On the exact separation of cover inequalities of maximum depth

We investigate the problem of exactly separating cover inequalities of maximum depth and we develop a pseudo-polynomial-time algorithm for this purpose. Compared to the standard method based on the maximum violation, computational experiments carried out on knapsack and multi-dimensional knapsack instances show that, with a cutting-plane method based on the maximum-depth criterion, we can optimize … Read more

Solving the distance-based critical node problem

In critical node problems, the task is identify a small subset of so-called critical nodes whose deletion maximally degrades a network’s “connectivity” (however that is measured). Problems of this type have been widely studied, e.g., for limiting the spread of infectious diseases. However, existing approaches for solving them have typically been limited to networks having … Read more

Sparse Regression at Scale: Branch-and-Bound rooted in First-Order Optimization

We consider the least squares regression problem, penalized with a combination of the L0 and L2 norms (a.k.a. L0 L2 regularization). Recent work presents strong evidence that the resulting L0-based estimators can outperform popular sparse learning methods, under many important high-dimensional settings. However, exact computation of L0-based estimators remains a major challenge. Indeed, state-of-the-art mixed … Read more

A mixed-integer programming formulation of the double row layout problem based on a linear extension of a partial order

The Double Row Layout Problem (DRLP) occurs in automated manufacturing environments, where machines arranged in a double-row layout, i.e. the machines are located on either side of a straight line corridor. The DRLP is how to minimize the total cost of transporting materials between machines. The problem is NP-Hard. In this paper, we give a … Read more

Mathematical Optimization and Machine Learning for Efficient Urban Traffic

Traffic jams cause economical damage which has been estimated between 10 and 100 billion Euros per year in Germany, also due to inefficient urban traffic. It is currently open how the situation will change with upcoming technological advances in autonomous and electric mobility. On the one hand, autonomous cars may lead to an increased number … Read more

On monotonicity and search traversal in copositivity detection algorithms

Matrix copositivity has an important theoretical background. Over the last decades, the use of algorithms to check copositivity has made a big progress. Methods are based on spatial branch and bound, transformation to Mixed Integer Programming, implicit enumeration of KKT points or face-based search. Our research question focuses on exploiting the mathematical properties of the … Read more

Estimating the Size of Branch-and-Bound Trees

This paper investigates the estimation of the size of Branch-and-Bound (B&B) trees for solving mixed-integer programs. We first prove that the size of the B&B tree cannot be approximated within a factor of~2 for general binary programs, unless P equals NP. Second, we review measures of the progress of the B&B search, such as the … Read more

Dual Decomposition of Two-Stage Distributionally Robust Mixed-Integer Programming under the Wasserstein Ambiguity Set

We develop a dual decomposition of two-stage distributionally robust mixed-integer programming (DRMIP) under the Wasserstein ambiguity set. The dual decomposition is based on the Lagrangian dual of DRMIP, which results from the Lagrangian relaxation of the nonanticipativity constraints and min-max inequality. We present two Lagrangian dual problem formulations, each of which is based on different principle. We show … Read more

A Model of Supply-Chain Decisions for Resource Sharing with an Application to Ventilator Allocation to Combat COVID-19

We present a stochastic optimization model for allocating and sharing a critical resource in the case of a pandemic. The demand for different entities peaks at different times, and an initial inventory for a central agency is to be allocated. The entities (states) may share the critical resource with a different state under a risk-averse … Read more

An Exact Solution Method for the TSP with Drone Based on Decomposition

The Traveling Salesperson Problem with Drone (TSP–D) is a routing model in which a given set of customer locations must be visited in the least amount of time, either by a truck route starting and ending at a depot or by a drone dispatched from the truck en route. We study the TSP–D model and … Read more