Optimization Challenges

Updated from 2017–2022, no longer maintained.

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This page is a collection of previous optimization challenges/ competitions in Operations Research. Quite frequently, different communities are involved in those events (people from Operations Research, (Meta-) Heuristics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Constraint Programming, …). 

Active Challenges

Note: any information below provides are a rough orientation only. Please consult the official webpage for official announcements.

• ROADEF/EURO Challenge 2022: Truck loading
• EURO meets NeurIPS Vehicle Routing Competition: https://euro-neurips-vrp-2022.challenges.ortec.com/
• The Parameterized Algorithms and Computational Experiments PACE 2022: https://pacechallenge.org/2022/

Permanent links

• Fédération Française des jeux Mathématiques FFJM: http://www.ffjm.org/
• Kaggle: http://www.kaggle.com
• Topcoder: http://www.topcoder.com
• OPTIL.io: https://www.optil.io/optilion/home
  The platform is an automated judgement system that enables the comparison of algorithms for different problems (such as, e.g., the Travel Salesman Problem, the Job Shop Scheduling Problem, among others). We recommend this article for more information on the topic: http://doi.org/10.1145/3143560
• recomputation.org: http://www.recomputation.org/
  The underlying idea recomputation.org is „If we can compute your experiment now, anyone can recompute it 20 years from now“. Store experiments and conserve your work for the future.
  Remark: recomputation.org appears to be offline from time to time. Not sure what is happening.

