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I have the following inequality that I would want to linearize. Consider that $r_{ij}, x_{ij}, y_{ij}$ are binary variables defined for every pair of nodes $(i,j) \in A$. Also, I have a set of nodes $V$ which its used later.

The following constraint holds: $$r_{ij} \leq \sum_{k \ne i, k \ne j}x_{ik}y_{jk}\qquad \forall (i,j) \in A$$

At first I thought that I should introduce a new family of 3-index binary variables $l^k_{ij}$ and define: $$l^k_{ij} \leq x_{ik}\qquad \forall (i,j) \in A, k\in V: i \ne k, j\ne k\\l^k_{ij}\leq y_{jk}\qquad \forall (i,j) \in A,k \in V:i\ne k, j\ne k\\ l^k_{ij} \geq x_{ik}+y_{jk}-1 \qquad \forall (i,j) \in A,k \in V:i\ne k, j\ne k$$

My ultimate goal is to be able to come up with a linearization that maintains the original number of indexes (although so far i haven't been able to do so and I think it may not be possible).

I've read this survey Transformation and Linearization Techniques in Optimization: A State-of-the-Art Survey and was wondering if there are any others papers like it that I could check as inspiration.

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With your $\ell_{ij}^k$ variables, a linearization is: \begin{align} \ell_{ij}^k &\le x_{ik} \\ \ell_{ij}^k &\le y_{jk} \\ r_{ij} &\le \sum_k \ell_{ij}^k \end{align}

Without introducing new variables, an alternative formulation arises from rewriting the implication $$r_{ij} \implies \bigvee_k (x_{ik} \land y_{jk}) $$ in conjunctive normal form, but doing this yields exponentially many constraints: $$r_{ij} \le \sum_k *_k,$$ where each $*_k$ is either $x_{ik}$ or $y_{jk}$. Explicitly, for $|V|=3$, there are $2^3$ constraints for each $(i,j)$: \begin{align} r_{ij} &\le x_{i,1} + x_{i,2} + x_{i,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le x_{i,1} + x_{i,2} + y_{j,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le x_{i,1} + y_{j,2} + x_{i,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le x_{i,1} + y_{j,2} + y_{j,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le y_{j,1} + x_{i,2} + x_{i,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le y_{j,1} + x_{i,2} + y_{j,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le y_{j,1} + y_{j,2} + x_{i,3} \\ r_{ij} &\le y_{j,1} + y_{j,2} + y_{j,3} \end{align}

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  • $\begingroup$ Can you clarify the "exponentially many" constraints part? I'm only see two constraints for each $(i,j)$ combination, one summing $x_{ik}$ and one summing $y_{jk}$, but those constraints don't do the job, so I assume I'm not understanding your notation. $\endgroup$
    – prubin
    Oct 13, 2022 at 15:57
  • $\begingroup$ @prubin Yes, those are $2$ out of the $2^{|V|}$ constraints for each $(i,j)$. I updated my answer with more details. $\endgroup$
    – RobPratt
    Oct 13, 2022 at 16:15
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks, that helps. I think you might have too many terms in the constraints, though. The original constraint sums over $k\neq i, k\neq j.$ $\endgroup$
    – prubin
    Oct 13, 2022 at 17:59
  • $\begingroup$ Yes just omit any such variables from those constraints. $\endgroup$
    – RobPratt
    Oct 13, 2022 at 23:04
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks! @RobPratt. If i'm understanding it correctly, there will be very few (or maybe just one) inequalities that will actually provide useful upper bounds for $r_{ij}$. Let $x_{ik_2} = y_{jk_1} = 0$ then exists a constraint that would be $r_{ij}\leq x_{ik_2}+y_{jk_1}$ considering $|V| = 4$ and would make $r_{ij}\leq 0$. If that's how it works then I could have an aux. problem to check the condition and just add that constraint while branching so the exponential number of constraints shouldn't be a huge issue. Now I'd have to think on how to define $*_k$ in Gurobi or cplex $\endgroup$ Oct 14, 2022 at 8:01

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