An Out-of-Kilter Method for Minimal Cost Flow Problems

D. R. Fulkerson

Expert InsightsPublished 1960

A method of solving minimal-cost network flow problems. This method begins with any circulation, feasible or not, and an arbitrary pricing vector. A labeling procedure is then used to adjust out-of-kilter arcs, that is, arcs that fail to satisfy the optimality properties. It is shown that the method terminates in a finite number of steps, and that in so doing, the status of no arc of the network (as measured by certain "kilter numbers") is worsened at any step.

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1960
  • Pages: 22
  • Document Number: P-1825

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Fulkerson, D. R., An Out-of-Kilter Method for Minimal Cost Flow Problems. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1960. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P1825.html.
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