Understanding the Douglas-Rachford splitting method through the lenses of Moreau-type envelopes

We analyze the Douglas-Rachford splitting method for weakly convex optimization problems, by the token of the Douglas-Rachford envelope, a merit function akin to the Moreau envelope. First, we use epi-convergence techniques to show that this artifact approximates the original objective function via epigraphs. Secondly, we present how global convergence and local linear convergence rates for … Read more

Solving the parallel processor scheduling and bin packing problems with contiguity constraints: mathematical models and computational studies

The parallel processor scheduling and bin packing problems with contiguity constraints are important in the field of combinatorial optimization because both problems can be used as components of effective exact decomposition approaches for several two-dimensional packing problems. In this study, we provide an extensive review of existing mathematical formulations for the two problems, together with … Read more

A computational study of cutting-plane methods for multi-stage stochastic integer programs

We report a computational study of cutting plane algorithms for multi-stage stochastic mixed-integer programming models with the following cuts: (i) Benders’, (ii) Integer L-shaped, and (iii) Lagrangian cuts. We first show that Integer L-shaped cuts correspond to one of the optimal solutions of the Lagrangian dual problem, and, therefore, belong to the class of Lagrangian … Read more

Spatial branch-and-bound for nonconvex separable piecewise linear optimization

Nonconvex separable piecewise linear functions (PLFs) frequently appear in applications and to approximate nonlinearitites. The standard practice to formulate nonconvex PLFs is from the perspective of discrete optimization, using special ordered sets and mixed integer linear programs (MILPs). In contrast, we take the viewpoint of global continuous optimization and present a spatial branch-and-bound algorithm (sBB) … Read more

Extended Formulations for Control Languages Defined by Finite-State Automata

Many discrete optimal control problems feature combinatorial constraints on the possible switching patterns, a common example being minimum dwell-time constraints. After discretizing to a finite time grid, for these and many similar types of constraints, it is possible to give a description of the convex hull of feasible (finite-dimensional) binary controls via extended formulations. In … Read more

Edge expansion of a graph: SDP-based computational strategies

Computing the edge expansion of a graph is a famously hard combinatorial problem for which there have been many approximation studies. We present two variants of exact algorithms using semidefinite programming (SDP) to compute this constant for any graph. The first variant uses the SDP relaxation first to reduce the search space considerably. The problem … Read more

Solving the three-dimensional open-dimension rectangular packing problem: a constraint programming model

In this paper, we address the three-dimensional open-dimension rectangular packing problem (3D-ODRPP). This problem addresses a set of rectangular boxes of given dimensions and a rectangular container of open dimensions. The objective is to pack all boxes orthogonally into the container while minimizing the container volume. Real-world applications of the 3D-ODRPP arise in production systems … Read more

On Packing a Submodular Knapsack of Unknown Capacity

Consider the problem of maximizing a monotone-increasing submodular function defined on a set of weighted items under an unknown knapsack capacity. Assume that items are packed sequentially into the knapsack and that the capacity of the knapsack is accessed through an oracle that answers whether an item fits into the currently packed knapsack. If an … Read more

A Subspace Minimization Barzilai-Borwein Method for Multiobjective Optimization Problems

Nonlinear conjugate gradient methods have recently garnered significant attention within the multiobjective optimization community. These methods aim to maintain consistency in conjugate parameters with their single-objective optimization counterparts. However, the preservation of the attractive conjugate property of search directions remains uncertain, even for quadratic cases, in multiobjective conjugate gradient methods. This loss of interpretability of … Read more