10 - Other Combinatorial Problems

Abstract

This chapter presents and discusses applications of stochastic local search (SLS) algorithms to combinatorial problems that illustrate a range of computational problems for which SLS methods achieve state-of-the-art performance. It introduces the graph coloring problem, the quadratic assignment problem, the set covering problem, the combinatorial auctions winner determination problem, and the DNA code design problem. It discusses their respective computational complexity, applications, and commonly used benchmark instances, and presents selected SLS algorithms for each of the problems, and gives a brief overview of generalizations and related problems. The algorithms presented in this chapter prominently illustrate a number of crucial issues in the development of high-performance SLS algorithms. On one side, problem-specific knowledge and techniques play an important role, on the other side, the use of appropriately chosen general SLS methods in combination with particular implementation techniques is of equally central importance.