Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2000
Given a graph G = (V, E) and a set of κ pairs of vertices in V, we are interested in finding, for each pair (ai, bi), a path connecting ai to bi such that the set of κ paths so found is edge-disjoint. (For arbitrary graphs the problem is [Nscr ][Pscr ]-complete, although it is in [Pscr ] if κ is fixed.)
We present a polynomial time randomized algorithm for finding edge-disjoint paths in the random regular graph Gn,r, for sufficiently large r. (The graph is chosen first, then an adversary chooses the pairs of end-points.) We show that almost every Gn,r is such that all sets of κ = Ω(n/log n) pairs of vertices can be joined. This is within a constant factor of the optimum.