Rounding in Mixed-Integer Model Predictive Control

We derive practical stability results for finite-control set and mixed-integer model predictive control. Thereby, we investigate the evolution of the closed-loop system in the presence of control rounding and draw conclusions about optimality. The paper integrates integral approximation strategies with the inherent robustness properties of conventional model predictive control with stabilizing terminal conditions. We propose … Read more

Local Linear Convergence of the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers for Semidefinite Programming under Strict Complementarity

We investigate the local linear convergence properties of the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) when applied to Semidefinite Programming (SDP). A longstanding belief suggests that ADMM is only capable of solving SDPs to moderate accuracy, primarily due to its sublinear worst-case complexity and empirical observations of slow convergence. We challenge this notion by introducing … Read more

The Least Singular Value Function in Variational Analysis

Metric regularity is among the central concepts of nonlinear and variational analysis, constrained optimization, and their numerous applications. However, met- ric regularity can be elusive for some important ill-posed classes of problems includ- ing polynomial equations, parametric variational systems, smooth reformulations of complementarity systems with degenerate solutions, etc. The study of stability issues for such … Read more

Climate-Resilient Nodal Power System Expansion Planning for a Realistic California Test Case

Climate change is increasingly impacting power system operations, not only through more frequent extreme weather events but also through shifts in routine weather patterns. Factors such as increased temperatures, droughts, changing wind patterns, and solar irradiance shifts can impact both power system production and transmission and electric load. The current power system was not designed … Read more

Optimal Control of Semilinear Graphon Systems

Controlling the dynamics of large-scale networks is essential for a macroscopic reduction of overall consumption and losses in the context of energy supply, finance, logistics, and mobility. We investigate the optimal control of semilinear dynamical systems on asymptotically infinite networks, using the notion of graphons. Graphons represent a limit object of a converging graph sequence … Read more

New Sufficient and Necessary Conditions for Constrained and Unconstrained Lipschitzian Error Bounds

Local error bounds play a fundamental role in mathematical programming and variational analysis. They are used e.g. as constraint qualifications in optimization, in developing calculus rules for generalized derivatives in nonsmooth and set-valued analysis, and they serve as a key ingredient in the design and convergence analysis of Newton-type methods for solving systems of possibly … Read more

A constraint programming model and a hybrid iterated local search algorithm for solving an aircraft recovery problem in the oil and gas industry

In this paper, we address a challenging problem faced by a Brazilian oil and gas company regarding the rescheduling of helicopter flights from an onshore airport to maritime units, crucial for transporting company employees. The problem arises due to unforeseen events like bad weather or mechanical failures, leading to delays or postponements in the original … Read more

Obscured by terminology: Hidden parallels in direct methods for open-loop optimal control

Active research on optimal control methods comprises the developments of research groups from various fields, including control, mathematics, and process systems engineering. Although there is a consensus on the classification of the main solution methods, different terms are often used for the same method. For example, solving optimal control problems with control discretization and embedded … Read more

Fair network design problem: an application to EV charging station capacity expansion

This study addresses the bilevel network design problem (NDP) with congestion. The upper-level decision-maker (a network designer) selects a set of arcs to add to an existing transportation network, while the lower-level decision-makers (drivers) respond by choosing routes that minimize their individual travel times, resulting in user equilibrium. In this work, we propose two novel … Read more

A Branch and Price Algorithm for Scheduling in Surgery Pre-admission Testing Clinics

A Surgery Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) clinic is a hospital unit designed to serve pre-operative patients by gathering critical patient information and performing procedure-specific tests to prepare them for surgery. Patients may require multiple tests, each conducted by a specialized nurse. A patient must be assigned to a room before starting any test and must stay … Read more