Search

The Shortest path problem is highly relevant in our daily lives, addressing uncertainties like traffic conditions and weather variations. To handle such uncertainties, we utilize Fuzzy Numbers. This paper focuses on Bipolar Neutrosophic Fuzzy Numbers, which have dual positive and negative aspects. They provide a robust framework for representing arc (node/edge) weights, signifying uncertain travel times between nodes. Importantly, these weights can change over time in bipolar neutrosophic fuzzy graphs. Our study introduces an extended Bellman-Ford Algorithm for identifying optimal paths and minimum times with time-dependent Bipolar Neutrosophic Fuzzy arc weights. We demonstrate its effectiveness through a step-by-step numerical example and conduct a comparative analysis to evaluate its efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortest path problem is a classic optimization problem in graph theory and computer technology. It involves identifying the shortest path between two nodes in a graph, where each edge has a numerical weight. In this paper, we put our effort into examining the use of the dynamic programming method to evaluate the shortest path (SP) between the two specified nodes in a multistage network where the parameter is a multi-value neutrosophic number (MVNN). Firstly, we propose an algorithm based on the forward and backward approach in an uncertain environment and also implement our approach in the Python-3 programming language. Furthermore, a numerical illustration has been provided to showcase the effectiveness and robustness of the novel model.

The Mobile Robot Path Problem looks to find the optimal shortest path from the starting point to the target point with collision-free for a mobile robot. This is a popular issue in robotics and in this paper the environment is considered as static and represented as a bidirectional grid map. Besides, the novel optimal method Dhouib-Matrix-SPP (DM-SPP) is applied to create the optimal shortest path for a mobile robot in a static environment. DM-SPP is a greedy method based on a column row navigation in the distance matrix and characterized by its rapidity to solve sparse graphs. The comparative analysis is conducted by applying DM-SPP on thirteen test cases and comparing its results to the results given by four metaheuristics the Max-Min Ant System, the Ant System with punitive measures, the A* and the Improved Hybrid A*. The outcomes acquired from different scenarios indicate that the proposed DM-SPP method can rapidly outperform the four predefined artificial intelligence methods.

The shortest path problem is a classic optimization problem in graph theory and computer technology. It involves identifying the shortest path between two nodes in a graph, where each edge has a numerical weight. In this paper, we put our effort into examining the use of the dynamic programming method to evaluate the shortest path (SP) between the two specified nodes in a multistage network where the parameter is a multi-value neutrosophic number (MVNN). Firstly, we propose an algorithm based on the forward and backward approach in an uncertain environment and also implement our approach in the Python-3 programming language. Furthermore, a numerical illustration has been provided to showcase the effectiveness and robustness of the novel model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shortest path problem (SPP) has various applications in areas such as telecommunications, transportation and emergency services, and postal services among others. As a result, several algorithms have been developed to solve the SPP and related problems. The current paper extends the TANYAKUMU labelling method for solving the Travelling salesman problem (TSP) to solve SPP in directed transportation networks. Numerical illustrations are used to prove the validity of the proposed method. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (i) modification of TSP algorithm to solve single source SPP, (ii) the developed method numerically evaluated on four increasingly complex problems of sizes 11×11, 21×21, 23×23 and 26×26 and lastly (iii) the solutions obtained from solving these four problems are compared with those obtained by Minimum incoming weight label (MIWL) algorithm. The proposed algorithm computed the same shortest paths as the MIWL algorithm on all four problems.

The shortest path (SP) problem (SPP) has several applications in graph theory. It can be used to calculate the distance between the provided initial and final vertex in a network. In this paper, we employed the Fermatean neutrosophic number as the appropriate edge weight of the network to estimate the SP connecting the start and end vertex. This technique is highly useful in establishing the shortest path for the decision-maker under uncertainty. We also investigated its effectiveness in comparison to several existing methods. Finally, a few numerical tests were performed to demonstrate the validity and stability of this new technique, as well as to compare different types of shortest paths with different networks.

