Skip to main content
Log in

The efficient solution of large-scale linear programming problems—some algorithmic techniques and computational results

  • Published:
Mathematical Programming Submit manuscript

Abstract

First, this paper presents the results of experiments with algorithmic techniques for efficiently solving medium and large scale linear and mixed integer programming problems. The techniques presented here are either original or recent.

The solution of a great number of problems has shown that efficient problem solving requires automatic adaptation of algorithmic techniques upon problem characteristics. We show when a given technique should be used for a particular problem.

The last part of this paper describes an attempt to provide a powerful mathematical programming language, allowing an easy programming of specific studies on medium-size models such as the recursive use of LP or the build-up of algorithms based on the simplex method.

All these features have been implemented in the IBM Mathematical Programming System, MPSX/370, and its feature MIP/370. Extensive numerical results and comparisons on real-life problems are provided and commented upon.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Abadie, ed.,Integer and nonlinear programming (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  2. R.H. Bartels and G.H. Golub, “The simplex method of linear programming using LU decomposition”,Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery 12 (1969) 266–268, 275–278.

    Google Scholar 

  3. E.M.L. Beale and J.A. Tomlin, “Special facilities in a general mathematical programming system for non-convex problems using ordered sets of variables”, in: J. Lawrence, ed.,Proceedings of the fifth IFORS Conference, Tavistock, London, 1970, pp. 447–454.

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. Bénichou, J.M. Gauthier, P. Girodet, G. Hentgès, G. Ribière and O. Vincent, “Experiments in mixed integer linear programming”,Mathematical Programming 1 (1971) 76–94.

    Google Scholar 

  5. R.K. Brayton, F.G. Gustavson and R.A. Willoughby, “Some results on sparse matrices”,Mathematics of Computation 24 (1970) 937–954.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R. Breu and C.A. Burdet, “Branch and bound experiments in 0–1 programming”,Mathematical Programming Study 2 (1974) 1–50.

    Google Scholar 

  7. J. de Buchet, “Expériences et statistiques sur la résolution des programmes linéaires de grandes dimensions”, in: D.B. Hertz and J. Melese, eds.,Proceedings of the fourth IFORS Conference (Wiley, New York, 1966) pp. 3–12.

    Google Scholar 

  8. A. Chang, “Application of sparse matrix methods in electric power system analysis”, in: R. Willoughby, ed.,Sparse matrix proceedings (RA-1, IBM Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, 1969) pp. 113–121.

    Google Scholar 

  9. H. Crowder and J.M. Hattingh, “Partially normalized pivot selection in linear programming”,Mathematical Programming Study 4 (1975) 12–25.

    Google Scholar 

  10. A.R. Curtis and J.K. Reid, “On the automatic scaling of matrices for gaussian elimination”,Journal of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications 10 (1972) 118–124.

    Google Scholar 

  11. G.B. Dantzig, “Compact basis triangularization for the simplex method”, in: R.L. Graves and P. Wolfe, eds.,Recent advances in mathematical programming (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1963) pp. 125–132.

    Google Scholar 

  12. G.B. Dantzig, R.P. Harvey, R.D. McKnight and S.S. Smith, “Sparse matrix techniques in two mathematical programming codes”, in: R.A. Willoughby, ed.,Sparse matrix proceedings (RA-1, IBM Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, 1969) pp. 85–99.

    Google Scholar 

  13. J.J.H. Forrest, J.P. Hirst and J.A. Tomlin, “Practical solution of large mixed integer programming problems with UMPIRE”,Management Science 20 (5) (1974) 736–773.

    Google Scholar 

  14. J.J.H. Forrest and J.A. Tomlin, “Updated triangular factors of the basis to maintain sparsity in the product form simplex method”,Mathematical Programming 2 (1972) 263–278.

