The Impact of Sampling Methods on Bias and Variance in Stochastic Linear Programs

Two-stage stochastic linear programs can be solved approximately by drawing a subset of all possible random scenarios and solving the problem based on this subset, an approach known as sample path optimization. Sample path optimization creates two kinds of objective function bias. First, the expected optimal objective function value for the sampled problem is lower … Read more

On the Implementation of Interior Point Decomposition Algorithms for Two-Stage Stochastic Conic

In this paper we develop a practical primal interior decomposition algorithm for two-stage stochastic programming problems. The framework of this algorithm is similar to the framework in Mehrotra and \”{Ozevin} \cite{MO04a,MO04b} and Zhao \cite{GZ01}, however their algorithm is altered in a simple yet fundamental way to achieve practical performance. In particular, this new algorithm weighs … Read more

A Robust Optimization Perspective of Stochastic Programming

In this paper, we introduce an approach for constructing uncertainty sets for robust optimization using new deviation measures for bounded random variables known as the forward and backward deviations. These deviation measures capture distributional asymmetry and lead to better approximations of chance constraints. We also propose a tractable robust optimization approach for obtaining robust solutions … Read more

Non-Linear Stochastic Fractional Programming Models of Financial Derivatives

Non-Linear Stochastic Fractional programming models provide numerous insights into a wide variety of areas such as in financial derivatives. Portfolio optimization has been one of the important research fields in modern finance. The most important character within this optimization problem is the uncertainty of the future returns on assets. The objective of this study is … Read more

Linear Stochastic Fractional Programming with Sum-of-Probabilistic-Fractional Objective

Fractional programming deals with the optimization of one or several ratios of functions subject to constraints. Most of these optimization problems are not convex while some of them are still generalised convex. After about forty years of research, well over one thousand articles have appeared on applications, theory and solution methods for various types of … Read more

Temporal difference learning with kernels for pricing american-style options

We propose in this paper to study the problem of estimating the cost-to-go function for an infinite-horizon discounted Markov chain with possibly continuous state space. For implementation purposes, the state space is typically discretized. As soon as the dimension of the state space becomes large, the computation is no more practicable, a phenomenon referred to … Read more

The value of multi-stage stochastic programming in capacity planning under uncertainty

This paper addresses a general class of capacity planning problems under uncertainty, which arises, for example, in semiconductor tool purchase planning. Using a scenario tree to model the evolution of the uncertainties, we develop a multi-stage stochastic integer programming formulation for the problem. In contrast to earlier two-stage approaches, the multi-stage model allows for revision … Read more

A Perturbed Gradient Algorithm in Hilbert Spaces

We propose a perturbed gradient algorithm with stochastic noises to solve a general class of optimization problems. We provide a convergence proof for this algorithm, under classical assumptions on the descent direction, and new assumptions on the stochastic noises. Instead of requiring the stochastic noises to correspond to martingale increments, we only require these noises … Read more

Stochastic Mathematical Programs with Equilibrium Constraints, Modeling and Sample Average Approximation

In this paper, we discuss the sample average approximation (SAA) method applied to a class of stochastic mathematical programs with variational (equilibrium) constraints. To this end, we briefly investigate piecewise structure and directional differentiability of both — the lower level equilibrium solution and objective integrant. We show almost sure convergence of optimal values, optimal solutions … Read more

On Complexity of Multistage Stochastic Programs

In this paper we derive estimates of the sample sizes required to solve a multistage stochastic programming problem with a given accuracy by the (conditional sampling) sample average approximation method. The presented analysis is self contained and is based on a, relatively elementary, one dimensional Cramer’s Large Deviations Theorem. Citation Working paper, Georgia Institute of … Read more