The most well-known subject in graph theory is the shortest path problem (SPP), which has real-world applications in several different fields of study, including transportation, emergency services, network communications, fire station services, etc. The arc weights of the applicable SP problems are typically represented by fuzzy numbers in real-world applications. In this paper, we discussed the process of finding the shortest distance in a connected graph network in which the arc weights are multi-valued neutrosophic numbers (MNNs). Moreover, here we compare our method with some of the existing results and illustrate one implementation of our method with the help of one numerical example.

We present a theoretical framework that links Fermat's principle of least time to optimal transport theory via a cost function that enforces local transport. The proposed cost function captures the physical constraints inherent in wave propagation; when paired with specific mass distributions, it yields shortest paths in the considered media through the optimal transport plans. In the discrete setting, our formulation results in physically significant optimal couplings, whose off-diagonal entries identify shortest paths in both directed and undirected graphs. For undirected graphs with positive edge weights, commonly used to parameterize seismic media, our method provides solutions to the Eikonal equation consistent with those from the Dijkstra algorithm. For directed negative-weight graphs, corresponding to transportation cost matrices with negative entries, our approach aligns with the Bellman–Ford algorithm but offers considerable computational advantages. We also highlight potential research directions. These include the use of sparse cost matrices to reduce the number of unknowns and constraints in the considered transportation problem, and solving specific classes of optimal transport problems through the Dijkstra algorithm to enhance computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realms of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets (IFSs), Pythagorean Fuzzy Sets (PFS), and qrung Orthopair Fuzzy Sets (q-ROFSs) have found extensive applications across various disciplines, notably in resolving real-world problems. However, limitations concerning membership and non-membership grades pose challenges to these theories. Efforts to mitigate these constraints have led to the introduction of a new concept, the Linear Diophantine Fuzzy Set (LDFS), with reference parameters. This study advances the shortest path (SP) problem for Linear Diophantine Fuzzy graphs. An innovative method for constructing direct network graphs within a Linear Diophantine Fuzzy (LDF) context is proposed. Distances or costs between nodes are encapsulated by Linear Diophantine Fuzzy numbers. The principal contribution of this investigation lies in proposing a novel approach to solving the Linear Fuzzy Diophantine Fuzzy shortest path problem using the Bellman-Ford algorithm for optimal solution attainment. Usage of the score function enables the comparison and identification of the minimum arc value between nodes. The proposed algorithm's validity is demonstrated through a numerical example, and a comparison with existing methodologies underscores the benefits of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shortest path problem (SPP) has various applications in areas such as telecommunications, transportation and emergency services, and postal services among others. As a result, several algorithms have been developed to solve the SPP and related problems. The current paper extends the TANYAKUMU labelling method for solving the Travelling salesman problem (TSP) to solve SPP in directed transportation networks. Numerical illustrations are used to prove the validity of the proposed method. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (i) modification of TSP algorithm to solve single source SPP, (ii) the developed method numerically evaluated on four increasingly complex problems of sizes 11×11, 21×21, 23×23 and 26×26 and lastly (iii) the solutions obtained from solving these four problems are compared with those obtained by Minimum incoming weight label (MIWL) algorithm. The proposed algorithm computed the same shortest paths as the MIWL algorithm on all four problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most well-known subject in graph theory is the shortest path problem (SPP), which has real-world applications in several different fields of study, including transportation, emergency services, network communications, fire station services, etc. The arc weights of the applicable SP problems are typically represented by fuzzy numbers in real-world applications. In this paper, we discussed the process of finding the shortest distance in a connected graph network in which the arc weights are multi-valued neutrosophic numbers (MNNs). Moreover, here we compare our method with some of the existing results and illustrate one implementation of our method with the help of one numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortest path (SP) problem (SPP) has several applications in graph theory. It can be used to calculate the distance between the provided initial and final vertex in a network. In this paper, we employed the Fermatean neutrosophic number as the appropriate edge weight of the network to estimate the SP connecting the start and end vertex. This technique is highly useful in establishing the shortest path for the decision-maker under uncertainty. We also investigated its effectiveness in comparison to several existing methods. Finally, a few numerical tests were performed to demonstrate the validity and stability of this new technique, as well as to compare different types of shortest paths with different networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many spatial applications benefit from the fast answering to a seemingly simple spatial query: "Is a point of interest (POI) 'in-path' to the shortest path between a source and a destination?" In this context, an in-path POI is one that is either on the shortest path or can be reached within a bounded yet small detour from the shortest path. The fast answering of the in-path queries is contingent on being able to determine without having to actually compute the shortest paths during runtime. Thus, this requires a precomputation solution. The key contribution of the paper is the development of an in-path oracle that is based on precomputation of which pairs of sources and destinations are in-path with respect to the given POI. For a given road network with n nodes and m POIs, an O (m × n) -sized oracle is envisioned based on the reduction of the well-separated pairs (WSP) decomposition of the road network. Furthermore, an oracle can be indexed in a database using a B-tree that can answer queries at very high throughput. Experimental results on the real road network POI dataset illustrate the superiority of this technique compared to a baseline algorithm. The proposed approach can answer ≈ 1.5 million in-path queries per second compared to a few hundred per second using a suitable baseline approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-pair shortest pathfinding (SP) algorithms are used to identify the path with the minimum cost between two vertices in a given graph. However, their time complexity can rapidly increase as the graph size grows. In this paper, we propose a pattern-based blocking algorithm in a grid graph (PBGG) that iteratively blocks or reduces free space vertices that do not require exploration. The blocking process is based on the neighbors of each vertex and utilizes $3 \times 3$ binary pattern matching. The time complexity of blocking is $O(I\cdot \lceil \vert V\vert /C\rceil)$ , where $\vert V\vert $ is the number of vertices, $I$ is the maximum number of iterations, and $C$ is the number of parallelized cores. PBGG significantly reduces the total computation time when utilized to preprocess an input grid graph before applying existing SP algorithms. It also guarantees that if a minimum-cost path exists in the original graph, then the SP algorithms can find at least one path with the same minimum cost in the reduced graph. The proposed method is formulated by convolutions that can be easily implemented using machine learning platforms, such as PyTorch. Experimental results show that when PBGG can significantly reduce the total computation time when employed in conjunction with SP algorithms such as $\text{A}\ast $ and Jump Point Search. On average, PBGG reduces the total computation times by 71% for A and 41% for Jump Point Search, compared to the times taken by the SP algorithms alone.

