| Article ID: | iaor1989649 |
| Country: | Netherlands |
| Volume: | 44 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Start Page Number: | 235 |
| End Page Number: | 245 |
| Publication Date: | Jun 1989 |
| Journal: | Mathematical Programming (Series A) |
| Authors: | Werra D. de |
An extension of matchings is considered: instead of edges, odd length chains are used, all of which have distinct endpoints. It is shown that several properties of matchings can be extended to these packings: an augmenting chain theorem is given, several variations of packings are described and corresponding min-max results for bipartite graphs are stated. Relations with analogous covering problems are exhibited and it is shown that these packings generate matroids as in the matching case.