Feasibility Control in Nonlinear Optimization

We analyze the properties that optimization algorithms must possess in order to prevent convergence to non-stationary points for the merit function. We show that demanding the exact satisfaction of constraint linearizations results in difficulties in a wide range of optimization algorithms. Feasibility control is a mechanism that prevents convergence to spurious solutions by ensuring that … Read more

An infeasible active set method for convex problems with simple bounds

A primal-dual active set method for convex quadratic problems with bound constraints is presented. Based on a guess on the active set, a primal-dual pair $(x,s)$ is computed that satisfies the first order optimality condition and the complementarity condition. If $(x,s)$ is not feasible, a new active set is determined, and the process is iterated. … Read more

On the global convergence of an SLP-filter algorithm

A mechanism for proving global convergence infilter-type methods for nonlinear programming is described. Such methods are characterized by their use of the dominance concept of multi objective optimization, instead of a penalty parameter whose adjustment can be problematic. The main point of interest is to demonstrate how convergence for NLP can be induced without forcing … Read more

On reduced QP formulations of monotone LCP problems

Techniques for transforming convex quadratic programs (QPs) into monotone linear complementarity problems (LCPs) and vice versa are well known. We describe a class of LCPs for which a reduced QP formulation—one that has fewer constraints than the “standard” QP formulation—is available. We mention several instances of this class, including the known case in which the … Read more

Failure of Global Convergence for a Class of Interior Point Methods for Nonlinear Programming

Using a simple analytical example, we demonstrate that a class of interior point methods for general nonlinear programming, including some current methods, is not globally convergent. It is shown that those algorithms do produce limit points that are neither feasible nor stationary points of some measure of the constraint violation, when applied to a well-posed … Read more