Finding Equivalent Network Formulations for Constrained Network Problems

This paper describes a procedure for determining if constrained network problems (i.e., network problems with additional linear constraints) can be transformed into equivalent pure network problems by a linear transformation involving the node constraints and the extra constraints. These results extend procedures for problems in which the extra constraints consist of bounding certain partial sums of variables. This has proved to be an effective managerial technique for a major automobile manufacturer and a major energy modeling company.