QMT 128: Advanced Operations Research

Problem Set: Network Models

Instructions:
Answer each problem. Show complete solutions with explanations (if possible)

Problem Set:

1. Given the network graph defined by the following nodes and edges, look for the minimum spanning
tree.

2. Given the distance matrix of a Minimum Spanning Tree problem

Find all Minimum Spanning Tree of the network graph. Write the total distance.

3. The Shell Petrochemical Corporation is a company which buys unprocessed fuels from suppliers and
then refining it into Gasoline, Diesel and Kerosene fuels. Shell delivers fuel to 9 fuel stations in the
Central Luzon area using oil tankers. However to decrease costs in the long run, Shell decided to build
pipelines underground such that Shell main refinery plant node (6) can service the 9 stations without
the use of fuel tankers. Given below are the distances (in kms) and the possible connections from one
station (node) to another station (node)
(1,2) 212 (1,3) 180 (1,6) 241
(3,4) 202 (3,6) 376 (2,6) 246
(2,5) 208 (4,7) 169 (4,10) 248
(5,8) 177 (5,6) 196 (8,9) 193
(7,9) 166 (7,10) 204 (6,7) 94
(6,8) 254 (6,9) 150
 Given that the cost of laying the pipe is linear with a rate of $5/km and a fixed penalty cost of $250 if
the distance is less than 200 km (to cover for high fixed costs for the contractor), how should
Shell Petrochemical Corporation lay the “pipelines of the future”? (please draw the graph)

4. Given the following network graph:

Required:
a. Determine the longest path from the origin to the terminal that passes through node E. Briefly
explain your process. Trial and error is not an acceptable solution.
b. Would your method still work if the directed arcs are replaced with undirected edges? Why or why
not? Write your answer in at most 5 sentences/lines

5.
1 0 8 3
(1,6) 7 (8,3) 9 (7,0) 1 (2,3) 3
(6,4) 2 (0,8) 6 (7,4) 6 (2,9) 4
7 2 (4,9) 6 (1,0) 8 (0,2) 1 (8,5) 8
(9,5) 8 (1,7) 7 (4,2) 1 (9,3) 2
(5,3) 3 (6,7) 6 (2,8) 2

6 4 9 5

Find the Maximal Flow from node 1 to node 3

6. Given the project with the list of required activities, precedence, and activity duration,

Activity Precedence Duration Activity Precedence Duration

(days) (days)
A - 4 G D,E 2
B - 2 H F 3
C A 3 I G,H 3
D B,C 3 J I 4
E A,C 5 K H 5
F D,E 1 L I,J,K 2

a. Draw the network graph.

b. Look for the project duration. Show how slack values for each activity
c. Write an LP model that will get the duration of the entire project. Define variables, objective, and
constraints
7. Given the project details below:

Activity Predecessor Optimistic Most Likely Pessimistic

A - 2 3 4
B - 1 4 5
C A,B 3 6 7
D B,C 1 2 3
E B,D 4 5 6
F E 2 4 5
G E 3 4 5
H F,G 1 2 4
I G,H 3 5 7

a. What is the expected project duration?

b. What is the probability that the project will end 2 days later?

8. The School of Management has outgrown its office in Social Science building (B) and is moving to the
newly built JG SOM building (A). Shown below is a list of activities, their precedence relationships,
and probabilistic time estimates for this project.

Activity Predecessor a m b
A - 1 3 5
B - 2 3 5
C - 2 4 7
D A 1 3 4
E D 2 5 8
F B,E 1 2 2
G B,C,E 3 6 8
H F 2 4 5
I G 3 4 6
J H,I 1 2 4

a. Compute for the probability that the project will finish in 27 days.
b. If activity G was delayed to 8 days, how much is the delay of the whole project

9. A project is characterized by activities A through F. The predecessor activities and the times required
and costs for both a regular and a crash program for each activity (so each activity is either regular
time or crashed time only, no in betweens) are shown in the table below.

Time (weeks) Cost ($000s)

Activity Predecessor Regular Crash Regular Crash
A (start) - 0 - 0 -
B A 5 3 10 22
C A 2 1 6 15
D B,C 3 2 6 15
E B 4 2 10 25
F (finish) D,E 0 - 0 -

a. Using only the time for the regular program activities, draw a PERT network for this problem.
What is the critical path? How long will it take to complete the total project?
b. What is the cost of the project in (a)?
c. What is the minimum time in which the project can be completed? What is the cost of the
program?