The Stochastic Multistage Fixed Charge Transportation Problem: Worst-Case Analysis of the Rolling Horizon Approach

We introduce the Stochastic multistage fixed charge transportation problem in which a producer has to ship an uncertain load to a customer within a deadline. At each time period, a fixed transportation price can be paid to buy a transportation capacity. If the transportation capacity is used, the supplier also pays an uncertain unit transportation … Read more

Elementary polytopes with high lift-and-project ranks for strong positive semidefinite operators

We consider operators acting on convex subsets of the unit hypercube. These operators are used in constructing convex relaxations of combinatorial optimization problems presented as a 0,1 integer programming problem or a 0,1 polynomial optimization problem. Our focus is mostly on operators that, when expressed as a lift-and-project operator, involve the use of semidefiniteness constraints … Read more

Stochastic Optimization of Vaccine Vial Replenishment

We present a two-stage stochastic linear programming model to manage the inventory of vaccine vials in developing countries. In these countries immunization programs often involve targeted outreach services in remote locations. Organizations managing these programs are in need of tools which identify inventory replenishment and vaccine utilization plans to minimize costs and wastage while achieving … Read more

Decomposition of loosely coupled integer programs: A multiobjective perspective

We consider integer programming (IP) problems consisting of (possibly a large number of) subsystems and a small number of coupling constraints that link variables from different subsystems. Such problems are called loosely coupled or nearly decomposable. Motivated by recent developments in multiobjective programming (MOP), we develop a MOP-based decomposition algorithm to solve loosely coupled IPs. … Read more

Improved Handling of Uncertainty and Robustness in Set Covering Problems

This paper studies the emergency service facility location problem in an uncertain environment. The main focus is the integration of uncertainty regarding the covered area due to uncertain traveling times. Previous approaches only consider either probabilistic or fuzzy optimization to cope with uncertainty. However, in many real-world problems the required statistical parameters are not precisely … Read more

Extended Formulations and Branch-and-Cut Algorithms for the Black-and-White Traveling Salesman Problem

In this paper we study integer linear programming models and develop branch-and-cut algorithms to solve the Black-and-White Traveling Salesman Problem (BWTSP) (Bourgeois et al., 2003) which is a variant of the well known Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Two strategies to model the BWTSP have been used in the literature. The problem is either modeled on … Read more

Positioning and construction algorithms for a specific absolute positioning magnetic ruler system

Abstract Absolute positioning magnetic rulers are rulers which calculate the distance of the reading head based just on one reading of a magnetic signal. A new absolute positioning magnetic ruler method which is based on rulers with trapezoidal magnetic poles is considered in this paper. On a fixed position of a ruler, the reading head … Read more

A Sequential Algorithm for Solving Nonlinear Optimization Problems with Chance Constraints

An algorithm is presented for solving nonlinear optimization problems with chance constraints, i.e., those in which a constraint involving an uncertain parameter must be satisfied with at least a minimum probability. In particular, the algorithm is designed to solve cardinality-constrained nonlinear optimization problems that arise in sample average approximations of chance-constrained problems, as well as … Read more

New analysis of linear convergence of gradient-type methods via unifying error bound conditions

The subject of linear convergence of gradient-type methods on non-strongly convex optimization has been widely studied by introducing several notions as sufficient conditions. Influential examples include the error bound property, the restricted strongly convex property, the quadratic growth property, and the Kurdyka-{\L}ojasiewicz property. In this paper, we first define a group of error bound conditions … Read more

Second-order optimality and beyond: characterization and evaluation complexity in convexly-constrained nonlinear optimization

High-order optimality conditions for convexly-constrained nonlinear optimization problems are analyzed. A corresponding (expensive) measure of criticality for arbitrary order is proposed and extended to define high-order $\epsilon$-approximate critical points. This new measure is then used within a conceptual trust-region algorithm to show that, if derivatives of the objective function up to order $q \geq 1$ … Read more