A robust-to-dynamics optimization (RDO) problem} is an optimization problem specified by two pieces of input: (i) a mathematical program (an objective function $f:\mathbb{R}^n\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ and a feasible set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$), and (ii) a dynamical system (a map $g:\mathbb{R}^n\rightarrow\mathbb{R}^n$). Its goal is to minimize $f$ over the set $\mathcal{S}\subseteq\Omega$ of initial conditions that forever remain in $\Omega$ under … Read more
The multilinear polytope MP_G of a hypergraph G is the convex hull of a set of binary points satisfying a collection of multilinear equations. We introduce the running-intersection inequalities, a new class of facet-defining inequalities for the multilinear polytope. Accordingly, we define a new polyhedral relaxation of MP_G referred to as the running-intersection relaxation and … Read more
Optimal contribution selection (OCS) is a mathematical optimization problem that aims to maximize the total benefit from selecting a group of individuals under a constraint on genetic diversity. We are specifically focused on OCS as applied to forest tree breeding, when selected individuals will contribute equally to the gene pool. Since the diversity constraint in … Read more
In this research, we consider the unrelated parallel machine scheduling problem with release dates. The goal of this scheduling problem is to find an optimal job assignment with minimal sum of weighted completion times. As it is demonstrated in the present paper, this problem is NP-hard in the strong sense. Albeit the computational complexity, which … Read more
This paper briefly overviews some recent and very fresh results on a rather new class of dynamic optimization problems governed by the so-called sweeping (Moreau) processes with controlled moving sets. Uncontrolled sweeping processes have been known in dynamical systems and applications starting from 1970s while control problems for them have drawn attention of mathematicians, applied … Read more
We investigate a second order dynamical system with variable damping in connection with the minimization of a nonconvex differentiable function. The dynamical system is formulated in the spirit of the differential equation which models Nesterov’s accelerated convex gradient method. We show that the generated trajectory converges to a critical point, if a regularization of the … Read more
The stable set problem is a fundamental combinatorial optimisation problem, that is known to be very difficult in both theory and practice. Some of the solution algorithms in the literature are based on 0-1 linear programming formulations. We examine an entire family of such formulations, based on so-called clique and nodal inequalities. As well as … Read more
It is known that operator splitting methods based on Forward Backward Splitting (FBS), Douglas-Rachford Splitting (DRS), and Davis-Yin Splitting (DYS) decompose a difficult optimization problems into simpler subproblem under proper convexity and smoothness assumptions. In this paper, we identify an envelope (an objective function) whose gradient descent iteration under a variable metric coincides with DYS … Read more
This work concerns the numerical solution of large-scale systems of nonlinear equations, when derivatives are not available for use, but assuming that all functions defining the problem are continuously differentiable. A hybrid approach is taken, based on a derivative-free iterative method, organized in three phases. The first phase is defined by derivative-free versions of a … Read more
In this article we study the connection between proximal point methods for nonconvex optimization and the backward Euler method from numerical Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs). We establish conditions for which these methods are equivalent. In the case of weakly convex functions, for small enough parameters, the implicit steps can be solved using a strongly convex … Read more