In this paper we consider a global optimization problem, where the objective function is supposed to be Lipschitz-continuous with an unknown Lipschitz constant. Based on the recently introduced BIRECT (BIsection of RECTangles) algorithm, a new diagonal partitioning and sampling scheme is introduced. 0ur framework, called BIRECT-V (where V stands for vertices), combines bisection with sampling … Read more
The optimization of expensive black-box functions appears in many situations. Bayesian optimization methods have been successfully applied to solve these prob- lems using well-known single-point acquisition functions. Nowadays, the develop- ments in technology allow us to perform evaluations of some of these expensive function in parallel. Therefore, there is a need for batch infill criteria … Read more
Protecting critical infrastructure from intentional damage requires foreseeing the strategies of possible attackers. The problem faced by the defender of such infrastructure can be formulated as a Stackelberg security game. A defender must decide what specific targets to protect with limited resources, maximizing their expected utility (e.g., minimizing damage value) and considering that a second … Read more
We parametrize public policies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate the effectiveness of policies through sensitivity-based methods in order to offer insights into understanding the contributions to critical measures in retrospective. The study utilizes a group-specific SEIR model with a tracing and isolation strategy and vaccination programs. Public policies are applied to … Read more
We present a branch-and-bound method for multiobjective mixed-integer convex quadratic programs that computes a superset of efficient integer assignments and a coverage of the nondominated set. The method relies on outer approximations of the upper image set of continuous relaxations. These outer approximations are obtained addressing the dual formulations of specific subproblems where the values … Read more
Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) control is a fundamental control paradigm that is studied in various fields such as engineering, computer science, economics, and neuroscience. It involves controlling a system with linear dynamics and imperfect observations, subject to additive noise, with the goal of minimizing a quadratic cost function for the state and control variables. In this work, … Read more
We study multistage stochastic optimization problems using sample average approximation (SAA) and model predictive control (MPC) as solution approaches. MPC is frequently employed when the size of the problem renders stochastic dynamic programming intractable, but it is unclear how this choice affects out-of-sample performance. To compare SAA and MPC out-of-sample, we formulate and solve an … Read more
A central tool for understanding first-order optimization algorithms is the Kurdyka-Lojasiewicz inequality. Standard approaches to such methods rely crucially on this inequality to leverage sufficient decrease conditions involving gradients or subgradients. However, the KL property fundamentally concerns not subgradients but rather “slope”, a purely metric notion. By highlighting this view, and avoiding any use of … Read more
\(\) Optimization problems involving sequential decisions in a stochastic environment were studied in Stochastic Programming (SP), Stochastic Optimal Control (SOC) and Markov Decision Processes (MDP). In this paper we mainly concentrate on SP and SOC modelling approaches. In these frameworks there are natural situations when the considered problems are convex. Classical approach to sequential … Read more
\(\) This paper studies hidden convexity properties associated with constrained optimization problems over the set of rotation matrices \(\text{SO}(n)\). Such problems are nonconvex due to the constraint\(X\in\text{SO}(n)\). Nonetheless, we show that certain linear images of \(\text{SO}(n)\) are convex, opening up the possibility for convex optimization algorithms with provable guarantees for these problems. Our main technical … Read more