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Joseph Cheriyan

Publications and source records attributed to Joseph Cheriyan.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Improved Approximation Algorithms for Capacitated Network Design and Flexible Graph Connectivity

We present improved approximation algorithms for some problems in the related areas of Capacitated Network Design and Flexible Graph Connectivity. In the Cap-$k$-ECSS problem, we are given a graph $G=(V,E)$ whose edges have non-negative costs and positive integer capacities, and the goal is to find a minimum-cost edge-set $F$ such that every non-trivial cut of the graph $G'=(V,F)$ has capacity at least $k$. We present an $O(\log k)$-approximation algorithm for the Cap-$k$-ECSS problem, asymptotically improving upon the previous best approximation ratio of $\min(O(\log n),\; O(k))$ whenever $\log(k)=o(\log n)$, where $n$ denotes $|V|$. (See section 1, for a detailed discussion.) In the $(p,q)$-Flexible Graph Connectivity problem, denoted $(p,q)$-FGC, the input is a graph $G(V, E)$ where $E$ is partitioned into safe and unsafe edges, and the goal is to find a minimum cost set of edges $F$ such that the subgraph $G'(V, F)$ remains $p$-edge connected upon removal of any $q$ unsafe edges from $F$. We design a $7$-approximation algorithm for the $(1,q)$-FGC problem, improving on the previous best approximation ratio of $(q+1)$. Both of our results are obtained by using natural LP relaxations strengthened with the knapsack-cover inequalities, and then, during the rounding process, utilizing a recent $O(1)$-approximation algorithm for the Cover$\;$Small$\;$Cuts problem. In the latter problem, the goal is to find a minimum-cost set of links such that each non-trivial cut of capacity less than a specified value is covered by a link. We also show that the problem of covering small cuts inherently arises in another variant of $(p,q)$-FGC. Specifically, we give Cook reductions that preserve approximation ratios within $O(1)$ factors between the $(2,q)$-FGC problem and the 2-Cover$\;$Small$\;$Cuts problem; in the latter problem, each small cut needs to be covered by two links.

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arXiv2024

Improved Approximation Algorithms by Generalizing the Primal-Dual Method Beyond Uncrossable Functions

We address long-standing open questions raised by Williamson, Goemans, Vazirani and Mihail pertaining to the design of approximation algorithms for problems in network design via the primal-dual method (Combinatorica 15(3):435-454, 1995). Williamson et al. prove an approximation guarantee of two for connectivity augmentation problems where the connectivity requirements can be specified by so-called uncrossable functions. They state: ``Extending our algorithm to handle non-uncrossable functions remains a challenging open problem. The key feature of uncrossable functions is that there exists an optimal dual solution which is laminar. This property characterizes uncrossable functions\dots\ A larger open issue is to explore further the power of the primal-dual approach for obtaining approximation algorithms for other combinatorial optimization problems.'' Our main result proves that the primal-dual algorithm of Williamson et al. achieves an approximation ratio of 16 for a class of functions that generalizes the notion of an uncrossable function. There exist instances that can be handled by our methods where none of the optimal dual solutions has a laminar support. We present three applications of our main result. (1) A 16-approximation algorithm for augmenting a family of small cuts of a graph $G$. (2) A $16 \cdot {\lceil k/u_{min} \rceil}$-approximation algorithm for the Cap-$k$-ECSS problem which is as follows: Given an undirected graph $G = (V,E)$ with edge costs $c \in \mathbb{Q}_{\geq 0}^E$ and edge capacities $u \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}^E$, find a minimum-cost subset of the edges $F\subseteq E$ such that the capacity of any cut in $(V,F)$ is at least $k$; we use $u_{min}$ to denote the minimum capacity of an edge in $E$. (3) An $O(1)$-approximation algorithm for the model of $(p,2)$-Flexible Graph Connectivity.

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arXiv2022

Unconstrained Traveling Tournament Problem is APX-complete

We show that the Unconstrained Traveling Tournament Problem (UTTP) is APX-complete by presenting an L-reduction from a version of metric (1,2)-TSP to UTTP. Keywords: Traveling Tournament Problem, APX-complete, Approximation algorithms, Traveling Salesman Problem

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arXiv2022

Extensions of the $(p,q)$-Flexible-Graph-Connectivity model

We present approximation algorithms for network design problems in some models related to the $(p,q)$-FGC model. Adjiashvili, Hommelsheim and Mühlenthaler introduced the model of Flexible Graph Connectivity that we denote by FGC. Boyd, Cheriyan, Haddadan and Ibrahimpur introduced a generalization of FGC. Let $p\geq 1$ and $q\geq 0$ be integers. In an instance of the $(p,q)$-Flexible Graph Connectivity problem, denoted $(p,q)$-FGC, we have an undirected connected graph $G = (V,E)$, a partition of $E$ into a set of safe edges and a set of unsafe edges, and nonnegative costs $c\in\mathbb{R}_{\geq0}^E$ on the edges. A subset $F \subseteq E$ of edges is feasible for the $(p,q)$-FGC problem if for any set of unsafe edges, $F'$, with $|F'|\leq q$, the subgraph $(V, F \setminus F')$ is $p$-edge connected. The algorithmic goal is to find a feasible edge-set $F$ that minimizes $c(F) = \sum_{e \in F} c_e$.

