On optimality conditions for nonlinear conic programming

Sequential optimality conditions have played a major role in proving stronger global convergence results of numerical algorithms for nonlinear programming. Several extensions have been described in conic contexts, where many open questions have arisen. In this paper, we present new sequential optimality conditions in the context of a general nonlinear conic framework, which explains and … Read more

Testing Copositivity via Mixed-Integer Linear Programming

We describe a simple method to test if a given matrix is copositive by solving a single mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem. This methodology requires no special coding to implement and takes advantage of the computational power of modern MILP solvers. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the method is robust and efficient. CitationDept. of Business Analytics, … Read more

Distribution-free Algorithms for Learning Enabled Optimization with Non-parametric Estimation

This paper studies a fusion of concepts from stochastic optimization and non-parametric statistical learning, in which data is available in the form of covariates interpreted as predictors and responses. Such models are designed to impart greater agility, allowing decisions under uncertainty to adapt to the knowledge of the predictors (leading indicators). Specialized algorithms can be … Read more

Properties of the delayed weighted gradient method

The delayed weighted gradient method, recently introduced in [13], is a low-cost gradient-type method that exhibits a surprisingly and perhaps unexpected fast convergence behavior that competes favorably with the well-known conjugate gradient method for the minimization of convex quadratic functions. In this work, we establish several orthogonality properties that add understanding to the practical behavior … Read more

Computing mixed strategies equilibria in presence of switching costs by the solution of nonconvex QP problems

In this paper we address a game theory problem arising in the context of network security. In traditional game theory problems, given a defender and an attacker, one searches for mixed strategies which minimize a linear payoff functional. In the problem addressed in this paper an additional quadratic term is added to the minimization problem. … Read more

Near-optimal analysis of univariate moment bounds for polynomial optimization

We consider a recent hierarchy of upper approximations proposed by Lasserre (arXiv:1907.097784, 2019) for the minimization of a polynomial f over a compact set K⊆ℝn. This hierarchy relies on using the push-forward measure of the Lebesgue measure on K by the polynomial f and involves univariate sums of squares of polynomials with growing degrees 2r. … Read more

Exact and Heuristic Algorithms for the Carrier-Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem

This paper presents new structural properties for the Carrier-Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem. The authors provide a new mixed integer second order conic optimization formulation, with associated optimality cuts based on the structural properties, and an Iterated Local Search (ILS) algorithm. Computational experiments on instances from the literature demonstrate the superiority of the new formulation to … Read more

Distributionally Robust Bottleneck Combinatorial Problems: Uncertainty Quantification and Robust Decision Making

In a bottleneck combinatorial problem, the objective is to minimize the highest cost of elements of a subset selected from the combinatorial solution space. This paper studies data-driven distributionally robust bottleneck combinatorial problems (DRBCP) with stochastic costs, where the probability distribution of the cost vector is contained in a ball of distributions centered at the … Read more

Multistage Distributionally Robust Mixed-Integer Programming with Decision-Dependent Moment-Based Ambiguity Sets

We study multistage distributionally robust mixed-integer programs under endogenous uncertainty, where the probability distribution of stage-wise uncertainty depends on the decisions made in previous stages. We first consider two ambiguity sets defined by decision-dependent bounds on the first and second moments of uncertain parameters and by mean and covariance matrix that exactly match decision-dependent empirical … Read more