A Unified Framework for Multistage and Multilevel Mixed Integer Linear Optimization

We introduce a unified framework for the study of multilevel mixed integer linear optimization problems and multistage stochastic mixed integer linear optimization problems with recourse. The framework highlights the common mathematical structure of the two problems and allows for the development of a common algorithmic framework. Focusing on the two-stage case, we investigate, in particular, … Read more

DMulti-MADS: Mesh adaptive direct multisearch for blackbox multiobjective optimization

The context of this research is multiobjective optimization where conflicting objectives are present. In this work, these objectives are only available as the outputs of a blackbox for which no derivative information is available. This work proposes a new extension of the mesh adaptive direct search (MADS) algorithm to constrained multiobjective derivative-free optimization. This method … Read more

Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Optimization for District Heating Network Expansion

We present a mixed-integer nonlinear optimization model for computing the optimal expansion of an existing tree-shaped district heating network given a number of potential new consumers. To this end, we state a stationary and nonlinear model of all hydraulic and thermal effects in the pipeline network as well as nonlinear models for consumers and the … Read more

Convex Hull Representations for Bounded Products of Variables

It is well known that the convex hull of {(x,y,xy)}, where (x,y) is constrained to lie in a box, is given by the Reformulation-Linearization Technique (RLT) constraints. Belotti et al. (2010) and Miller et al. (2011) showed that if there are additional upper and/or lower bounds on the product z=xy, then the convex hull can … Read more

A Framework for Adaptive Open-pit Mining Planning under Geological Uncertainty

Mine planning optimization aims at maximizing the profit obtained from extracting valuable ore. Beyond its theoretical complexity (the open-pit mining problem with capacity constraints reduces to a knapsack problem with precedence constraints, which is NP-hard), practical instances of the problem usually involve a large to very large number of decision variables, typically of the order … Read more

2×2-convexifications for convex quadratic optimization with indicator variables

In this paper, we study the convex quadratic optimization problem with indicator variables. For the bivariate case, we describe the convex hull of the epigraph in the original space of variables, and also give a conic quadratic extended formulation. Then, using the convex hull description for the bivariate case as a building block, we derive … Read more

On Linear Optimization over Wasserstein Balls

Wasserstein balls, which contain all probability measures within a pre-specified Wasserstein distance to a reference measure, have recently enjoyed wide popularity in the distributionally robust optimization and machine learning communities to formulate and solve data-driven optimization problems with rigorous statistical guarantees. In this technical note we prove that the Wasserstein ball is weakly compact under … Read more

High Dimensional Three-Periods Locally Ideal MIP Formulations for the UC Problem

The thermal unit commitment (UC) problem often can be formulated as a mixed integer quadratic programming (MIQP), which is difficult to solve efficiently, especially for large-scale instances. The tighter characteristic re-duces the search space, therefore, as a natural conse-quence, significantly reduces the computational burden. In the literature, many tightened formulations for single units with parts … Read more

Modular-topology optimization with Wang tilings: An application to truss structures

Modularity is appealing for solving many problems in optimization. It brings the benefits of manufacturability and reconfigurability to structural optimization, and enables a trade-off between the computational performance of a Periodic Unit Cell (PUC) and the efficacy of non-uniform designs in multi-scale material optimization. Here, we introduce a novel strategy for concurrent minimum-compliance design of … Read more

A primal-dual interior-point relaxation method with adaptively updating barrier for nonlinear programs

Based on solving an equivalent parametric equality constrained mini-max problem of the classic logarithmic-barrier subproblem, we present a novel primal-dual interior-point relaxation method for nonlinear programs. In the proposed method, the barrier parameter is updated in every step as done in interior-point methods for linear programs, which is prominently different from the existing interior-point methods … Read more