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arXiv2022

Minimal induced subgraphs of two classes of 2-connected non-Hamiltonian graphs

In 1981, Duffus, Gould, and Jacobson showed that every connected graph either has a Hamiltonian path, or contains a claw ($K_{1,3}$) or a net (a fixed six-vertex graph) as an induced subgraph. This implies that subject to being connected, these two are the only minimal (under taking induced subgraphs) graphs with no Hamiltonian path. Brousek (1998) characterized the minimal graphs that are $2$-connected, non-Hamiltonian and do not contain the claw as an induced subgraph. We characterize the minimal graphs that are $2$-connected and non-Hamiltonian for two classes of graphs: (1) split graphs, (2) triangle-free graphs. We remark that testing for Hamiltonicity is NP-hard in both of these classes.

math.CO↗
arXiv2022

Approximation Algorithms for Flexible Graph Connectivity

We present approximation algorithms for several network design problems in the model of Flexible Graph Connectivity (Adjiashvili, Hommelsheim and Mühlenthaler, "Flexible Graph Connectivity", Math. Program. pp. 1-33 (2021), and IPCO 2020: pp. 13-26). Let $k\geq 1$, $p\geq 1$ and $q\geq 0$ be integers. In an instance of the $(p,q)$-Flexible Graph Connectivity problem, denoted $(p,q)$-FGC, we have an undirected connected graph $G = (V,E)$, a partition of $E$ into a set of safe edges $S$ and a set of unsafe edges $U$, and nonnegative costs $c: E\to\Re$ on the edges. A subset $F \subseteq E$ of edges is feasible for the $(p,q)$-FGC problem if for any subset $F'$ of unsafe edges with $|F'|\leq q$, the subgraph $(V, F \setminus F')$ is $p$-edge connected. The algorithmic goal is to find a feasible solution $F$ that minimizes $c(F) = \sum_{e \in F} c_e$. We present a simple $2$-approximation algorithm for the $(1,1)$-FGC problem via a reduction to the minimum-cost rooted $2$-arborescence problem. This improves on the $2.527$-approximation algorithm of Adjiashvili et al. Our $2$-approximation algorithm for the $(1,1)$-FGC problem extends to a $(k+1)$-approximation algorithm for the $(1,k)$-FGC problem. We present a $4$-approximation algorithm for the $(p,1)$-FGC problem, and an $O(q\log|V|)$-approximation algorithm for the $(p,q)$-FGC problem. Finally, we improve on the result of Adjiashvili et al. for the unweighted $(1,1)$-FGC problem by presenting a $16/11$-approximation algorithm. The $(p,q)$-FGC problem is related to the well-known Capacitated $k$-Connected Subgraph problem (denoted Cap-k-ECSS) that arises in the area of Capacitated Network Design. We give a $\min(k,2 u_{max})$-approximation algorithm for the Cap-k-ECSS problem, where $u_{max}$ denotes the maximum capacity of an edge.

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arXiv2021

On a Partition LP Relaxation for Min-Cost 2-Node Connected Spanning Subgraphs

Our motivation is to improve on the best approximation guarantee known for the problem of finding a minimum-cost 2-node connected spanning subgraph of a given undirected graph with nonnegative edge costs. We present an LP (Linear Programming) relaxation based on partition constraints. The special case where the input contains a spanning tree of zero cost is called 2NC-TAP. We present a greedy algorithm for 2NC-TAP, and we analyze it via dual-fitting for our partition LP relaxation. Keywords: 2-node connected graphs, approximation algorithms, connectivity augmentation, greedy algorithm, network design, partition relaxation

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arXiv2018

On Eulerian orientations of even-degree hypercubes

It is well known that \textit{every} Eulerian orientation of an Eulerian $2k$-edge connected (undirected) graph is strongly $k$-edge connected. An important goal in the area is to obtain analogous results for other types of connectivity, such as node connectivity and element connectivity. We show that \textit{every} Eulerian orientation of the hypercube of degree $2k$ is strongly $k$-node connected.

