Global Solution Strategies for the Network-Constrained Unit Commitment Problem With AC Transmission Constraints

We propose a novel global solution algorithm for the network-constrained unit commitment problem that incorporates a nonlinear alternating current model of the transmission network, which is a nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem. Our algorithm is based on the multi-tree global optimization methodology, which iterates between a mixed-integer lower-bounding problem and a nonlinear upper-bounding problem. … Read more

BFGS-like updates of constraint preconditioners for sequences of KKT linear systems

We focus on efficient preconditioning techniques for sequences of KKT linear systems arising from the interior point solution of large convex quadratic programming problems. Constraint Preconditioners (CPs), though very effective in accelerating Krylov methods in the solution of KKT systems, have a very high computational cost in some instances, because their factorization may be the … Read more

Multilevel Optimization Methods: Convergence and Problem Structure

Building upon multigrid methods, the framework of multilevel optimization methods was developed to solve structured optimization problems, including problems in optimal control, image processing, etc. In this paper, we give a broader view of the multilevel framework and establish some connections between multilevel algorithms and the other approaches. An interesting case of the so called … Read more

A second-order optimality condition with first- and second-order complementarity associated with global convergence of algorithms

We develop a new notion of second-order complementarity with respect to the tangent subspace related to second-order necessary optimality conditions by the introduction of so-called tangent multipliers. We prove that around a local minimizer, a second-order stationarity residual can be driven to zero while controlling the growth of Lagrange multipliers and tangent multipliers, which gives … Read more

Quadratic regularization with cubic descent for unconstrained optimization

Cubic-regularization and trust-region methods with worst case first-order complexity $O(\varepsilon^{-3/2})$ and worst-case second-order complexity $O(\varepsilon^{-3})$ have been developed in the last few years. In this paper it is proved that the same complexities are achieved by means of a quadratic regularization method with a cubic sufficient-descent condition instead of the more usual predicted-reduction based descent. … Read more

On the local convergence analysis of the Gradient Sampling method

The Gradient Sampling method is a recently developed tool for solving unconstrained nonsmooth optimization problems. Using just first order information about the objective function, it generalizes the steepest descent method, one of the most classical methods to minimize a smooth function. This manuscript aims at determining under which circumstances one can expect the same local … Read more

Error bounds for nonlinear semidefinite optimization

In this paper, error bounds for nonlinear semidefinite optimization problem is considered. We assume the second order sufficient condition, the strict complementarity condition and the MFCQ condition at the KKT point. The nondegeneracy condition is not assumed in this paper. Therefore the Jacobian operator of the equality part of the KKT conditions is not assumed … Read more

Complete mixed integer linear programming formulations for modularity density based clustering

Modularity density maximization is a clustering method that improves some issues of the commonly-used modularity maximization approach. Recently, some Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) reformulations have been proposed in the literature for the modularity density maximization problem, but they require as input the solution of a set of auxiliary binary Non-Linear Programs (NLPs). These can become … Read more

Analysis and Implementation of an Asynchronous Optimization Algorithm for the Parameter Server

This paper presents an asynchronous incremental aggregated gradient algorithm and its implementation in a parameter server framework for solving regularized optimization problems. The algorithm can handle both general convex (possibly non-smooth) regularizers and general convex constraints. When the empirical data loss is strongly convex, we establish linear convergence rate, give explicit expressions for step-size choices … Read more

R-Linear Convergence of Limited Memory Steepest Descent

The limited memory steepest descent method (LMSD) proposed by Fletcher is an extension of the Barzilai-Borwein “two-point step size” strategy for steepest descent methods for solving unconstrained optimization problems. It is known that the Barzilai-Borwein strategy yields a method with an R-linear rate of convergence when it is employed to minimize a strongly convex quadratic. … Read more