Modelling Hop-Constrained and Diameter-Constrained Minimum Spanning Tree Problems as Steiner Tree Problems over Layered Graphs

The Hop-Constrained Minimum Spanning Tree Problem (HMSTP) is a NP-hard problem arising in the design of centralized telecommunication networks with quality of service constraints. We show that the HMSTP is equivalent to a Steiner Tree Problem (STP) in an adequate layered graph. We prove that the directed cut formulation for the STP defined in the … Read more

Computational testing of exact mixed knapsack separation for MIP problems

In this paper we study an exact separation algorithm for mixed knapsack sets with the aim of evaluating its effectiveness in a cutting plane algorithm for Mixed-Integer Programming. First proposed by Boyd in the 90’s, exact knapsack separation has recently found a renewed interest. In this paper we present a “lightweight” exact separation procedure for … Read more

Solving the problem of packing equal and unequal circles in a circular container

In this paper we propose a Monotonic Basin Hopping approach and its population-based variant Population Basin Hopping to solve the problem of packing equal and unequal circles within a circular container with minimum radius. Extensive computational experiments have been performed both to analyze the problem at hand, and to choose in an appropriate way the … Read more

An FPTAS for Minimizing the Product of Two Non-negative Linear Cost Functions

We consider a quadratic programming (QP) problem ($\Pi$) of the form $\min x^T C x$ subject to $Ax \ge b$ where $C\in {\mathbb R}^{n\mbox{\tiny\texttimes} n}_+, rank(C)=1$ and $A\in {\mathbb R}^{m\mbox{\tiny\texttimes} n}, b\in {\mathbb R}^m$. We present an FPTAS for this problem by reformulating the QP ($\Pi$) as a parametrized LP and “rounding” the optimal solution. … Read more

Lower bounds for approximate factorizations via semidefinite programming

The problem of approximately factoring a real or complex multivariate polynomial $f$ seeks minimal perturbations $\Delta f$ to the coefficients of the input polynomial $f$ so that the deformed polynomial $f + \Delta f$ has the desired factorization properties. Efficient algorithms exist that compute the nearest real or complex polynomials that has non-trivial factors. (see … Read more

On Newton(like) inequalities for multivariate homogeneous polynomials

Let $p(x_1,…,x_m) = \sum_{r_1 + \cdots + r_m = n} a_{r_1,…,r_m} \prod_{1 \leq i \leq m } x_i^{r_{i}}$ be a homogeneous polynomial of degree $n$ in $m$ variables. We call such polynomial {\bf H-Stable} if $p(z_1,…,z_m) \neq 0$ provided that the real parts $Re(z_i) > 0: 1 \leq i \leq m$. It can be assumed … Read more

Proximal Point Methods for Functions Involving Lojasiewicz, Quasiconvex and Convex Properties on Hadamard Manifolds

This paper extends the full convergence of the proximal point method with Riemannian, Semi-Bregman and Bregman distances to solve minimization problems on Hadamard manifolds. For the unconstrained problem, under the assumptions that the optimal set is nonempty and the objective function is continuous and either quasiconvex or satisfies a generalized Lojasiewicz property, we prove the … Read more

A Branch-and-cut Algorithm for Integer Bilevel Linear Programs

We describe a rudimentary branch-and-cut algorithm for solving integer bilevel linear programs that extends existing techniques for standard integer linear programs to this very challenging computational setting. The algorithm improves on the branch-and-bound algorithm of Moore and Bard in that it uses cutting plane techniques to produce improved bounds, does not require specialized branching strategies, … Read more

An Analysis of Weighted Least Squares Method and Layered Least Squares Method with the Basis Block Lower Triangular Matrix Form

In this paper, we analyze the limiting behavior of the weighted least squares problem $\min_{x\in\Re^n}\sum_{i=1}^p\|D_i(A_ix-b_i)\|^2$, where each $D_i$ is a positive definite diagonal matrix. We consider the situation where the magnitude of the weights are drastically different block-wisely so that $\max(D_1)\geq\min(D_1) \gg \max(D_2) \geq \min(D_2) \gg \max(D_3) \geq \ldots \gg \max(D_{p-1}) \geq \min(D_{p-1}) \gg \max(D_p)$. … Read more

An LPCC Approach to Nonconvex Quadratic Programs

Filling a gap in nonconvex quadratic programming, this paper shows that the global resolution of a feasible quadratic program (QP), which is not known a priori to be bounded or unbounded below, can be accomplished in finite time by solving a linear program with linear complementarity constraints, i.e., an LPCC. Alternatively, this task can be … Read more