Quickest Flow Algorithms with Time-Varying Attributes

Abstract

In many real-world situations, there are numerous network optimization problems where the network attributes depend on time. In this paper, we consider single-source single-sink discrete-time dynamic network flow problems. We review some algorithms for the quickest flow problems in two environments (to the network attributes): time-invariant and time-variant. This paper mainly focuses on the existing algorithms for a later one. In literature, most of the authors have made their objectives to determine the earliest arrival time paths along which a given amount of flow can be sent in the minimum time. Evacuation is the most recent research area of network optimization, where quickest flow models allow the estimation of the minimum time required to bring a given number of evacuees to safety.