flow is limited due to capacity restrictions on the various arcs of
the network.
• For example, highway types limit vehicle flow in a transportation system, whereas
pipe sizes limit oil flow in an oil distribution system.
• The maximum or upper limit on the flow in an arc is referred to as the flow
capacity of the arc.
• Even though we do not specify capacities for the nodes, we do assume that the
flow out of a node is equal to the flow into the node.
 Maximal Flow Problem
• As an example of the maximal flow problem, consider the north–south interstate
highway system passing through Cincinnati, Ohio.

• The north–south vehicle flow reaches a level of 15,000 vehicles per hour at peak
times.

• Due to a summer highway maintenance program, which calls for the temporary
closing of lanes and lower speed limits, a network of alternate routes through
Cincinnati has been proposed by a transportation planning committee.

• The alternate routes include other highways as well as city streets.

• Because of differences in speed limits and traffic patterns, flow capacities vary,
depending on the particular streets and roads used.
 Maximal Flow Problem
• The proposed network with arc flow capacities is
 Maximal Flow Problem
• The direction of flow for each arc is indicated, and the arc capacity is shown next
to each arc.

• Note that most of the streets are one-way. However, a two-way street can be found
between nodes 2 and 3 and between nodes 5 and 6.

• In both cases, the capacity is the same in each direction.

• We will show how to develop a capacitated transshipment model for the maximal
flow problem.

• First, we will add an arc from node 7 back to node 1 to represent the total flow
through the highway system.
 Maximal Flow Problem
• The modified network is
 Maximal Flow Problem
• The newly added arc shows no capacity; indeed, we will want to maximize the
flow over that arc.
• Maximizing the flow over the arc from node 7 to node 1 is equivalent to
maximizing the number of cars that can get through the north–south highway
system passing through Cincinnati.
Maximal Flow Problem
Maximal Flow Problem
 The Solution to the Cincinnati Highway System Maximal Flow Problem

• The solution to this 15-variable, 21-constraint linear programming

problem is
Maximal Flow Pattern for the Cincinnati Highway
System Network
 The Solution to the Cincinnati Highway System Maximal Flow Problem

• We note that the value of the optimal solution is 14.

• This result implies that the maximal flow over the highway system is 14,000
vehicles.
• Figure given in the previous slide shows how the vehicle flow is routed through
the original highway network.
• We note, for instance, that 5000 vehicles per hour are routed between nodes 1 and
2, 2000 vehicles per hour are routed between nodes 2 and 3, and so on.
• The results of the maximal flow analysis indicate that the planned highway
network system will not handle the peak flow of 15,000 vehicles per hour.
• The transportation planners will have to expand the highway network, increase
current arc flow capacities, or be prepared for serious traffic problems.
 Practice Problems
• Problem 1.
 Practice Problems
• Ans 1.
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• In network terminology, the minimal spanning tree problem involves using the arcs of the
network to reach all nodes of the network in such a fashion that the total length of all the
arcs used is minimized.

• To better understand this problem, let us consider the communications system design
problem encountered by a regional computer center.

• The Southwestern Regional Computer Center must have special computer

communications lines installed to connect five satellite users with a new central computer.

• The telephone company will install the new communications network. However, the
installation is an expensive operation.

• To reduce costs, the center’s management group wants the total length of the new
communications lines to be as short as possible.
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• Although the central computer could be connected directly to each user, it appears
to be more economical to install a direct line to some users and let other users tap
into the system by linking them with users already connected to the system.

• The determination of this minimal length communications system design is an

example of the minimal spanning tree problem.

• The network for this problem with possible connection alternatives and distances
is given in the next slide.

• An algorithm that can be used to solve this network model is explained in the
following subsection.
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• Communications network for the regional computer system
 A Minimal Spanning Tree Algorithm

• A spanning tree for an N-node network is a set of N - 1 arcs that connects every node to every
other node.

• A minimal spanning tree provides this set of arcs at minimal total arc cost, distance, or some other
measure.

• The network algorithm that can be used to solve the minimal spanning tree problem is simple.
 A Minimal Spanning Tree Algorithm

• The steps of the algorithm are as follows:

• Step 1. Arbitrarily begin at any node and connect it to the closest node in terms of the criterion
being used (e.g., time, cost, or distance).
 The two nodes are referred to as connected nodes, and the remaining nodes are referred to as
unconnected nodes.

• Step 2. Identify the unconnected node that is closest to one of the connected nodes.
 Break ties arbitrarily if two or more nodes qualify as the closest node.
 Add this new node to the set of connected nodes.
 Repeat this step until all nodes have been connected.

• This network algorithm is easily implemented by making the connection decisions directly on the
network.
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• Referring to the communications network for the regional computer center and
arbitrarily beginning at node 1, we find the closest node is node 2 with a distance
of 20.
• Using a bold line to connect nodes 1 and 2, step 1 of the algorithm provides the
following result:
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• In step 2 of the algorithm, we find that the unconnected node closest to one of the
connected nodes is node 4, with a distance of 30 miles from node 1.
• Adding node 4 to the set of connected nodes provides the following result:
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• Repeating the step of always adding the closest unconnected node to the
connected segment of the network provides the minimal spanning tree solution
given below.
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• Network description of the regional computer center minimal spanning tree
problem is
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• The management scientist solution for the regional computer center minimal
spanning tree problem is
 Minimal Spanning Tree
• Follow the steps of the algorithm, and see whether you obtain this solution.

• The minimal length of the spanning tree is given by the sum of the distances on
the arcs forming the spanning tree.

• In this case, the total distance is 110 miles for the computer center’s
communications network.

• Note that while the computer center’s network arcs were measured in distance,
other network models may measure the arcs in terms of other criteria such as cost,
time, and so on.

• In such cases, the minimal spanning tree algorithm will identify the optimal
solution (minimal cost, minimal time, etc.) for the criterion being considered.
 Practice Problems
• Problem 1
 Practice Problems
• Ans 1.
 Practice Problems
• Problem 2
 Practice Problems

• Ans 2
 SUMMARY
• The shortest-route problem finds the shortest route or path between two nodes of a
network.
• Distance, time, and cost are often the criteria used for this model.
• The shortest-route problem can be expressed as a transshipment problem with one
origin and one destination.
• By shipping one unit from the origin to the destination, the solution will
determine the shortest route through the network.
• The maximal flow problem can be used to allocate flow to the arcs of the network
so that flow through the network system is maximized.
• Arc capacities determine the maximum amount of flow for each arc.
• With these flow capacity constraints, the maximal flow problem is expressed as a
capacitated transshipment problem.
 GLOSSARY

• Shortest route Shortest path between two nodes in a network.

• Maximal flow The maximum amount of flow that can enter and exit a network
system during a given period of time.

• Flow capacity The maximum flow for an arc of the network. The flow capacity in
one direction may not equal the flow capacity in the reverse direction.

• Minimal spanning tree The spanning tree with the minimum length.

• Spanning tree N-1 arcs that connect every node in the network with all other
nodes where N is the number of nodes.