Changeability analysis methods primarily assist with formulating a response to uncertain and new requirements from various system stakeholders and include asset management issues such as modelling lifecycle path dependency. Epoch-era networks proved to be an effective tool for managing the evolving requirements of a capability system, ensuring sustained value through life. Over the life of a system, stakeholders are faced with countless options to change their capability systems to sustain value, which is path dependent and can greatly impact the scope of decisions available later in life. This paper introduces and demonstrates the application of a revised epoch-era network approach to explore many potential lifecycle paths, along with utility vs. expense strategies, demonstrated through an example of a military frigate subject to evolving requirements. Results indicated the future limitations to sustaining value if the largest and most capable technology upgrades are selected too early in life. The two best lifecycle paths from different strategies were compared to understand the utility/expense trade-offs for the most optimal frigate upgrade trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonies of the arboreal turtle ant create networks of trails that link nests and food sources on the graph formed by branches and vines in the canopy of the tropical forest. Ants put down a volatile pheromone on the edges as they traverse them. At each vertex, the next edge to traverse is chosen using a decision rule based on the current pheromone level. There is a bidirectional flow of ants around the network. In a previous field study, it was observed that the trail networks approximately minimize the number of vertices, thus solving a variant of the popular shortest path problem without any central control and with minimal computational resources. We propose a biologically plausible model, based on a variant of the reinforced random walk on a graph, which explains this observation and suggests surprising algorithms for the shortest path problem and its variants. Through simulations and analysis, we show that when the rate of flow of ants does not change, the dynamics converges to the path with the minimum number of vertices, as observed in the field. The dynamics converges to the shortest path when the rate of flow increases with time, so the colony can solve the shortest path problem merely by increasing the flow rate. We also show that to guarantee convergence to the shortest path, bidirectional flow and a decision rule dividing the flow in proportion to the pheromone level are necessary, but convergence to approximately short paths is possible with other decision rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associated path detection is considered as the major concern of the traditional shortest path issue. The associated path is generally represented by the shortest distance among the source and destination. In the transportation network, distance or cost detection may identify this associated path. Specifically, it is very important to discover the shortest distance that has a minimum number of nodes, and it will give the most optimized result. In this paper, the Fuzzy based Pareto Optimal (FPO) approach is used to discover the shortest paths in a network graph. Initially, the FPO technique finds the shortest paths in a network by using set of rules. Then, the Lexicographical model uses a set of rules to rank the shortest distance based on minimum distance value. From the ranking results, the optimal shortest path is selected based on the proposed Ant Lion Optimization (ALO) algorithm. So, this paper achieves multi objectives like shortest path ranking and selection of the optimal shortest path. Time, distance or cost, convergence time, fitness function, and mean square error are the parameters used to relate the performance of the proposed technique with state-of-the-art techniques. Comparative results display the robustness and proficiency of the proposed system with several works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical framework that links Fermat’s principle of least time to optimal transport theory via a cost function that enforces local transport. The proposed cost function captures the physical constraints inherent in wave propagation; when paired with specific mass distributions, it yields shortest paths in the considered media through the optimal transport plans. In the discrete setting, our formulation results in physically significant optimal couplings, whose off-diagonal entries identify shortest paths in both directed and undirected graphs. For undirected graphs with positive edge weights, commonly used to parameterize seismic media, our method provides solutions to the Eikonal equation consistent with those from the Dijkstra algorithm. For directed negative-weight graphs, corresponding to transportation cost matrices with negative entries, our approach aligns with the Bellman–Ford algorithm but offers considerable computational advantages. We also highlight potential research directions. These include the use of sparse cost matrices to reduce the number of unknowns and constraints in the considered transportation problem, and solving specific classes of optimal transport problems through the Dijkstra algorithm to enhance computational efficiency.

