Designing Networks in Cooperation with ACO

In this paper we present a cooperative game for a network design. The game model adopts for the cooperating players the profit maximizing requirement. Since the players may use different paths, there is the possibility to cooperate and design the optimal network satisfying the requests of all the players and minimizing the cost. The solution of the game is determined by the core concept, well known in cooperative game literature. By means of several examples, both analytical and numerical solutions are proposed. Concerning the computational procedure, in this work an algorithmic approach based on ant colony model is employed. Finally, an application to the airline network design is discussed, providing a numerical example for intercontinental air traffic routes.