Past events

• VeRoLog Solver Challenges
  • 2019, Multi-Period Vehicle Routing with subsequent installation tasks: https://verolog2019.ortec.com/
  • 2016-2017, Vehicle Routing with Scarce, Reusable Resources: https://verolog2017.ortec.com/
  • 2015, the Coach Trip with Shuttle Service Problem: https://www.euro-online.org/websites/verolog/news/verolog-solver-challenge-2015/
  • 2014, the Swap Body Vehicle Routing Probem: https://www.euro-online.org/websites/verolog/verolog-solver-challenge-2014/
• (EURO/)ROADEF Challenges: http://challenge.roadef.org/
  • ROADEF/EURO Challenge 2020 Maintenance Planning: http://challenge.roadef.org/2020/en
  • ROADEF/EURO Challenge 2018, Cutting Optimization: http://www.roadef.org/challenge/2018/en/index.php
  • EURO/ROADEF Challenge 2016, Inventory Routing Problem: http://challenge.roadef.org/2016/en/
  • EURO/ROADEF Challenge 2014, Trains don’t vanish!: http://challenge.roadef.org/2014/en/
  • EURO/ROADEF Challenge 2012, Machine Reassignment: http://challenge.roadef.org/2012/en/
  • EURO/ROADEF Challenge 2010, a large-scale Energy Management Problem with varied constraints: http://challenge.roadef.org/2010/en/
  • Challenge ROADEF 2009, Disruption Management for Commercial Aviation: http://challenge.roadef.org/2009/en/
  • Challenge ROADEF 2007, Technicians and Interventions Scheduling for Telecommunications: http://challenge.roadef.org/2007/en/
  • Challenge ROADEF 2005, Car Sequencing problem: http://challenge.roadef.org/2005/en/
  • Challenge ROADEF 2003, Management of the Missions of the Earth Observation Satellites: http://challenge.roadef.org/2003/en/
  • Challenge ROADEF 2001, Frequency Assignment Problem with Polarization constraints: http://challenge.roadef.org/2001/en/
  • Challenge ROADEF 1999, an Inventory Management Problem: http://challenge.roadef.org/1999/en/
• The Parameterized Algorithms and Computational Experiments Challenge PACE: https://pacechallenge.org/
  • 2021, cluster editing, https://pacechallenge.org/2021/
  • 2020, treedepth decomposition, https://pacechallenge.org/2020/
  • 2019, (i) Vertex Cover Problem and (ii) Hypertree Width: https://pacechallenge.org/2019/
    2018, Steiner Tree on an undirected edge-weighted graph: https://pacechallenge.wordpress.com/pace-2018/
  • 2017, Tree Width Challenges (Track A) and Minimum Fill-In Challenge (Track B)
  • 2016, Tree Width (Track A) and Feedback Vertex Set Problem (Track B)
• Model Counting Competition 2020: https://mccompetition.org/past_iterations
• Train Schedule Optimisation Challenge: https://www.crowdai.org/challenges/train-schedule-optimisation-challenge
• ACP Challenge 2016 on the Torpedo Scheduling Problem: http://cp2016.a4cp.org/program/acp-challenge/
• ESICUP  – Renault Container Loading Challenge: http://challenge-esicup-2015.org/ (page is offline, but there is some information here: https://paginas.fe.up.pt/~esicup/extern/esicup-12thMeeting/pmwiki.php?n=Conference.Info)
• MISTA Challenge 2013: https://gent.cs.kuleuven.be/mista2013challenge/
• Nurse Rostering Competitions
  • Second International Nurse Rostering Competition 2014-2015: http://mobiz.vives.be/inrc2/
  • First International Nurse Rostering Competition 2010: https://www.kuleuven-kulak.be/nrpcompetition
• Timetabling Competitions
  • ITC 2021: International Timetabling Competition — Sports Timetabling: https://www.sportscheduling.ugent.be/ITC2021/
  • ITC 2019 – International Timetabling Competition: https://www.itc2019.org/home
  • Third International Timetabling Competition ITC 2011: https://www.utwente.nl/ctit/hstt/itc2011/
  • Second International Timetabling Competition ITC 2007: http://www.cs.qub.ac.uk/itc2007/index.htm
  • First International Timetabling Competition 2002: http://sferics.idsia.ch/Files/ttcomp2002/
• DIMACS Implementation Challenges: http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Challenges/
  • 12th DIMACS Implementation Challenge: Vehicle Routing Problems
    The Eleventh DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 2014, Steiner Tree Problems
  • The Tenth DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 2012, Algorithm Implementation Challenge: Graph Partitioning and Graph Clustering
  • The Ninth DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 2005-2006, The Shortest Path Problem
  • The Eighth DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 2001, The Traveling Salesman Problem
  • The Seventh DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 2000, Semidefinite and Related Optimization Problems
  • The Sixth DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 1998, Near Neighbor Searches
  • The Fifth DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 1995-1996, Priority Queues, Dictionaries, and Multi-Dimensional Point Sets
  • The Fourth DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 1994-1995, Two Problems in Computational Biology: Fragment Assembly and Genome Rearrangements
  • The Third DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 1993-1994, Effective Parallel Algorithms for Combinatorial Problems
  • The Second DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 1992-1993, NP Hard Problems: Maximum Clique, Graph Coloring, and Satisfiability
  • The First DIMACS Implementation Challenge: 1990-1991, Network Flows and Matching
• Kaggle
  • Kaggle Traveling Santa 2018 — Prime Paths (2019): https://www.kaggle.com/c/traveling-santa-2018-prime-paths/
  • Santa Gift-Matching (2018): https://www.kaggle.com/c/santa-gift-matching
  • Santa’s Uncertain Bags (2017): https://www.kaggle.com/c/santas-uncertain-bags
  • Santa’s Stolen Sleigh (2016): https://www.kaggle.com/c/santas-stolen-sleigh
  • Helping Santa’s Helper (2015): https://www.kaggle.com/c/helping-santas-helpers
  • Packing Santa’s Sleigh (2014): https://www.kaggle.com/c/packing-santas-sleigh
  • Traveling Santa Problem (2013): http://www.kaggle.com/c/traveling-santa-problem
• International Optimisation Competition on the Magic Square Problem, November 2011: http://www.solveitsoftware.com/competition.jsp (page is offline, but there is some information here: http://www.yuribykov.com/IOC/)
• GECCO and CEC/ WCCI/ IEEE Competitions:
  • Competitions of the Working Group on Modern Heuristic Optimization (WGMHO) under the IEEE PES Analytic Methods in Power Systems (AMPS) Committee: http://sites.ieee.org/psace-mho/
  • WCCI 2018: http://www.ecomp.poli.br/~wcci2018/competitions/
  • 2017: http://gecco-2017.sigevo.org/index.html/Competitions
  • Black Box Optimization Competition BBComp (also listed under the GECCO), 2015-2017: https://bbcomp.ini.rub.de/
  • Optimisation of Problems with Multiple Interdependent Components (also listed under the CEC):
    • 2017: https://cs.adelaide.edu.au/~optlog/TTP2017Comp/#
    • 2015: https://cs.adelaide.edu.au/~optlog/CEC2015Comp/ (cancelled)
    • 2014: https://cs.adelaide.edu.au/~optlog/CEC2014Comp/#
  • Special Session & Competition on Real-Parameter Single Objective Optimization at CEC-2013: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home/EPNSugan/index_files/CEC2013/CEC2013.htm
• Generalization-based contest in Global Optimization GenOpt:
  • 2017: https://genopt.org/#home
  • 2016: https://genopt.org/index-2016.html
• Cross-domain Heuristic Search Challenge CHeSC (2011): http://www.asap.cs.nott.ac.uk/external/chesc2011/index.html
• Global Trajectory Optimization Competitions GTOC (since 2005): https://sophia.estec.esa.int/gtoc_portal/
  • Most recent: GTOC 11
• Wind Farm Layout Optimization Competition
  • 3rd, 2017: https://www.irit.fr/wind-competition/ (cancelled)
  • 2nd, 2015: https://www.irit.fr/wind-competition/2015/
  • 1st, 2014: https://www.irit.fr/wind-competition/2014/
• Cimpress Tech Challenge on efficiently covering a grid with squares: http://archive.is/Ifi73 and https://cimpress.com/blog/2015/06/26/cimpress-tech-challenge-winner-dimitar-blagoev/
• Vistaprint 3-D-bin-packing competition: see some discussion here http://www.i-programmer.info/news/204-challenges/7829-10k-contest-to-solve-a-problem-worth-millions.html and follow this link to the winning source code: https://github.com/zuwalski/vistaPickPack
• Mathematical Competitive Game 2017-2018 of the FFJM, Distribution of Goods: http://www.scmsa.eu/archives/SCM_FFJM_Competitive_Game_2017_2018.pdf
• International Student Competition in Structural Optimization (ISCSO 2018, ISCSO 2019): http://www.brightoptimizer.com/
• Computational Geometry: Solving Hard Optimization Problems: https://cgshop.ibr.cs.tu-bs.de/
• Grid Optimization Competition: https://gocompetition.energy.gov/
• Competitions of the Working Group on Modern Heuristic Optimization (WGMHO) under the IEEE PES Analytic Methods in Power Systems (AMPS) Committee: 2019 Expansion planning and flexibility optimization: http://sites.ieee.org/psace-mho/2019-expansion-planning-and-flexibility-optimization-in-sustainable-electrical-power-systems-competition-panel/
• 10th International Student Competition in Structural Optimization ISCSO 2021 – https://www.brightoptimizer.com/
• Model Counting Competition 2021: https://mccompetition.org/about
• Google Hash Code Challenge: https://codingcompetitions.withgoogle.com/hashcode/
• IBM Ponder This Challenge:
  https://www.research.ibm.com/haifa/ponderthis/challenges/January2021.html