This article studies the mean standard deviation (mean-std) Canadian traveller problem (CTP). Different from the canonical CTP, which aims at minimizing the traveller's expected travel time, while considering edge breakdown probabilities, we introduce the reliability version of CTP, which tries to find a routing policy with the minimal linear combination of the travel time's mean and standard deviation. With the recent development of internet-of-things (IoT) technology, the transportation network's edges' travel-time statistics, i.e., mean and standard deviation, as well as the traversal probabilities, are available to the end users. With those information, we propose a dual dynamic programming (DDP) method, which simultaneously estimates the first-order and the second-order moments of a given decision-list (DL) policy, and thereby makes improvements towards to the optimal one through the generalized policy iteration (GPI) scheme. We construct an open source benchmark environment to evaluate the performance of different mean-std CTP solutions, and show that the DDP method outperforms state of the arts in a range of transportation networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new heuristic algorithm tailored to solve large instances of an NP-hard variant of the shortest path problem, denoted the cost-balanced path problem, recently proposed in the literature. The problem consists in finding the origin–destination path in a direct graph, having both negative and positive weights associated with the arcs, such that the total sum of the weights of the selected arcs is as close to zero as possible. At least to the authors' knowledge, there are no solution algorithms for facing this problem. The proposed algorithm integrates a constructive procedure and an improvement procedure, and it is validated thanks to the implementation of an iterated neighborhood search procedure. The reported numerical experimentation shows that the proposed algorithm is computationally very efficient. In particular, the proposed algorithm is most suitable in the case of large instances where it is possible to prove the existence of a perfectly balanced path and thus the optimality of the solution by finding a good percentage of optimal solutions in negligible computational time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the analogy between the electric circuit and roadway traffic analyses based on the loop-wise route representation (LRR). These two seemingly different fields share common aspects in terms of primitive components, system behavior, and underlying principles. Considering this analogy, a novel topology optimization is proposed to solve a shortest path problem by introducing artificial loop variables, which are conceptually analogous to loop current in the electric circuit. Then, the loop-wise route optimization is formulated to minimize the travel cost in both symmetric and asymmetric networks. By virtue of using the LRR, the proposed method can guarantee the flow conservation at each node without imposing any constraint functions. To verify the proposed method, numerical experiments in 10 $\times10$ grid-type networks are conducted under various settings. These results show that the shortest path problems can be solved in a simpler form of unconstrained topology optimization. With further work, the proposed method could be applied to solve general vehicle routing problems such as traveling salesman problems in a more effective way.

