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Exact algorithms for finding well-connected 2-clubs in sparse real-world graphs: Theory and experiments

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  • Komusiewicz, Christian
  • Nichterlein, André
  • Niedermeier, Rolf
  • Picker, Marten

Abstract

Finding large “cliquish” subgraphs is a central topic in graph mining and community detection. A popular clique relaxation are 2-clubs: instead of asking for subgraphs of diameter one (these are cliques), one asks for subgraphs of diameter at most two (these are 2-clubs). A drawback of the 2-club model is that it produces star-like hub-and-spoke structures as maximum-cardinality solutions. Hence, we study 2-clubs with the additional constraint to be well-connected. More specifically, we investigate the algorithmic complexity for three variants of well-connected 2-clubs, all established in the literature: robust, hereditary, and “connected” 2-clubs. Finding these more cohesive 2-clubs is NP-hard; nevertheless, we develop an exact combinatorial algorithm, extensively using efficient data reduction rules. Besides several theoretical insights we provide a number of empirical results based on an engineered implementation of our exact algorithm. In particular, the algorithm significantly outperforms existing algorithms on almost all (sparse) real-world graphs we considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Komusiewicz, Christian & Nichterlein, André & Niedermeier, Rolf & Picker, Marten, 2019. "Exact algorithms for finding well-connected 2-clubs in sparse real-world graphs: Theory and experiments," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 275(3), pages 846-864.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:275:y:2019:i:3:p:846-864
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2018.12.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Filipa D. Carvalho & Maria Teresa Almeida, 2017. "The triangle k-club problem," Journal of Combinatorial Optimization, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 814-846, April.
    2. Carvalho, Filipa D. & Almeida, M. Teresa, 2011. "Upper bounds and heuristics for the 2-club problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 210(3), pages 489-494, May.
    3. Veremyev, Alexander & Boginski, Vladimir, 2012. "Identifying large robust network clusters via new compact formulations of maximum k-club problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 218(2), pages 316-326.
    4. Almeida, Maria Teresa & Carvalho, Filipa D., 2014. "An analytical comparison of the LP relaxations of integer models for the k-club problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 232(3), pages 489-498.
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    7. Robert Mokken, 1979. "Cliques, clubs and clans," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 161-173, April.
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    9. Chitra Balasubramaniam & Sergiy Butenko, 2017. "On robust clusters of minimum cardinality in networks," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 249(1), pages 17-37, February.
    10. Yezerska, Oleksandra & Mahdavi Pajouh, Foad & Butenko, Sergiy, 2017. "On biconnected and fragile subgraphs of low diameter," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 263(2), pages 390-400.
    11. Pattillo, Jeffrey & Youssef, Nataly & Butenko, Sergiy, 2013. "On clique relaxation models in network analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 226(1), pages 9-18.
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