More…

While the above mentioned challenges are more related to optimization, there are other places of interest, too: SAT, Max-SAT, planning, etc.
Of course, there is an overlap with optimization as it is understood in the competitions above, but we chose to present them in another category. Apologies for not listing everything. We know that there are also many competitions in robotics (planning).

• ICAPS Competitions (since 1998): http://www.icaps-conference.org/index.php/Main/Competitions
• MaxSAT
  • 2017: http://mse17.cs.helsinki.fi/
  • 2006-2016: http://www.maxsat.udl.cat/
• SAT Competitions (since 2002): http://www.satcompetition.org/
• MiniZinc Challenge (since 2008): http://www.minizinc.org/challenge.html
• SAT Races
  • 2010: https://baldur.iti.uka.de/sat-race-2010/
  • 2008: https://baldur.iti.uka.de/sat-race-2008/
  • 2006: http://fmv.jku.at/sat-race-2006/
• SAT Challenge 2012: https://baldur.iti.kit.edu/SAT-Challenge-2012/index.html
• Answer Set Programming Competitions
  • 2015: http://aspcomp2015.dibris.unige.it/
  • 2014: https://www.mat.unical.it/aspcomp2014/FrontPage
  • 2013: https://www.mat.unical.it/aspcomp2013
  • 2011: https://www.mat.unical.it/aspcomp2011/FrontPage
  • 2009: https://dtai.cs.kuleuven.be/events/ASP-competition/index.shtml
  • 2007: https://asparagus.cs.uni-potsdam.de/contest/index.php
• FLoC Olympic Games 2014: http://vsl2014.at/olympics/index.html
• Configurable SAT Solver Challenge 2013: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/labs/beta/Projects/CSSC2013/index.html
• Macoosi International Software Competition 2012: http://www.mancoosi.org/misc/
• CADE ATP System Competition (The World Championship for Automated Theorem Proving): http://www.cs.miami.edu/~tptp/CASC/
• Pseudo-Boolean Evaluation:
  • 2016: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB16/
  • 2015: http://pbeva.computational-logic.org/
  • 2012: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB12/
  • 2011: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB11/
  • 2010: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB10/
  • 2009: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB09/
  • 2007: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB07/
  • 2006: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB06/
  • 1st, 2005: http://www.cril.univ-artois.fr/PB05/
• CodeCup (since 2003): http://www.codecup.nl/
  Archive of past competitions: http://www.codecup.nl/archives.php
• Syngenta Crop Challenges: https://www.ideaconnection.com/syngenta-crop-challenge/
• Phase-X-Challenge on open pit mining (2016): https://portal.unearthed.solutions/competitions/phase-x-challenge
• 5th JILP Workshop on Computer Architecture Competitions (2016): https://www.jilp.org/cbp2016/
• CodeCup 2018, a programming competition with a gaming application: http://www.codecup.nl/intro.php
  • Past contests (since 2003): http://www.codecup.nl/archives.php
• LOD 2019 Big Data Challenge: https://lod2019.icas.xyz/special-sessions/

HSU

Letzte Änderung: 1. Januar 2023