math.CO↗
arXiv2014

On Integrality Ratios for Asymmetric TSP in the Sherali-Adams Hierarchy

We study the ATSP (Asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problem), and our focus is on negative results in the framework of the Sherali-Adams (SA) Lift and Project method. Our main result pertains to the standard LP (linear programming) relaxation of ATSP, due to Dantzig, Fulkerson, and Johnson. For any fixed integer $t\geq 0$ and small $ε$, $0<ε\ll{1}$, there exists a digraph $G$ on $ν=ν(t,ε)=O(t/ε)$ vertices such that the integrality ratio for level~$t$ of the SA system starting with the standard LP on $G$ is $\ge 1+\frac{1-ε}{2t+3} \approx \frac43, \frac65, \frac87, \dots$. Thus, in terms of the input size, the result holds for any $t = 0,1,\dots,Θ(ν)$ levels. Our key contribution is to identify a structural property of digraphs that allows us to construct fractional feasible solutions for any level~$t$ of the SA system starting from the standard~LP. Our hard instances are simple and satisfy the structural property. There is a further relaxation of the standard LP called the balanced LP, and our methods simplify considerably when the starting LP for the SA system is the balanced~LP; in particular, the relevant structural property (of digraphs) simplifies such that it is satisfied by the digraphs given by the well-known construction of Charikar, Goemans and Karloff (CGK). Consequently, the CGK digraphs serve as hard instances, and we obtain an integrality ratio of $1 +\frac{1-ε}{t+1}$ for any level~$t$ of the SA system, where $0<ε\ll{1}$ and the number of vertices is $ν(t,ε)=O((t/ε)^{(t/ε)})$. Also, our results for the standard~LP extend to the Path-ATSP (find a min cost Hamiltonian dipath from a given source vertex to a given sink vertex).

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arXiv2012

Approximating Minimum-Cost k-Node Connected Subgraphs via Independence-Free Graphs

We present a 6-approximation algorithm for the minimum-cost $k$-node connected spanning subgraph problem, assuming that the number of nodes is at least $k^3(k-1)+k$. We apply a combinatorial preprocessing, based on the Frank-Tardos algorithm for $k$-outconnectivity, to transform any input into an instance such that the iterative rounding method gives a 2-approximation guarantee. This is the first constant-factor approximation algorithm even in the asymptotic setting of the problem, that is, the restriction to instances where the number of nodes is lower bounded by a function of $k$.

cs.DM↗
arXiv2012

Approximating Minimum-Cost Connected T-Joins

We design and analyse approximation algorithms for the minimum-cost connected T-join problem: given an undirected graph G = (V;E) with nonnegative costs on the edges, and a subset of nodes T, find (if it exists) a spanning connected subgraph H of minimum cost such that every node in T has odd degree and every node not in T has even degree; H may have multiple copies of any edge of G. Two well-known special cases are the TSP (|T| = 0) and the s-t path TSP (|T| = 2). Recently, An, Kleinberg, and Shmoys [STOC 2012] improved on the long-standing 5/3-approximation guarantee for the latter problem and presented an algorithm based on LP rounding that achieves an approximation guarantee of (1+sqrt(5))/2 < 1.6181. We show that the methods of An et al. extend to the minimum-cost connected T-join problem. They presented a new proof for a 5/3-approximation guarantee for the s-t path TSP; their proof extends easily to the minimum-cost connected T-join problem. Next, we improve on the approximation guarantee of 5/3 by extending their LP-rounding algorithm to get an approximation guarantee of 13/8 = 1.625 for all |T| >= 4. Finally, we focus on the prize-collecting version of the problem, and present a primal-dual algorithm that is "Lagrangian multiplier preserving" and that achieves an approximation guarantee 3 - 2/(|T|-1) when |T| >= 4. Our primal-dual algorithm is a generalization of the known primal-dual 2-approximation for the prize-collecting s-t path TSP. Furthermore, we show that our analysis is tight by presenting instances with |T| >= 4 such that the cost of the solution found by the algorithm is exactly 3 - 2/(|T|-1) times the cost of the constructed dual solution.

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arXiv2012

Packing of Rigid Spanning Subgraphs and Spanning Trees

We prove that every (6k + 2l, 2k)-connected simple graph contains k rigid and l connected edge-disjoint spanning subgraphs. This implies a theorem of Jackson and Jordán [4] and a theorem of Jordán [6] on packing of rigid spanning subgraphs. Both these results are generalizations of the classical result of Lovász and Yemini [9] saying that every 6-connected graph is rigid for which our approach provides a transparent proof. Our result also gives two improved upper bounds on the connectivity of graphs that have interesting properties: (1) every 8-connected graph packs a spanning tree and a 2-connected spanning subgraph; (2) every 14-connected graph has a 2-connected orientation.

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