The continuous m‐center problem on a network

In the continuous m‐center problem on a network, m‐centers are to be located along the arcs of the network so as to minimize the maximum (shortest) distance from any point on the network to a nearest center. The typical application scenario is to the location of emergency facilities in a transportation network. In this article, we propose a solution procedure for this hitherto unsolved problem. The procedure is a relaxation algorithm which may be viewed as a column and row generating procedure for the infinite size covering problems needed to solve the problem. The optimum‐seeking procedure is expected to be practical for large‐scale networks.