We give a finite state approximation scheme to countable state controlled robust/risk-averse Markov chains, where there is uncertainty in the transition probability. A convergence theorem along with the corresponding rate for this approximation is established. An approximation to the stationary optimal policy is also given. Our results show a fundamental difference between the finite state … Read more
Worst-case complexity guarantees for nonconvex optimization algorithms have been a topic of growing interest. Multiple frameworks that achieve the best known complexity bounds among a broad class of first- and second-order strategies have been proposed. These methods have often been designed primarily with complexity guarantees in mind and, as a result, represent a departure from … Read more
Stochastic mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) is a very challenging type of problem. Although there have been recent advances in developing decomposition algorithms to solve stochastic MINLPs, none of the existing algorithms can address stochastic MINLPs with continuous distributions. We propose a sample average approximation-based outer approximation algorithm (SAAOA) that can address nonconvex two-stage stochastic programs … Read more
The Burer-Monteiro method is one of the most widely used techniques for solving large-scale semidefinite programs (SDP). The basic idea is to solve a nonconvex program in $Y$, where $Y$ is an $n \times p$ matrix such that $X = Y Y^T$. In this paper, we show that this method can solve SDPs in polynomial … Read more
Since the elimination algorithm of Fourier and Motzkin, many different methods have been developed for solving linear programs. When analyzing the time complexity of LP algorithms, it is typically either assumed that calculations are performed exactly and bounds are derived on the number of elementary arithmetic operations necessary, or the cost of all arithmetic operations … Read more
Many long-term investment planning models for liberalized electricity markets either optimize for the entire electricity system or focus on confined jurisdictions, abstracting from adjacent markets. In this paper, we provide models for analyzing the impact of the interdependencies between a core electricity market and its neighboring markets on key long-run decisions. This we do both … Read more
The analysis of infeasible subproblems plays an important role in solving mixed integer programs (MIPs) and is implemented in most major MIP solvers. There are two fundamentally different concepts to generate valid global constraints from infeasible subproblems. The first is to analyze the sequence of implications, obtained by domain propagation, that led to infeasibility. The … Read more
The design of water networks consists of selecting pipe connections and pumps to ensure a given water demand to minimize investment and operating costs. Of particular importance is the modeling of variable speed pumps, which are usually represented by degree two and three polynomials approximating the characteristic diagrams. In total, this yields complex mixed-integer (non-convex) … Read more
Conflict learning plays an important role in solving mixed integer programs (MIPs) and is implemented in most major MIP solvers. A major step for MIP conflict learning is to aggregate the LP relaxation of an infeasible subproblem to a single globally valid constraint, the dual proof, that proves infeasibility within the local bounds. Among others, … Read more
We describe the automatic Benders decomposition implemented in the commercial solver IBM CPLEX. We propose several improvements to the state-of-the-art along two lines: making a numerically robust method able to deal with the general case and improving the efficiency of the method on models amenable to decomposition. For the former, we deal with: unboundedness, failures … Read more