English

Shortest path and maximum flow problems in planar flow networks with additive gains and losses

Computational Complexity 2016-03-31 v1

Abstract

In contrast to traditional flow networks, in additive flow networks, to every edge e is assigned a gain factor g(e) which represents the loss or gain of the flow while using edge e. Hence, if a flow f(e) enters the edge e and f(e) is less than the designated capacity of e, then f(e) + g(e) = 0 units of flow reach the end point of e, provided e is used, i.e., provided f(e) != 0. In this report we study the maximum flow problem in additive flow networks, which we prove to be NP-hard even when the underlying graphs of additive flow networks are planar. We also investigate the shortest path problem, when to every edge e is assigned a cost value for every unit flow entering edge e, which we show to be NP-hard in the strong sense even when the additive flow networks are planar.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1603.08997,
  title  = {Shortest path and maximum flow problems in planar flow networks with additive gains and losses},
  author = {Saber Mirzaei and Assaf Kfoury},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1603.08997},
  year   = {2016}
}