Title
Approximating k-median with non-uniform capacities
Abstract
In this paper we give a constant factor approximation algorithm for the capacitated k-median problem. Our algorithm produces a solution where capacities are exceeded by at most a constant factor, while the number of open facilities is at most k. This problem resisted attempts to apply the plethora of methods designed for the uncapacitated case. Our algorithm is based on adding some new ingredients to the approach using the primal-dual schema and lagrangian relaxations.Previous results on the capacitated k-median problem gave approximations where the number of facilities is exceeded by some constant factor. Relaxing the constraint on the number of facilities seems to render k-median problems much simpler. In some applications it is important not to violate the constraint on the number of facilities, whereas relaxing the capacity constraints is a natural thing to do, as the capacities express rough estimates on cluster sizes.
Year
DOI
Venue
2005
10.5555/1070432.1070569
SODA
Keywords
Field
DocType
k-median problem,constant factor,approximating k-median,constant factor approximation algorithm,lagrangian relaxation,natural thing,non-uniform capacity,capacitated k-median problem,open facility,capacity constraint,new ingredient,cluster size,greedy algorithm
Approximation algorithm,Discrete mathematics,Combinatorics,Mathematical optimization,Lagrangian,Computer science,Greedy algorithm
Conference
ISBN
Citations 
PageRank 
0-89871-585-7
14
0.68
References 
Authors
17
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Julia Chuzhoy168338.65
Yuval Rabani22265274.98