First order dependence on uncertainty sets in robust optimization

We show that a first order problem can approximate solutions of a robust optimization problem when the uncertainty set is scaled, and explore further properties of this first order problem. Article Download View First order dependence on uncertainty sets in robust optimization

An Efficient Method to Estimate the Suboptimality of Affine Controllers

We consider robust output feedback control of time-varying, linear discrete-time systems operating over a finite horizon. For such systems, we consider the problem of designing robust causal controllers that minimize the expected value of a convex quadratic cost function, subject to mixed linear state and input constraints. Determination of an optimal control policy for such … Read more

Robust Markov Decision Processes

Markov decision processes (MDPs) are powerful tools for decision making in uncertain dynamic environments. However, the solutions of MDPs are of limited practical use due to their sensitivity to distributional model parameters, which are typically unknown and have to be estimated by the decision maker. To counter the detrimental effects of estimation errors, we consider … Read more

Risk Adjusted Budget Allocation Models with Application in Homeland Security

This paper presents and studies several models for multi-criterion budget allocation problems under uncertainty. We start by introducing a robust weighted objective model, which is developed further using the concept of stochastic dominance to incorporate risk averseness of the decision maker. A budget minimization variant of this model is also presented. We use a Sample … Read more

Prediction Range Estimation from Noisy Raman Spectra

Inferences need to be drawn in biological systems using experimental multivariate data. The number of samples collected in many such experiments is small, and the data is noisy. We present and study the performance of a robust optimization (RO) model for such situations. We adapt this model to generate a minimum and a maximum estimation … Read more

Locating a competitive facility in the plane with a robustness criterion

A new continuous location model is presented and embedded in the literature on robustness in facility location. The multimodality of the model is investigated, and a branch and bound method based on dc optimization is described. Numerical experience is reported, showing that the developed method allows one to solve in a few seconds problems with … Read more

An Efficient Decomposition Algorithm for Static, Stochastic, Linear and Mixed-Integer Linear Programs with Conditional-Value-at-Risk Constraints

We present an efficient decomposition algorithm for single-stage, stochastic linear programs, where conditional value at risk (CVaR) appears as a risk measure in multiple constraints. It starts with a well-known nonlinear, convex reformulation of conditional value at risk constraints, and establishes the connection to a combinatorially large polyhedral representation of the convex feasible set induced … Read more

Worst-Case Violation of Sampled Convex Programs for Optimization with Uncertainty

Uncertain programs have been developed to deal with optimization problems including inexact data, i.e., uncertainty. A deterministic approach called robust optimization is commonly applied to solve these problems. Recently, Calafiore and Campi have proposed a randomized approach based on sampling of constraints, where the number of samples is determined so that only small portion of … Read more

Nonconvex Robust Optimization

We propose a novel robust optimization technique, which is applicable to nonconvex and simulation-based problems. Robust optimization finds decisions with the best worst-case performance under uncertainty. If constraints are present, decisions should also be feasible under perturbations. In the real-world, many problems are nonconvex and involve computer-based simulations. In these applications, the relationship between decision … Read more

Two-Stage Robust Unit Commitment Problem

As an energy market transforms from a regulated market to a deregulated one, the demands for a power plant are highly uncertain. In this paper, we study a two-stage robust optimization formulation and provide a tractable solution approach for the problem. The computational experiments show the effectiveness of our approach. Article Download View Two-Stage Robust … Read more