Network-flow Based Optimization Problems In Various Network Environments

South Dakota State University, Brookings SD

Investigators

Abstract

We are living in a world full of various kinds of networks and the network flow is one of the most powerful and versatile tools to study the operation of the networks. For example, in data networks the flow may represent the connection in multi-hop links between two communicating nodes, and in transportation networks the flow may represent the movement of the people or the vehicles that are on the roads. The investigators studies the power optimal wireless communication problem and the evacuation-planning problem using contraflow schemes. The better understanding of wireless communications helps designing wireless network environments with increased network lifetime. The evacuation planning system has high importance in terms of Homeland Security; citizens, especially the residents of the areas where disasters such as hurricanes are of great threat, can be relieved from the fatal threats by the operation of efficient evacuation planning system. Both problems are modeled as networks and flow-based modeling is used as an important tool for the theoretical study of both optimization problems. Solutions of these optimization problems help making innovations in theoretical methods for network design and distributed optimization, and extend to other network environments. The synergistic combination of the two problems brings up a new interesting problem of constructing autonomous contraflow evacuation planning systems using wireless sensor networks that requires immediate attention and further careful investigation. The research findings from this project provide a solid theoretical foundation for the new problem. The integration of the research findings into the education is considered a priority by the investigators. In addition, this project has the benefit of bringing together researchers from different areas of disciplines to collaborate on the problems.