SAT Modulo Symmetries for Graph Generation

Abstract

We propose a novel constraint-based approach to graph generation. Our approach utilizes the interaction between a CDCL SAT solver and a special symmetry propagator where the SAT solver runs on an encoding of the desired graph property. The symmetry propagator checks partially generated graphs for minimality w.r.t. a lexicographic ordering during the solving process. This approach has several advantages over a static symmetry breaking: (i) symmetries are detected early in the generation process, (ii) symmetry breaking is seamlessly integrated into the CDCL procedure, and (iii) the propagator can perform a complete symmetry breaking without causing a prohibitively large initial encoding. We instantiate our approach by generating extremal graphs with certain restrictions in terms of girth and diameter. With our approach, we could confirm the Simon-Murty Conjecture (1979) on diameter-2-critical graphs for graphs up to 18 vertices.