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Semidefinite programming and eigenvalue bounds for the graph partition problem

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Abstract

The graph partition problem is the problem of partitioning the vertex set of a graph into a fixed number of sets of given sizes such that the sum of weights of edges joining different sets is optimized. In this paper we simplify a known matrix-lifting semidefinite programming relaxation of the graph partition problem for several classes of graphs and also show how to aggregate additional triangle and independent set constraints for graphs with symmetry. We present an eigenvalue bound for the graph partition problem of a strongly regular graph, extending a similar result for the equipartition problem. We also derive a linear programming bound of the graph partition problem for certain Johnson and Kneser graphs. Using what we call the Laplacian algebra of a graph, we derive an eigenvalue bound for the graph partition problem that is the first known closed form bound that is applicable to any graph, thereby extending a well-known result in spectral graph theory. Finally, we strengthen a known semidefinite programming relaxation of a specific quadratic assignment problem and the above-mentioned matrix-lifting semidefinite programming relaxation by adding two constraints that correspond to assigning two vertices of the graph to different parts of the partition. This strengthening performs well on highly symmetric graphs when other relaxations provide weak or trivial bounds.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank two anonymous referees for suggestions that led to an improvement of this paper.

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  1. Department of Econometrics and OR, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Edwin R. van Dam & Renata Sotirov

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  1. Edwin R. van Dam
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  2. Renata Sotirov
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Correspondence to Renata Sotirov.

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van Dam, E.R., Sotirov, R. Semidefinite programming and eigenvalue bounds for the graph partition problem. Math. Program. 151, 379–404 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10107-014-0817-6

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