The paper introduces the distributed framework for determining the shortest path of robots in the logistic applications, i.e. the warehouse with a swarm of robots cooperating in the Real- Time mode. The proposed solution uses the optimization routine to avoid the downtime and collisions between robots. The presented approach uses the reference model based on Dijkstra, Floyd- Warshall and Bellman-Ford algorithms, which search the path in the weighted undirected graph. Their application in the onboard robot’s computer requires the analysis of the time efficiency. Results of comparative simulations for the implemented algorithms are presented. For their evaluation the data sets reflecting actual processes were used. Outcomes of experiments have shown that the tested algorithms are applicable for the logistic purposes, however their ability to operate in the Real-Time requires the detailed analysis.

Changeability analysis methods primarily assist with formulating a response to uncertain and new requirements from various system stakeholders and include asset management issues such as modelling lifecycle path dependency. Epoch-era networks proved to be an effective tool for managing the evolving requirements of a capability system, ensuring sustained value through life. Over the life of a system, stakeholders are faced with countless options to change their capability systems to sustain value, which is path dependent and can greatly impact the scope of decisions available later in life. This paper introduces and demonstrates the application of a revised epoch-era network approach to explore many potential lifecycle paths, along with utility vs. expense strategies, demonstrated through an example of a military frigate subject to evolving requirements. Results indicated the future limitations to sustaining value if the largest and most capable technology upgrades are selected too early in life. The two best lifecycle paths from different strategies were compared to understand the utility/expense trade-offs for the most optimal frigate upgrade trajectory.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy is the second most used technique (after X-ray crystallography) for structural determination of proteins. A computational challenge in this technique involves solving a discrete optimization problem that assigns the resonance frequency to each atom in the protein. This paper introduces LIAN (LInear programming Assignment for NMR), a novel linear programming formulation of the problem which yields state-of-the-art results in simulated and experimental datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitous expansion and transformation of the energy supply system involves large-scale power infrastructure construction projects. In view of investments of more than a million dollars per kilometre, planning authorities aim to minimize the resistances posed by multiple stakeholders. Mathematical optimization research offers efficient algorithms to compute globally optimal routes based on geographic input data. We propose a framework that utilizes a graph model where vertices represent possible locations of transmission towers, and edges are placed according to the feasible distance between neighbouring towers. In order to cope with the specific challenges arising in linear infrastructure layout, we first introduce a variant of the Bellman-Ford algorithm that efficiently computes the minimal-angle shortest path. Secondly, an iterative procedure is proposed that yields a locally optimal path at considerably lower memory requirements and runtime. Third, we discuss and analyse methods to output $k$ diverse path alternatives. Experiments on real data show that compared to previous work, our approach reduces the resistances by more than 10% in feasible time, while at the same time offering much more flexibility and functionality. Our methods are demonstrated in a simple and intuitive graphical user interface, and an open-source package (LION), available at https://pypi.org/project/lion-sp/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the word-level weight pruning, which excludes the 0-value weights from the neural network inference computation, it is recently demonstrated that the bit-level weight pruning, which excludes the 0-bits in the weight value representation regardless of whether the weight values are zero or not, is very effective to further accelerate the neural network computation without accuracy loss. This work overcomes the inherent limitation of the bit-level weight pruning, that is, the maximal computation speedup is bounded by the total number of nonzero bits of the weights and the bound is invariably considered “uncontrollable” (i.e., constant) for the neural network to be pruned. Precisely, this work, based on the signed-digit encoding 1) proposes a transformation technique which converts the two’s complement representation of every weight into a set of signed-digit representations of the minimal number of essential (i.e., nonzero) bits; 2) formulates the problem of selecting signed-digit representations of weights that maximize the parallelism of bit-level multiplication on the weights into a objective shortest path problem to achieve a maximal digit-index by digit-index (i.e., columnwise) compression for the weights and solves it efficiently using an approximation algorithm; 3) proposes a supporting novel acceleration architecture (DWP) with no additional inclusion of nontrivial hardware; and 4) proposes a variant of DWP to support bit-level parallel multiplication with the capability of