Abstract
This paper presents an approach to shortest path minimization for graphs with random weights of arcs. To deal with uncertainty we use the following risk measures: Probability of Exceedance (POE), Buffered Probability of Exceedance (bPOE), Value-at-Risk (VaR), and Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR). Minimization problems with POE and VaR objectives result in mixed integer linear problems (MILP) with two types of binary variables. The first type models path, and the second type calculates POE and VaR functions. Formulations with bPOE and CVaR objectives have only the first type binary variables. The bPOE and CVaR minimization problems have a smaller number of binary variables and therefore can be solved faster than problems with POE or VaR objectives. The paper suggested a heuristic algorithm for minimizing bPOE by solving several CVaR minimization problems. Case study (posted at web) numerically compares optimization times with considered risk functions.


Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dijkstra, E.W.: A note on two problems in connection with graphs. Numer. Math. 1, 269–271 (1959)
Bellman, R.E.: On a routing problem. Q. Appl. Math 16, 87–90 (1958)
Ford, L.R., Fulkerson, D.R.: Flows in Networks. Princeton University Press (1962)
Lawler, E.L.: Combinatorial Optimization: Networks and Matroids. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston (1976)
Floyd, R.W.: Algorithm 97 (shortest path). Commun. ACM 5(6), 345 (1962)
Warshall, S.: A theorem on Boolean matrices. J. ACM 9(1), 11–12 (1962)
Moore, E.F.: The shortest path through a maze. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Theory of Switching, pp. 285–292. Harvard University Press (1959)
Lee, C.Y.: An algorithm for path connection and its applications. IRE Trans. Electron. Comput. 10(3), 346–365 (1961)
Carlyle, W.M., Royset, J.O., Wood, R.K.: Lagrangean relaxation and enumeration for solving constrained shortest-path problems. Networks 52(4), 256–270 (2008)
Royset, J.O., Carlyle, W.M., Wood, R.K.: Routing military aircraft with a constrained shortest-path algorithm. Mil. Oper. Res. 14(3), 31–52 (2009)
Royset, J.O., Wood, R.K.: Solving the bi-objective maximum-flow network-interdiction problem. INFORMS J. Comput. 19(2), 175–184 (2007)
Frank, H.: Shortest paths in probability graphs. Oper. Res. 17, 583–599 (1969)
Mirchandani, B.P.: Shortest distance and reliability of probabilistic networks. Comput. Oper. Res. 3, 347–676 (1976)
Murthy, I., Sarkar, S.: A relaxation-based pruning technique for a class of stochastic shortest path problems. Transp. Sci. 30(3), 220–236 (1996)
Loui, P.: Optimal paths in graphs with stochastic or multidimensional weights. Commun. ACM 26, 670–676 (1983)
Xiaoyu, Ji.: Models and algorithm for stochastic shortest path problem. Appl. Math. Comput. 170(1), 503–514 (2005)
Boginski, V.L., Commander, C.W., Turko, T.: Polynomial-time identification of robust network flows under uncertain arc failures. Optim. Lett. 3(3), 461–473 (2009)
Elci, O., Noyan, N., Bulbul, K.: Chance-constrained stochastic programming under variable reliability levels with an application to humanitarian relief network design. Comput. Oper. Res. 96, 91–107 (2018)
Yu, G., Yang, J.: On the robust shortest path problem. Comput. Oper. Res. 25, 457–468 (1998)
Pessoa, A., Pugliese, L., Guerriero, F., Poss, M.: Robust constrained shortest path problems under budgeted uncertainty. Networks (2015). https://doi.org/10.1002/net.21615
Pascoal, M., Resende, M.: Reducing the minmax regret robust shortest path problem with finite multi-scenarios. In: Bourguignon, P., Jeltsch, R., Pinto, A., Viana, M. (eds.) CIM Series in Mathematical Sciences—Mathematics of Planet Earth: Energy and Climate Change (Dynamics, Games and Science), vol. 2. Springer (2014)
Pascoal, M., Resende, M.: Minmax regret robust shortest path problem in a finite multi-scenario model. Appl. Math. Comput. 241, 88–111 (2014)
Murthy, I., Her, S.-S.: Solving min-max shortest path problems on a network. Naval Res. Log. 39, 669–683 (1992)
Montemanni, R., Gambardella, L., Donati, V.: A branch and bound algorithm for the robust shortest path problem with interval data. Oper. Res. Lett. 32, 225–232 (2004)
Bertsimas, D., Sim, M.: Robust discrete optimization and network flows. Math. Program. Ser. B 98, 49–71 (2003)
Bruni, M.E., Guerriero, F.: An enhanced exact procedure for the absolute robust shortest path problem. Int. Trans. Oper. Res. 17, 207–220 (2010)
Catanzaro, D., Labbé, M., Salazar-Neumann, M.: Reduction approaches for robust shortest path problems. Comput. Oper. Res. 38, 1610–1619 (2011)
Kasperski, A., Zieliński, P.: Robust discrete optimization under discrete and interval uncertainty: a survey. In: Doumpos, M., Zopounidis, C., Grigoroudis, E. (eds.) Robustness Analysis in Decision Aiding, Optimization, and Analytics. International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, vol. 241. Springer, Cham (2016)
Rockafellar, R.T., Uryasev, S.: Optimization of conditional value-at-risk. J. Risk 2(3), 21–41 (2000)
Rockafellar, R.T., Uryasev, S.: Conditional value-at-risk for general loss distributions. J. Bank. Finance 26(7), 1443–1471 (2002)
Mafusalov, A., Uryasev, S.: Buffered probability of exceedance: mathematical properties and optimization algorithms. SIAM J. Optim. 28(2), 1077–1103 (2018)
Optimization and Risk Management: Case Studies with Portfolio Safeguard (PSG). AORDA (2010). ISBN: 0982821301
Rockafellar, R.T., Royset, J.O.: On buffered failure probability in design and optimization of structures. J. Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf. 99, 499–510 (2010)
Rockafellar, R.T., Uryasev, S.: The fundamental risk quadrangle in risk management, optimization and statistical estimation. Surv. Oper. Res. Manag. Sci. 18, 33–53 (2013)
Davis, J.R., Uryasev, S.: Analysis of tropical storm damage using buffered probability of exceedance. Nat. Hazards 83, 465–483 (2016)
Kulkarni, V.G.: Shortest paths in networks with exponentially distributed arc lengths. Networks 16, 255–274 (1986)
Davis, R., Prieditis, A.: The expected length of a shortest path. Inf. Process. Lett. 46, 135–141 (1993)
Pavlikov, K., Veremyev, A., Pasiliao, E.L.: Optimization of value-at-risk: computational aspects of MIP formulations. J. Oper. Res. Soc. 69, 676–690 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41274-017-0197-4
Norton, M., Mafusalov, A., Uryasev, S.: Cardinality of upper average and its application to network optimization. SIAM J. Optim. 28(2), 1726–1750 (2018)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jordan, J.D., Uryasev, S. Shortest path network problems with stochastic arc weights. Optim Lett 15, 2793–2812 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11590-021-01712-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11590-021-01712-5