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Worst-Case Analysis

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The Logic of Logistics

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Abstract

Since most complicated logistics problems, for example, the bin-packing problem and the traveling salesman problem, are \(\mathcal{N}\mathcal{P}\)-Hard, it is unlikely that polynomial-time algorithms will be developed for their optimal solutions. Consequently, a great deal of work has been devoted to the development and analyses of heuristics. In this chapter, we demonstrate one important tool, referred to as worst-case performance analysis, which establishes the maximum deviation from optimality that can occur for a given heuristic algorithm. We will characterize the worst-case performance of a variety of algorithms for the bin-packing problem and the traveling salesman problem. The results obtained here serve as important building blocks in the analysis of algorithms for vehicle routing problems.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    David Simchi-Levi

  2. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Xin Chen

  3. Pine River Capital Management, New York, NY, USA

    Julien Bramel

Authors
  1. David Simchi-Levi
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  2. Xin Chen
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  3. Julien Bramel
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Simchi-Levi, D., Chen, X., Bramel, J. (2014). Worst-Case Analysis. In: The Logic of Logistics. Springer Series in Operations Research and Financial Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9149-1_4

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