predicting a tight worst-case latency of the parallel processing. Through experiments on several representative models using the ImageNet dataset, it is shown that our proposed approach is able to reduce the number of essential bits by 69% on AlexNet, 74% on VGG-16, and 68% on ResNet-152, by which our accelerator is able to reduce the inference computation time by up to $3.57\times $ over the conventional bit-level weight pruning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problem of multiple graph matching (MGM) by considering both offline batch mode and online setting. We explore the concept of cycle-consistency over pairwise matchings and formulate the problem as finding optimal composition path on the supergraph, whose vertices refer to graphs and edge weights denote score function regarding consistency and affinity. By our theoretical study we show that the offline and online MGM on supergraph can be converted to finding all pairwise shortest paths and single-source shortest paths respectively. We adopt the Floyd algorithm and shortest path faster algorithm (SPFA) , to effectively find the optimal path. Extensive experimental results show our methods surpass state-of-the-art MGM methods, including CAO , MISM , IMGM , and many other recent methods in offline and online settings. Source code will be made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces the distributed framework for determining the shortest path of robots in the logistic applications, i.e. the warehouse with a swarm of robots cooperating in the Real-Time mode. The proposed solution uses the optimization routine to avoid the downtime and collisions between robots. The presented approach uses the reference model based on Dijkstra, Floyd-Warshall and Bellman-Ford algorithms, which search the path in the weighted undirected graph. Their application in the onboard robot's computer requires the analysis of the time efficiency. Results of comparative simulations for the implemented algorithms are presented. For their evaluation the data sets reflecting actual processes were used. Outcomes of experiments have shown that the tested algorithms are applicable for the logistic purposes, however their ability to operate in the Real-Time requires the detailed analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elongation of the novel intuitionistic fuzzy set is a picture fuzzy set theory. The demonstration of this has been used to deal with the abstinence criteria in a decision-making problem. The uncertainty in nature occurs sometimes in real-world problems and amidst them, the prominent one is the shortest path problem (SPP) solving. In the last few years, one of the best algorithms on the network for finding SPP is Bellman–Ford. Due to uncertainty in the decision-making process, it becomes difficult for decision-makers for communicating their point of view and judgment with certainty. We conceive of SPP in this contribution via Bellman's algorithm (BA) for a network with trapezoidal picture fuzzy numbers (TPFNs). We introduce a new algorithm to stand the shortest picture fuzzy path between each pair of nodes. A TPFN is considered for the length of all edges. A numerical example for the validation of the presented algorithm has also been proposed. There has also been relative research with existing techniques showing the benefits of the new algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers SUB_GOALs by using basic A* algorithm and Subgoal Graphs in a hybrid approach to execute optimal route. SUB_GOALs identified with pre-searching from basic A* at break points and Subgoal Graphs at corners of obstacles are added to SUB_TABLE to expedite the final searching in the hybrid approach. Map to work on is divided to subregions with decision-making process by using line-of-sight to avoid redundant searching. In the final searching layer, all feasible SUB_GOALs gained from decision-making process in the same subregion are connected to find final solutions of routes. Solutions achieved in the divided subregions are evaluated and combined to discover the final optimal route. The proposed hybrid approach is applied to three different scenarios in various dimensions of maps. In these three scenarios, the shortest route without hitting obstacles is calculated as 46.67, 57.76 and 124.7 units, respectively, and compared with other search algorithms. Simulation results of route planning are demonstrated to exhibit the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new heuristic algorithm tailored to solve large instances of an NP-hard variant of the shortest path problem, denoted the cost-balanced path problem, recently proposed in the literature. The problem consists in finding the origin–destination path in a direct graph, having both negative and positive weights associated with the arcs, such that the total sum of the weights of the selected arcs is as close to zero as possible. At least to the authors’ knowledge, there are no solution algorithms for facing this problem. The proposed algorithm integrates a constructive procedure and an improvement procedure, and it is validated thanks to the implementation of an iterated neighborhood search procedure. The reported numerical experimentation shows that the proposed algorithm is computationally very efficient. In particular, the proposed algorithm is most suitable in the case of large instances where it is possible to prove the existence of a perfectly balanced path and thus the optimality of the solution by finding a good percentage of optimal solutions in negligible computational time.

