Nonlinear Optimization with GAMS /LGO

The Lipschitz Global Optimizer (LGO) software integrates global and local scope search methods, to handle nonlinear optimization models. Here we discuss the LGO implementation linked to the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS). First we review the key features and basic usage of the GAMS /LGO solver option, then present reproducible numerical results to illustrate its … Read more

Optimization of univariate functions on bounded intervals by interpolation and semidefinite programming

We consider the problem of minimizing a univariate, real-valued function f on an interval [a,b]. When f is a polynomial, we review how this problem may be reformulated as a semidefinite programming (SDP) problem, and review how to extract all global minimizers from the solution of the SDP problem. For general f, we approximate the … Read more

An improved algorithm for computing Steiner minimal trees in Euclidean d-space

We describe improvements to Smith’s branch-and-bound (B&B) algorithm for the Euclidean Steiner problem in R^d. Nodes in the B&B tree correspond to full Steiner topologies associated with a subset of the terminal nodes, and branching is accomplished by “merging” a new terminal node with each edge in the current Steiner tree. For a given topology … Read more

Convergent SDP-relaxations in polynomial optimization with sparsity

We consider a polynomial programming problem P on a compact basic semi-algebraic set K described by m polynomial inequalities $g_j(X)\geq0$, and with polynomial criterion $f$. We propose a hierarchy of semidefinite relaxations in the spirit those of Waki et al. [9]. In particular, the SDP-relaxation of order $r$ has the following two features: (a) The … Read more

A Particle Swarm Pattern Search Method for Bound Constrained Nonlinear Optimization

In this paper we develop, analyze, and test a new algorithm for the global minimization of a function subject to simple bounds without the use of derivatives. The underlying algorithm is a pattern search method, more specifically a coordinate search method, which guarantees convergence to stationary points from arbitrary starting points. In the optional search … Read more

Global optimization by continuous GRASP

We introduce a novel global optimization method called Continuous GRASP (C-GRASP) which extends Feo and Resende’s greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) from the domain of discrete optimization to that of continuous global optimization. This stochastic local search method is simple to implement, is widely applicable, and does not make use of derivative information, thus … Read more

Efficiently packing unequal disks in a circle: a computational approach which exploits the continuous and combinatorial structure of the problem

Placing $N$ non-overlapping circles in a smallest container is a well known, widely studied problem that can be easily formulated as a mathematical programming model. Solving this problem is notoriously extremely hard. Recently a public contest has been held for finding putative optimal solutions to a special case in circle packing. The contest saw the … Read more

On the complexity of optimization over the standard simplex

We review complexity results for minimizing polynomials over the standard simplex and unit hypercube. In addition, we show that there exists a polynomial time approximation scheme (PTAS) for minimizing some classes of functions (including Lipschitz continuous functions) over the standard simplex. The main tools used in the analysis are Bernstein approximation and Lagrange interpolation on … Read more

A Note on Sparse SOS and SDP Relaxations for Polynomial Optimization Problems over Symmetric Cones

This short note extends the sparse SOS (sum of squares) and SDP (semidefinite programming) relaxation proposed by Waki, Kim, Kojima and Muramatsu for normal POPs (polynomial optimization problems) to POPs over symmetric cones, and establishes its theoretical convergence based on the recent convergence result by Lasserre on the sparse SOS and SDP relaxation for normal … Read more