Abstract
In this paper, a methodology for testing the accuracy and strength of cut generators for mixed-integer linear programming is presented. The procedure amounts to random diving towards a feasible solution, recording several kinds of failures. This allows for a ranking of the accuracy of the generators. Then, for generators deemed to have similar accuracy, statistical tests are performed to compare their relative strength. An application on eight Gomory cut generators and six Reduce-and-Split cut generators is given. The problem of constructing benchmark instances for which feasible solutions can be obtained is also addressed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achterberg T., Koch T., Martin A.: MIPLIB 2003. Oper. Res. Lett. 34, 361–372 (2006)
Amini M.M., Barr R.S.: Network reoptimization algorithms: A statistical design comparison. ORSA J. Comput. 5, 395–408 (1993)
Amini M.M., Racer M.: A rigorous computational comparison of alternative solution methods for the generalized assignment problem. Manage. Sci. 40, 868–890 (1994)
Anderson K., Cornuéjols G., Li Y.: Reduce-and-split cuts: Improving the performance of mixed integer Gomory cuts. Manage. Sci. 51, 1720–1732 (2005)
Applegate D.L., Cook W., Dash S., Espinoza D.G.: Exact solutions to linear programming problems. Oper. Res. Lett. 35, 693–699 (2007)
Balas E. et al.: Disjunctive programming: Cutting planes from logical conditions. In: Mangasarian, O.L. (eds) Nonlinear Programming, pp. 279–312. Academic Press, New York (1975)
Bixby, R.E., Ceria, S., McZeal, C.M., Savelsbergh, M.W.P.: MIPLIB 3.0, http://www.caam.rice.edu/~bixby/miplib/miplib.html
Cohen P.R.: Empirical Methods for Artificial Intelligence. Vol. 2. MIT Press, Cambridge (1995)
COIN-OR, http://www.coin-or.org
Cook, W., Dash, S., Fukasawa, R., Goycoolea, M.: Numerically Safe Gomory Mixed-Integer Cuts. Working paper (2008)
Danna E., Rothberg E., Le Pape C.: Exploring relaxation induced neighborhoods to improve MIP solutions. Math. Program. 102, 71–90 (2005)
Dhiflaoui, M., Funke, S., Kwappik, C., Mehlhorn, K., Seel, M., Schömer, E., Schulte, R., Weber, D.: Certifying and Repairing Solutions to Large LPs. How Good are LP-solvers? In: Proceedings of the Fourteenth Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (Baltimore, MD, 2003), pp. 255–256. ACM, New York (2003)
Fischetti M., Lodi A.: Local branching. Math. Program. Ser. B 98(1–3), 23–47 (2003)
Gomory, R.: An Algorithm for the Mixed Integer Problem, Technical Report RM-2597. The RAND Corporation (1960)
Hoaglin D.C., Klema V.C., Peters S.C.: Exploratory data analysis in a study on the performance of nonlinear optimization routines. ACM Trans. Math. Softw. 8, 145–162 (1982)
Hooker J.N.: Needed: An empirical science of algorithms. Oper. Res. 42, 201–212 (1994)
Hooker J.N.: Testing heuristics: We have it all wrong. J. Heuristics 1, 33–42 (1995)
ILOG CPLEX 10.1 User’s Manual (2006)
Jeroslow R.: Cutting plane theory: Disjunctive methods. Ann. Discrete Math. 1, 293–330 (1972)
Koch T.: The final netlib results. Oper. Res. Lett. 32, 138–142 (2004)
Lin B.W., Rardin R.L.: Controlled experimental design for statistical comparison of integer programming algorithms. Manage. Sci. 25, 1258–1271 (1979)
Marchand H., Martin A., Weismantel R., Wolsey L.: Cutting planes in integer and mixed integer programming, workshop on discrete optimization, DO’99 (Piscataway, NJ). Discrete Appl. Math. 123, 397–446 (2002)
Margot, F.: BAC: A BCP Based Branch-and-cut Example. IBM Research Report RC22799 (W0305-064) (2003), revised August (2008)
Margot F.: Testing cut generators for MILP. Optima 77, 6–9 (2008)
McGeoch C.C.: Toward an experimental method for algorithm simulation. INFORMS J. Comput. 8, 1–15 (1996)
McGeoch C.C.: Experimental analysis of algorithms. Notices Am. Math. Assoc. 48, 304–311 (2001)
McGeoch C.C.: Experimental Analysis of Optimization Algorithms. Handbook of Applied Optimization, pp. 1044–1052. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2002)
McGeoch, C.C.: Experimental Analysis of Algorithms. Handbook of Global Optimization. pp. 489–513. Vol. 2, Kluwer, Boston (2002)
McGeoch C.C., Sanders P., Fleischer R., Cohen P.R., Precup D. et al.: Using finite experiments to study asymptotic performances. In: Fleischer, R. (eds) Experimental Algorithmics: From Algorithm Design to Robust and Efficient Software. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pp. 93–126. Springer, Berlin (2002)
Mittelmann, H.: http://plato.asu.edu/topics/testcases.html, no longer available
Nance R.E., Moose R.L., Foutz R.V.: A statistical technique for comparing heuristics: An example from capacity assignment strategies in computer network design. Commun. ACM 30, 430–442 (1987)
Nemhauser G.L., Wolsey L.A.: A recursive procedure to generate all cuts for 0–1 mixed integer programs. Math. Program. 46, 379–390 (1990)
Neumaier A., Shscherbina O.: Safe bounds in linear and mixed-integer linear programming. Math. Program. 99, 283–296 (2004)
R statistical software, http://www.r-project.org/
Sheskin D.J.: Parametric and nonparametric statistical procedures. Vol. 2547, 2nd edn. Chapman & Hall/CRC, London (2000)
Stuart G.W.: Matrix algorithms, vol. I: Basic decompositions. SIAM, Philadelphia (1998)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by ONR grant N00014-09-1-0033.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Margot, F. Testing cut generators for mixed-integer linear programming. Math. Prog. Comp. 1, 69–95 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12532-009-0003-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12532-009-0003-7