The Decomposition Algorithm

Example 18.4 Block-Angular Structure in Single-Machine Mode

This example demonstrates how you can use the default automated method to run the decomposition algorithm in single-machine mode.

As in Example 18.3, consider a mixed integer linear program that is defined by the MPS data table mycas.mpsdata. In this case, the structure of the model is unknown and only the MPS data table is provided to you.

The following PROC OPTMILP statements attempt to solve the problem by using standard methods and a 120-second time limit. The DATA= option assumes that your CAS engine libref is named mycas, but you can substitute any appropriately defined CAS engine libref.

proc optmilp
   nthreads = 4
   maxtime  = 120
   data     = mycas.mpsdata;
run;

The solution summary is shown in Output 18.4.1.

Output 18.4.1: Solution Summary

The OPTMILP Procedure

Solution Summary
SolverMILP
AlgorithmBranch and Cut
Objective FunctionTotal_Profit
Solution StatusTime Limit Reached
Objective Value6151.1464478
  
Relative Gap0.1273212537
Absolute Gap897.43411372
Primal Infeasibility0
Bound Infeasibility0
Integer Infeasibility0
  
Best Bound7048.5805615
Nodes1
Solutions Found4
Iterations136229
  
Presolve Time0.31
Solution Time120.04


The iteration log, which contains the problem statistics and the progress of the solution, is shown in Output 18.4.2.

Output 18.4.2: Log

NOTE: The problem MPSDATA has 52638 variables (16038 binary, 0 integer, 0 free, 0 fixed).       
NOTE: The problem has 3949 constraints (3339 LE, 0 EQ, 610 GE, 0 range).                        
NOTE: The problem has 148866 constraint coefficients.                                           
NOTE: The initial MILP heuristics are applied.                                                  
NOTE: The MILP presolver value AUTOMATIC is applied.                                            
NOTE: The MILP presolver removed 0 variables and 734 constraints.                               
NOTE: The MILP presolver removed 17616 constraint coefficients.                                 
NOTE: The MILP presolver modified 0 constraint coefficients.                                    
NOTE: The presolved problem has 52638 variables, 3215 constraints, and 131250 constraint        
      coefficients.                                                                             
NOTE: The MILP solver is called.                                                                
NOTE: The parallel Branch and Cut algorithm is used.                                            
NOTE: The Branch and Cut algorithm is using up to 4 threads.                                    
          Node   Active   Sols    BestInteger      BestBound      Gap    Time                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   8590.4503506   28.40%       0                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7342.1209241   16.22%       0                   
NOTE: The MILP solver's symmetry detection found 51226 orbits. The largest orbit contains 2     
      variables.                                                                                
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7325.2309546   16.03%       2                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7285.8744051   15.57%       5                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7250.0626934   15.16%      10                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7211.9468745   14.71%      16                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7165.1727513   14.15%      24                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7132.7240482   13.76%      34                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7098.5096889   13.35%      43                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7077.7938690   13.09%      52                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7068.0194895   12.97%      60                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7061.7399382   12.89%      68                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7057.5031192   12.84%      77                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7054.3557230   12.80%      86                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7051.9114255   12.77%      94                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7050.0045715   12.75%     102                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7048.5805615   12.73%     110                   
             0        1      4   6151.1464478   7048.5805615   12.73%     119                   
NOTE: The MILP solver added 17137 cuts with 472498 cut coefficients at the root.                
NOTE: Real time limit reached.                                                                  
NOTE: Objective of the best integer solution found = 6151.1464478.                              
NOTE: The Cloud Analytic Services server processed the request in 120.338183 seconds.           


Standard MILP techniques struggle to solve the problem within the specified time limit. The default decomposition method attempts to find a block-angular structure by using the matrix-stretching techniques that are described in Grcar (1990) and Aykanat, Pinar, and Çatalyürek (2004) and techniques that are based on community detection and described in Khaniyev, Elhedhli, and Erenay (2018).

proc optmilp
   nthreads  = 4
   data      = mycas.mpsdata;
   decomp
      hybrid = false;
run;

The solution summary is displayed in Output 18.4.3.

Output 18.4.3: Solution Summary

The OPTMILP Procedure

Solution Summary
SolverMILP
AlgorithmDecomposition
Objective FunctionTotal_Profit
Solution StatusOptimal within Relative Gap
Objective Value6972.3309347
  
Relative Gap1.3964946E-8
Absolute Gap0.0000973682
Primal Infeasibility1.931788E-14
Bound Infeasibility7.882583E-15
Integer Infeasibility6.77236E-15
  
Best Bound6972.331032
Nodes1
Solutions Found8
Iterations6
  
Presolve Time0.30
Solution Time40.92


The iteration log, which contains the problem statistics and the progress of the solution, is shown in Output 18.4.4.

Output 18.4.4: Log

NOTE: The problem MPSDATA has 52638 variables (16038 binary, 0 integer, 0 free, 0 fixed).       
NOTE: The problem has 3949 constraints (3339 LE, 0 EQ, 610 GE, 0 range).                        
NOTE: The problem has 148866 constraint coefficients.                                           
NOTE: The initial MILP heuristics are applied.                                                  
NOTE: The MILP presolver value AUTOMATIC is applied.                                            
NOTE: The MILP presolver removed 0 variables and 734 constraints.                               
NOTE: The MILP presolver removed 17616 constraint coefficients.                                 
NOTE: The MILP presolver modified 0 constraint coefficients.                                    
NOTE: The presolved problem has 52638 variables, 3215 constraints, and 131250 constraint        
      coefficients.                                                                             
NOTE: The MILP solver is called.                                                                
NOTE: The Decomposition algorithm is used.                                                      
NOTE: The Decomposition algorithm is executing in the distributed computing environment in      
      single-machine mode.                                                                      
NOTE: The DECOMP method value DEFAULT is applied.                                               
NOTE: The decomposition identification used 0.16 (cpu: 0.19) seconds.                           
NOTE: The problem has a decomposable structure with 610 blocks. The largest block covers        
      0.2488% of the constraints in the problem.                                                
NOTE: The decomposition subproblems cover 52638 (100%) variables and 3207 (99.75%) constraints. 
NOTE: The deterministic parallel mode is enabled.                                               
NOTE: The Decomposition algorithm is using up to 4 threads.                                     
      Iter         Best       Master         Best       LP       IP  CPU Real                   
                  Bound    Objective      Integer      Gap      Gap Time Time                   
         .    7964.0286    6472.3607    6470.8744   18.73%   18.75%   14    9                   
         2    7273.9736    6472.3607    6470.8744   11.02%   11.04%   26   14                   
         3    7147.9543    6867.4012    6470.8744    3.92%    9.47%   42   22                   
         4    6986.0610    6960.3223    6470.8744    0.37%    7.37%   64   32                   
         5    6986.0610    6967.8235    6967.8235    0.26%    0.26%   76   37                   
         6    6972.3310    6972.3309    6972.3309    0.00%    0.00%   85   40                   
         Node  Active   Sols         Best         Best      Gap    CPU   Real                   
                                  Integer        Bound            Time   Time                   
            0       1      8    6972.3309    6972.3310    0.00%     85     40                   
NOTE: The Decomposition algorithm used 4 threads.                                               
NOTE: The Decomposition algorithm time is 40.92 seconds.                                        
NOTE: Optimal within relative gap.                                                              
NOTE: Objective = 6972.3309347.                                                                 
NOTE: The Cloud Analytic Services server processed the request in 41.203789 seconds.            


As stated in the log, the algorithm successfully finds a decomposition that contains 610 blocks and has more than 99% subproblem coverage.

Last updated: May 11, 2023