Integrating dependency schemes in search-based QBF solvers

Abstract

Many search-based QBF solvers implementing the DPLL algorithm for QBF (QDPLL) process formulae in prenex conjunctive normal form (PCNF). The quantifier prefix of PCNFs often results in strong variable dependencies which can influence solver performance negatively. A common approach to overcome this problem is to reconstruct quantifier structure e.g. by quantifier trees. Dependency schemes are a generalization of quantifier trees in the sense that more general dependency graphs can be obtained. So far, dependency graphs have not been applied in QBF solving. In this work we consider the problem of efficiently integrating dependency graphs in QDPLL. Thereby we generalize related work on integrating quantifier trees. By analyzing the core parts of QDPLL, we report on modifications necessary to profit from general dependency graphs. In comprehensive experiments we show that QDPLL using a particular dependency graph, despite of increased overhead, outperforms classical QDPLL relying on quantifier prefixes of PCNFs. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.