    Google Scholar 

  15. D. Fulkerson and P. Wolfe, “An algorithm for scaling matrices”,SIAM Review 4 (1962) 142–146.

    Google Scholar 

  16. J.M. Gauthier and G. Ribière, “Experiments in mixed integer programming using pseudo-costs”,Mathematical Programming 12 (1977) 26–47.

    Google Scholar 

  17. A.M. Geoffrion and R.E. Marsten, “Integer programming algorithms: a framework and state-of-the-art survey”,Management Science 18 (9) (1972) 465–491.

    Google Scholar 

  18. H. Greenberg and J. Kalan, “An exact update for Harris' TREAD”,Mathematical Programming Study 4 (1975) 26–29.

    Google Scholar 

  19. M. Guignard and K. Spielberg, “Reduction methods for state enumeration integer programming”, Workshop on Integer programming, Bonn, 1975.

  20. F.G. Gustavson, “Some basic techniques for solving sparse systems of linear equations”, in: D.J. Rose and R.A. Willoughby, eds.,Sparse matrices and their applications (Plenum Press, New York, 1972) pp. 41–52.

    Google Scholar 

  21. P.M.J. Harris, Pivot selection methods of the Devex LP code”,Mathematical Programming Study 4 (1975) 30–57.

    Google Scholar 

  22. E. Hellerman and D. Rarick, “The partitioned preassigned pivot procedure (P4)”, in: D.J. Rose and R.A. Willoughby, eds.,Sparse matrices and their applications (Plenum Press, New York 1972) pp. 67–76.

    Google Scholar 

  23. IBM Mathematical Programming System Extended/370 (MPSX/370), Program reference manual, SH19-1095 — Mixed Integer Programming/370 (MIP/370), Program reference manual, SH19-1099 (December 1974).

  24. E. Johnson and K. Spielberg, “Inequalities in branch and bound programming”, in: R. Cottle and J. Krarup, eds.,Optimization Methods (The English University Press, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  25. H. Markowitz, “The elimination form of the inverse and its application to linear programming”,Management Science 3 (1957) 255–269.

    Google Scholar 

  26. W. Orchard-Hayes,Advanced linear programming computing techniques (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  27. M.A. Saunders, “A fast, stable implementation of the simplex method using Bartels—Golub updating”, in: J.R. Bunch and D.J. Rose, eds.,Sparse matrix computations (Academic Press, New York, 1976) pp. 213–226.

    Google Scholar 

  28. L. Slate, Private communication, IBM Corp. DPD (1972).

  29. D. Smith, “Data logistics for matrix inversion”, in: R.A. Willoughby, ed.,Sparse matrix proceedings (RA-1, IBM Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, 1969) pp. 127–138.

    Google Scholar 

  30. D.J. Rose and R.A. Willoughby, eds.,Sparse matrices and their applications (Plenum Press, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  31. A. van der Sluis, “Condition numbers and equilibration of matrices”,Numerische Mathematik 14 (1969) 14–23.

    Google Scholar 

  32. A. van der Sluis, “Condition, equilibration and pivoting in linear algebraic systems”,Numerische Mathematik 15 (1970) 74–86.

    Google Scholar 

  33. J.A. Tomlin, “Pivoting for size and sparsity in linear programming inversion routines”,Journal of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications 10 (1972) 289–295.

    Google Scholar 

  34. J.A. Tomlin, “On pricing and backward transformation in linear programming”,Mathematical Programming 6 (1974) 42–47.

    Google Scholar 

  35. J.A. Tomlin, “On scaling linear programming problems”,Mathematical Programming Study 4 (1975) 146–166.

    Google Scholar 

  36. P. Wolfe, “A technique for resolving degeneracy in linear programming”,SIAM Journal 11 (1963) 205–211.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Benichou, M., Gauthier, J.M., Hentges, G. et al. The efficient solution of large-scale linear programming problems—some algorithmic techniques and computational results. Mathematical Programming 13, 280–322 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01584344

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01584344

Key words

Navigation