A Feasible Directions Method for Nonsmooth Convex Optimization

We propose a new technique for minimization of convex functions not necessarily smooth. Our approach employs an equivalent constrained optimization problem and approximated linear programs obtained with cutting planes. At each iteration a search direction and a step length are computed. If the step length is considered “non serious”, a cutting plane is added and … Read more

Fenchel Decomposition for Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programming

This paper introduces a new cutting plane method for two-stage stochastic mixed-integer programming (SMIP) called Fenchel decomposition (FD). FD uses a class of valid inequalities termed, FD cuts, which are derived based on Fenchel cutting planes from integer programming. First, we derive FD cuts based on both the first and second-stage variables, and devise an … Read more

Convergence to the optimal value for barrier methods combined with Hessian Riemannian gradient flows and generalized proximal algorithms

We consider the problem $\min_{x\in\R^n}\{f(x)\mid Ax=b, \ x\in\overline{C},\ g_j(x)\le0,\ j=1,\ldots,s\}$, where $b\in\R^m$, $A\in\R^{m\times n}$ is a full rank matrix, $\overline{C}$ is the closure of a nonempty, open and convex subset $C$ of $\R^n$, and $g_j(\cdot)$, $ j=1,\ldots,s$, are nonlinear convex functions. Our strategy consists firstly in to introduce a barrier-type penalty for the constraints $g_j(x)\le0$, … Read more

A Pure L1-norm Principal Component Analysis

The L1 norm has been applied in numerous variations of principal component analysis (PCA). L1-norm PCA is an attractive alternative to traditional L2-based PCA because it can impart robustness in the presence of outliers and is indicated for models where standard Gaussian assumptions about the noise may not apply. Of all the previously-proposed PCA schemes … Read more

On Duality Gap in Binary Quadratic Programming

We present in this paper new results on the duality gap between the binary quadratic optimization problem and its Lagrangian dual or semidefinite programming relaxation. We first derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the zero duality gap and discuss its relationship with the polynomial solvability of the primal problem. We then characterize the zeroness … Read more

On the convergence of a wide range of trust region methods for unconstrained optimization

We consider trust region methods for seeking the unconstrained minimum of an objective function F(x), x being the vector of variables, when the gradient grad F is available. The methods are iterative with a starting point x_1 being given. The new vector of variables x_(k+1) is derived from a quadratic approximation to F that interpolates … Read more

Recovering low-rank and sparse components of matrices from incomplete and noisy observations

Many applications arising in a variety of fields can be well illustrated by the task of recovering the low-rank and sparse components of a given matrix. Recently, it is discovered that this NP-hard task can be well accomplished, both theoretically and numerically, via heuristically solving a convex relaxation problem where the widely-acknowledged nuclear norm and … Read more

Python Optimization Modeling Objects (Pyomo)

We describe Pyomo, an open source tool for modeling optimization applications in Python. Pyomo can be used to de fine symbolic problems, create concrete problem instances, and solve these instances with standard solvers. Pyomo provides a capability that is commonly associated with algebraic modeling languages such as AMPL, AIMMS, and GAMS, but Pyomo’s modeling objects are … Read more

Analysis of Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming Method

In this paper we discuss statistical properties and rates of convergence of the Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming (SDDP) method applied to multistage linear stochastic programming problems. We assume that the underline data process is stagewise independent and consider the framework where at first a random sample from the original (true) distribution is generated and consequently … Read more

The Balanced Academic Curriculum Problem Revisited

The Balanced Academic Curriculum Problem (BACP) consists in assigning courses to teaching terms satisfying prerequisites and balancing the credit course load within each term. The BACP is part of the CSPLib with three benchmark instances, but its formulation is simpler than the problem solved in practice by the universities. In this article, we introduce a … Read more