Using interior point solvers for optimizing progressive lens models with spherical coordinates

Designing progressive lenses is a complex problem that has been previously solved by formulating an optimization model based on Cartesian coordinates. In this work a new progressive lens model using spherical coordinates is presented, and interior point solvers are used to solve this new optimization model. Although this results in a highly nonlinear, nonconvex, continuous … Read more

On the Relation between the Extended Supporting Hyperplane Algorithm and Kelley’s Cutting Plane Algorithm

Recently, Kronqvist et al.rediscovered the supporting hyperplane algorithm of Veinott and demonstrated its computational benefits for solving convex mixed-integer nonlinear programs. In this paper we derive the algorithm from a geometric point of view. This enables us to show that the supporting hyperplane algorithm is equivalent to Kelley’s cutting plane algorithm applied to a particular … Read more

Numerical solution of generalized minimax problems

This contribution contains the description and investigation of four numerical methods for solving generalized minimax problems, which consists in the minimization of functions which are compositions of special smooth convex functions with maxima of smooth functions (the most important problem of this type is the sum of maxima of smooth functions). Section~1 is introductory. In … Read more

Hybrid methods for nonlinear least squares problems

This contribution contains a description and analysis of effective methods for minimization of the nonlinear least squares function $F(x) = (1/2) f^T(x) f(x)$, where $x \in R^n$ and $f \in R^m$, together with extensive computational tests and comparisons of the introduced methods. All hybrid methods are described in detail and their global convergence is proved … Read more

On the Stochastic Vehicle Routing Problem with time windows, correlated travel times, and time dependency

Most state-of-the-art algorithms for the Vehicle Routing Problem, such as Branch-and- Price algorithms or meta heuristics, rely on a fast feasibility test for a given route. We devise the fi rst approach to approximately check feasibility in the Stochastic Vehicle Routing Problem with time windows, where travel times are correlated and depend on the time of … Read more

Variable smoothing for convex optimization problems using stochastic gradients

We aim to solve a structured convex optimization problem, where a nonsmooth function is composed with a linear operator. When opting for full splitting schemes, usually, primal-dual type methods are employed as they are effective and also well studied. However, under the additional assumption of Lipschitz continuity of the nonsmooth function which is composed with … Read more

A FISTA-type accelerated gradient algorithm for solving smooth nonconvex composite optimization problems

In this paper, we describe and establish iteration-complexity of two accelerated composite gradient (ACG) variants to solve a smooth nonconvex composite optimization problem whose objective function is the sum of a nonconvex differentiable function f with a Lipschitz continuous gradient and a simple nonsmooth closed convex function h. When f is convex, the first ACG … Read more

Mitigating Interdiction Risk with Fortification

We study a network fortification problem on a directed network that channels single-commodity resources to fulfill random demands delivered to a subset of the nodes. For given a realization of demands, the malicious interdictor would disrupt the network in a manner that would maximize the total demand shortfalls subject to the interdictor’s constraints. To mitigate … Read more

General Convergence Rates Follow From Specialized Rates Assuming Growth Bounds

Often in the analysis of first-order methods, assuming the existence of a quadratic growth bound (a generalization of strong convexity) facilitates much stronger convergence analysis. Hence the analysis is done twice, once for the general case and once for the growth bounded case. We give a meta-theorem for deriving general convergence rates from those assuming … Read more

Equivalences among the chi measure, Hoffman constant, and Renegar’s distance to ill-posedness

We show the equivalence among the following three condition measures of a full column rank matrix $A$: the chi measure, the signed Hoffman constant, and the signed distance to ill-posedness. The latter two measures are constructed via suitable collections of matrices obtained by flipping the signs of some rows of $A$. Our results provide a … Read more