Reduction from the partition problem: Dynamic lot sizing problem with polynomial complexity

In this note, we reduce an instance of the partition problem to a dynamic lot sizing problem in polynomial time, and show that solving the latter problem solves the former problem. We further show that the instance of the partition problem can be solved using polynomial number of addition, multiplication and sort operations in input … Read more

How Stringent is the Linear Independence Kink Qualification in Abs-Smooth Optimization?

Abs-smooth functions are given by compositions of smooth functions and the evaluation of the absolute value. The linear independence kink qualification (LIKQ) is a fundamental assumption in optimization problems governed by these abs-smooth functions, generalizing the well-known LICQ from smooth optimization. In particular, provided that LIKQ holds it is possible to derive optimality conditions for … Read more

Polynomial-Time Algorithms for Setting Tight Big-M Coefficients in Transmission Expansion Planning with Disconnected Buses

\(\) The increasing penetration of renewable energy into power systems necessitates the development of effective methodologies to integrate initially disconnected generation sources into the grid. This paper introduces the Longest Shortest-Path-Connection (LSPC) algorithm, a graph-based method to enhance the mixed-integer linear programming disjunctive formulation of Transmission Expansion Planning (TEP) using valid inequalities (VIs). Traditional approaches … Read more

A proximal alternating direction method of multipliers with a proximal-perturbed Lagrangian function for nonconvex and nonsmooth structured optimization

Building on [J. Glob. Optim. 89 (2024) 899–926], we continue to focus on solving a nonconvex and nonsmooth structured optimization problem with linear and closed convex set constraints, where its objective function is the sum of a convex (possibly nonsmooth) function and a smooth (possibly nonconvex) function. Based on the traditional augmented Lagrangian construction, we … Read more

Gradient-Driven Solution Based on Indifference Analysis (GIA) for Scenario Modelling Optimization Problem

This paper introduces an optimization technique for scenario modeling in uncertain business situations, termed the Gradient-Driven Solution Based on Indifference Analysis (GIA). GIA evolves the conventional methods of scenario planning by applying a reverse-strategy approach, where future financial goals are specified, and the path to attain these targets are engineered backward. It adopts economic concepts … Read more

Accelerating Proximal Gradient Descent via Silver Stepsizes

\(\) Surprisingly, recent work has shown that gradient descent can be accelerated without using momentum–just by judiciously choosing stepsizes. An open question raised by several papers is whether this phenomenon of stepsize-based acceleration holds more generally for constrained and/or composite convex optimization via projected and/or proximal versions of gradient descent. We answer this in the … Read more

Faces of homogeneous cones and applications to homogeneous chordality

A convex cone K is said to be homogeneous if its group of automorphisms acts transitively on its relative interior. Important examples of homogeneous cones include symmetric cones and cones of positive semidefinite (PSD) matrices that follow a sparsity pattern given by a homogeneous chordal graph. Our goal in this paper is to elucidate the … Read more

Acceleration by Random Stepsizes: Hedging, Equalization, and the Arcsine Stepsize Schedule

\(\) We show that for separable convex optimization, random stepsizes fully accelerate Gradient Descent. Specifically, using inverse stepsizes i.i.d. from the Arcsine distribution improves the iteration complexity from $O(k)$ to $O(k^{1/2})$, where $k$ is the condition number. No momentum or other algorithmic modifications are required. This result is incomparable to the (deterministic) Silver Stepsize Schedule … Read more

Neural Embedded Mixed-Integer Optimization for Location-Routing Problems

We present a novel framework that combines machine learning with mixed-integer optimization to solve the Capacitated Location-Routing Problem (CLRP). The CLRP is a classical yet NP-hard problem that integrates strategic facility location with operational vehicle routing decisions, aiming to simultaneously minimize both fixed and variable costs. The proposed method first trains a permutationally invariant neural … Read more

Effective Scenarios in Distributionally Robust Optimization with Wasserstein Distance

This paper studies effective scenarios in Distributionally Robust Optimization (DRO) problems defined on a finite number of realizations (also called scenarios) of the uncertain parameters. Effective scenarios are critical scenarios in DRO in the sense that their removal from the support of the considered distributions alters the optimal value. Ineffective scenarios are those whose removal … Read more