Clique-based facets for the precedence constrained knapsack problem

We consider a knapsack problem with precedence constraints imposed on pairs of items, known as the precedence constrained knapsack problem (PCKP). This problem has applications in management and machine scheduling, and also appears as a subproblem in decomposition techniques for network design and other related problems. We present a new approach for determining facets of … Read more

Dynamic Enumeration of All Mixed Cells

The polyhedral homotopy method, which has been known as a powerful numerical method for computing all isolated zeros of a polynomial system, requires all mixed cells of the support of the system to construct a family of homotopy functions. Finding the mixed cells is formulated in terms of a linear inequality system with an additional … Read more

On the complexity of optimization over the standard simplex

We review complexity results for minimizing polynomials over the standard simplex and unit hypercube. In addition, we show that there exists a polynomial time approximation scheme (PTAS) for minimizing some classes of functions (including Lipschitz continuous functions) over the standard simplex. The main tools used in the analysis are Bernstein approximation and Lagrange interpolation on … Read more

The Rate of Convergence of the Augmented Lagrangian Method for Nonlinear Semidefinite Programming

We analyze the rate of local convergence of the augmented Lagrangian method for nonlinear semidefinite optimization. The presence of the positive semidefinite cone constraint requires extensive tools such as the singular value decomposition of matrices, an implicit function theorem for semismooth functions, and certain variational analysis on the projection operator in the symmetric-matrix space. Without … Read more

Kantorovich’s Majorants Principle for Newton’s Method

We prove Kantorovich’s theorem on Newton’s method using a convergence analysis which makes clear, with respect to Newton’s Method, the relationship of the majorant function and the non-linear operator under consideration. This approach enable us to drop out the assumption of existence of a second root for the majorant function, still guaranteeing Q-quadratic convergence rate … Read more

Generating and Measuring Instances of Hard Semidefinite Programs, SDP

Linear Programming, LP, problems with finite optimal value have a zero duality gap and a primal-dual strictly complementary optimal solution pair. On the other hand, there exists Semidefinite Programming, SDP, problems which have a nonzero duality gap (different primal and dual optimal values; not both infinite). The duality gap is assured to be zero if … Read more

Computing robust basestock levels

This paper considers how to optimally set the basestock level for a single buffer when demand is uncertain, in a robust framework. We present a family of algorithms based on decomposition that scale well to problems with hundreds of time periods, and theoretical results on more general models. CitationCORC report TR-2005-09, Columbia University, November 2005ArticleDownload … Read more

A Note on Sparse SOS and SDP Relaxations for Polynomial Optimization Problems over Symmetric Cones

This short note extends the sparse SOS (sum of squares) and SDP (semidefinite programming) relaxation proposed by Waki, Kim, Kojima and Muramatsu for normal POPs (polynomial optimization problems) to POPs over symmetric cones, and establishes its theoretical convergence based on the recent convergence result by Lasserre on the sparse SOS and SDP relaxation for normal … Read more

Finding the best root node strategy for the approximation of the time-indexed bound in min-sum scheduling

We identify the best root node strategy for the approximation of the time-indexed bound in min-sum scheduling by sorting through various options that involve the primal simplex, dual simplex, and barrier methods for linear programming, the network simplex method for network flow problems, and Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition and column generation. CitationSubmitted for publication.ArticleDownload View PDF

Hyperbolic Polynomials Approach to Van der Waerden/Schrijver-Valiant like Conjectures :\

The paper describes various combinatorial and algorithmic applications of hyperbolic (multivariate) polynomials . Section 2.2 introduces a new class of polynomials , which include as hyperbolic polynomials as well volume polynomials $Vol(x_1C_1+…+x_nC_n)$ , where $C_i$ are convex compact subsets of $R^n$. This extension leads to randomized poly-time algorithm to approximate $M(C_1,…,C_n)$ (the mixed volume) within … Read more