Overview

A comprehensive introduction to network flows that brings together the classic and the contemporary aspects of the field, and provides an integrative view of theory, algorithms, and applications. presents in-depth, self-contained treatments of shortest path, maximum flow, and minimum cost flow problems, including descriptions of polynomial-time algorithms for these core models. emphasizes powerful algorithmic strategies and analysis tools such as data scaling, geometric improvement arguments, and potential function arguments. provides an easy-to-understand descriptions of several important data structures, including d-heaps, Fibonacci heaps, and dynamic trees. devotes a special chapter to conducting empirical testing of algorithms. features over 150 applications of network flows to a variety of engineering, management, and scientific domains. contains extensive reference notes and illustrations.