Exact algorithms for hard combinatorial problems

Bin Packing & Cutting Stock

Exact algorithms for packing items into bins and cutting stock into pieces: branch-price-and-cut, pattern enumeration, and numerically safe dual bounds, including the temporal and two-dimensional variants.

• Exact Algorithms for Two-Dimensional Knapsack Problems: A Unified Framework with New Benchmark Results
  INFORMS Journal on Computing, 2026
• A Numerically Exact Algorithm for the Bin-Packing Problem
  INFORMS Journal on Computing, 2024
• A Combinatorial Flow-based Formulation for Temporal Bin Packing Problems
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2023
• Variable and constraint reduction techniques for the temporal bin packing problem with fire-ups
  Optimization Letters, 2022

Knapsack Problems

Exact and approximation algorithms for knapsack variants with setups, conflicts, products, and time windows, together with the polyhedral study of cover inequalities.

• On the exact separation of cover inequalities of maximum-depth
  Optimization Letters, 2022
• A new combinatorial branch-and-bound algorithm for the Knapsack Problem with Conflicts
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2021
• Exact Approaches for the Knapsack Problem with Setups
  Computer & Operations Research, 2018
• On the Product Knapsack Problem
  Optimization Letters, 2018

Graph Coloring

Branch-and-price and DSATUR-based branch-and-bound for vertex, weighted, partition, and minimum-sum coloring, including reformulations as maximum weight stable set problems.

• A Branch-and-Price Algorithm for the Minimum Sum Coloring Problem
  Discrete Applied Mathematics, 2021
• A note on selective line-graphs and partition colorings
  Operations Research Letters, 2019
• An Exact Algorithm for the Partition Coloring Problem
  Computer & Operations Research, 2018
• An Improved DSATUR-Based Branch-and-Bound Algorithm for the Vertex Coloring Problem
  Networks, 2017

Clique & Stable Set

Exact combinatorial algorithms for maximum clique and its weighted and edge-weighted variants, with SAT-based filtering, tightened upper bounds, and relaxed-clique decompositions.

• Strength of the Upper Bounds for the Edge-Weighted Maximum Clique Problem
  Discrete Applied Mathematics, 2026
• CliSAT: a new exact algorithm for hard maximum clique problems
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2023
• A Branch-and-Price Framework for Decomposing Graphs into Relaxed Cliques
  INFORMS Journal on Computing, 2021
• A new branch-and-bound algorithm for the Maximum Weighted Clique Problem
  Computer & Operations Research, 2019

Interdiction, Blocker & Vertex Cut

Bilevel and interdiction problems on graphs: vertex k-cut, capacitated vertex separators, clique and edge interdiction, and maximum flow blockers.

• Integer linear programming formulations for the maximum flow blocker problem
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2025
• Casting Light on the Hidden Bilevel Combinatorial Structure of the Capacitated Vertex Separator Problem
  Operations Research, 2022
• A branch-and-cut algorithm for the Edge Interdiction Clique Problem
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2021
• On Integer and Bilevel Formulations for the k-Vertex Cut Problem
  Mathematical Programming Computation, 2020

Transportation & Scheduling

Real-world optimisation in air and rail traffic: aircraft sequencing, train timetabling and routing, and barge container ship routing.

• An Exact Approach for the Train Single-Routing Selection Problem
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2026
• Tighter MIP models for Barge Container Ship Routing
  Omega, 2019
• Approaches to a real-world train timetabling problem in a railway node
  Omega, 2016
• The Time Dependent Traveling Salesman Planning Problem in Controlled Airspace
  Transportation Research Part B, 2016

Decomposition & Reformulation

Automatic Dantzig-Wolfe reformulation of mixed integer programs and perspective relaxations for problems with semi-continuous variables.

• Improving the Approximated Projected Perspective Reformulation by Dual Information
  Operations Research Letters, 2017
• Approximated perspective relaxations: a project and lift approach
  Computational Optimization and Applications, 2016
• Automatic Dantzig-Wolfe Reformulation of Mixed Integer Programs
  Mathematical Programming, 2015

Covering, Location & Submodularity

Benders decomposition for very large scale covering and maximal covering location problems, and submodular maximization of concave utilities composed with a set-union operator.

• Submodular maximization of concave utility functions composed with a set-union operator with applications to maximal covering location problems
  Mathematical Programming, 2022
• Benders Decomposition for Very Large Scale Partial Set Covering and Maximal Covering Location Problems
  European Journal of Operational Research, 2019

Binary Quadratic Programming

Linearisation techniques for binary quadratic problems and QPLIB, the reference library of quadratic programming instances.

• QPLIB: A Library of Quadratic Programming Instances
  Mathematical Programming Computation, 2019
• Theoretical and computational study of several linearisation techniques for Binary Quadratic Problems
  Annals of Operations Research, 2019