Algorithms for Traveling Purchaser Problem (TPP)

[mathbalduino]

Hey guys, how you doing?

Im here to ask for you help. Im writing my bachelor paper as an implementation/review of the TPP algorithms out there. Almost every paper that I read references the Ramesh algorithm, that returns an exact solution for TPP problems, but I just can't find the algorithm, not even a high level description that I could use to implement my own version.

Does someone know how to implement it? I would be grateful with even a high level description.

There's other two approaches out there that I would be grateful to have access: the branch-and-bound algorithm of Singh and Van Oudheusden, and the branch-and-cut algorithm of Laporte. If someone know how to implement or something like that, please share with me.

In these two papers, you can find the actual references:
- https://ir.nctu.edu.tw/bitstream/11536/31784/1/000075284000001.pdf
- https://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/personnel/renaudj/pdf/Recherche/tpp(purchaser) COR.pdf

If you don't know what's the TPP, please see this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveling_purchaser_problem before answering

Guys, I know that this is an NP-HARD problem, and that it's always best to use Heuristic Algorithms instead of exact ones for larger instances, but I still want to study the exact ones.

Thanks! Any help is very welcome.