This paper introduces a new variant of the Shortest Path Problem (SPP) called the Cost-Balanced Path Problem (CBPP). Various real problems can either be modeled as BCPP or include BCPP as a sub-problem. We prove several properties related to the complexity of the CBPP problem. In particular, we demonstrate that the problem is NP-hard in its general version, but it becomes solvable in polynomial time in a specific family of instances. Moreover, a mathematical formulation of the CBPP, as a mixed-integer programming model, is proposed, and some additional constraints for modeling real requirements are given. This paper validates the proposed model and its extensions with experimental tests based on random instances. The analysis of the results of the computational experiments shows that the proposed model and its extension can be used to model many real applications. Obviously, due to the problem complexity, the main limitation of the proposed approach is related to the size of the instances. A heuristic solution approach should be required for larger-sized and more complex instances.

In a previous paper by the author, a pathfinding problem for directed trees is studied under the following situation: each edge has a nonnegative integer length, but the length is unknown in advance and should be found by a procedure whose computational cost becomes exponentially larger as the length increases. In this paper, the same problem is studied for a more general class of graphs called fork-join directed acyclic graphs. The problem for the new class of graphs contains the previous one. In addition, the optimality criterion used in this paper is stronger than that in the previous paper and is more appropriate for real applications.

Linear Diophantine fuzzy set (LDFS) theory expands Intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) and Pythagorean fuzzy set (PyFS) theories, widening the space of vague and uncertain information via reference parameters owing to its magnificent feature of a broad depiction area for permissible doublets. We codify the shortest path (SP) problem for linear Diophantine fuzzy graphs. Linear Diophantine fuzzy numbers (LDFNs) are used to represent the weights associated with arcs. The main goal of the presented work is to create a solution technique for directed network graphs by introducing linear Diophantine fuzzy (LDF) optimality constraints. The weights of distinct routes are calculated using an improved score function (SF) with the arc values represented by LDFNs. The conventional Dijkstra method is further modified to find the arc weights of the linear Diophantine fuzzy shortest path (LDFSP) and coterminal LDFSP based on these enhanced score functions and optimality requirements. A comparative analysis was carried out with the current approaches demonstrating the benefits of the new algorithm. Finally, to validate the possible use of the proposed technique, a small-sized telecommunication network is presented.