A Multiagent Path Search Algorithm for Large-Scale Coalition Structure Generation

Coalition structure generation (CSG), i.e. the problem of optimally partitioning a set of agents into coalitions to maximize social welfare, is a fundamental computational problem in multiagent systems. This problem is important for many applications where small run times are necessary, including transportation and disaster response. In this paper, we develop SALDAE, a multiagent path finding algorithm for CSG that operates on a graph of coalition structures. Our algorithm utilizes a variety of heuristics and strategies to perform the search and guide it. It is an anytime algorithm that can handle large problems with hundreds and thousands of agents. We show empirically on nine standard value distributions, including disaster response and electric vehicle allocation benchmarks, that our algorithm enables a rapid finding of high-quality solutions and compares favorably with other state-of-the-art methods.

Authors

• Redha Taguelmimt Clermont Auvergne University, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, LIMOS, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
• Samir Aknine Univ Lyon, UCBL, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Centrale Lyon, Univ Lyon 2, LIRIS, UMR5205, Lyon, France
• Djamila Boukredera Laboratory of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of Bejaia, Bejaia, Algeria
• Narayan Changder TCG Centres for Research and Education in Science and Technology, Kolkata, India
• Tuomas Sandholm Carnegie Mellon University, Computer Science Department, Pittsburgh, USA Strategy Robot, Inc. Strategic Machine, Inc. Optimized Markets, Inc.

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