Rate analysis of inexact dual first order methods: Application to distributed MPC for network systems

In this paper we propose two dual decomposition methods based on inexact dual gradient information for solving large-scale smooth convex optimization problems. The complicating constraints are moved into the cost using the Lagrange multipliers. The dual problem is solved by inexact first order methods based on approximate gradients and we prove sublinear rate of convergence … Read more

Convergence and Perturbation Resilience of Dynamic String-Averaging Projection Methods

We consider the convex feasibility problem (CFP) in Hilbert space and concentrate on the study of string-averaging projection (SAP) methods for the CFP, analyzing their convergence and their perturbation resilience. In the past, SAP methods were formulated with a single predetermined set of strings and a single predetermined set of weights. Here we extend the … Read more

Parallel distributed-memory simplex for large-scale stochastic LP problems

We present a parallelization of the revised simplex method for large extensive forms of two-stage stochastic linear programming (LP) problems. These problems have been considered too large to solve with the simplex method; instead, decomposition approaches based on Benders decomposition or, more recently, interior-point methods are generally used. However, these approaches do not provide optimal … Read more

What Could a Million Cores Do To Solve Integer Programs?

Given the steady increase in cores per CPU, it is only a matter of time until supercomputers will have a million or more cores. In this article, we investigate the opportunities and challenges that will arise when trying to utilize this vast computing power to solve a single integer linear optimization problem. We also raise … Read more

A Parallel Bundle Method for Asynchronous Subspace Optimization in Lagrangian Relaxation

An algorithmic approach is proposed for exploiting parallelization possibilities in large scale optimization models of the following generic type. Objects change their state over time subject to a limited availability of common resources. These are modeled by linear coupling constraints and result in few objects competing for the same resource at each point in time. … Read more

Distributed Basis Pursuit

We propose a distributed algorithm for solving the optimization problem Basis Pursuit (BP). BP finds the least L1-norm solution of the underdetermined linear system Ax = b and is used, for example, in compressed sensing for reconstruction. Our algorithm solves BP on a distributed platform such as a sensor network, and is designed to minimize … Read more

Efficient Serial and Parallel Coordinate Descent Methods for Huge-Scale Truss Topology Design

In this work we propose solving huge-scale instances of the truss topology design problem with coordinate descent methods. We develop four efficient codes: serial and parallel implementations of randomized and greedy rules for the selection of the variable (potential bar) to be updated in the next iteration. Both serial methods enjoy an O(n/k) iteration complexity … Read more

Scalable Stochastic Optimization of Complex Energy Systems

We present a scalable approach and implementation for solving stochastic programming problems, with application to the optimization of complex energy systems under uncertainty. Stochastic programming is used to make decisions in the present while incorporating a model of uncertainty about future events (scenarios). These problems present serious computational difficulties as the number of scenarios becomes … Read more

A Parallel Inertial Proximal Optimization Method

The Douglas-Rachford algorithm is a popular iterative method for finding a zero of a sum of two maximal monotone operators defined on a Hilbert space. In this paper, we propose an extension of this algorithm including inertia parameters and develop parallel versions to deal with the case of a sum of an arbitrary number of … Read more

A biased random-key genetic algorithm for the Steiner triple covering problem

We present a biased random-key genetic algorithm (BRKGA) for finding small covers of computationally difficult set covering problems that arise in computing the 1-width of incidence matrices of Steiner triple systems. Using a parallel implementation of the BRKGA, we compute improved covers for the two largest instances in a standard set of test problems used … Read more