CliSAT: a SAT-based exact algorithm for hard maximum clique problems

Given a graph, the maximum clique problem (MCP) asks for determining a complete subgraph with the largest possible number of vertices. We propose a new exact algorithm, called CliSAT, to solve the MCP to proven optimality. This problem is of fundamental importance in graph theory and combinatorial optimization due to its practical relevance for a … Read more

Branch-and-Bound Performance Estimation Programming: A Unified Methodology for Constructing Optimal Optimization Methods

We present the Branch-and-Bound Performance Estimation Programming (BnB-PEP), a unified methodology for constructing optimal first-order methods for convex and nonconvex optimization. BnB-PEP poses the problem of finding the optimal optimization method as a nonconvex but practically tractable quadratically constrained quadratic optimization problem and solves it to certifiable global optimality using a customized branch-and-bound algorithm. By … Read more

An Algorithm for Stochastic Convex-Concave Fractional Programs with Applications to Production Efficiency and Equitable Resource Allocation

We propose an algorithm to solve convex and concave fractional programs and their stochastic counterparts in a common framework. Our approach is based on a novel reformulation that involves differences of square terms in the constraints, and subsequent employment of piecewise-linear approximations of the concave terms. Using the branch-and-bound framework, our algorithm adaptively refines the … Read more

A Decision Space Algorithm for Multiobjective Convex Quadratic Integer Optimization

We present a branch-and-bound algorithm for minimizing multiple convex quadratic objective functions over integer variables. Our method looks for efficient points by fixing subsets of variables to integer values and by using lower bounds in the form of hyperplanes in the image space derived from the continuous relaxations of the restricted objective functions. We show … Read more

A bi-level branch-and-bound algorithm for the capacitated competitive facility location problem

Competitive facility location problem is a typical facility locating optimization problem but in a competitive environment. The main characteristic of this problem is the competitive nature of the market. In essence, the problem involves two competitors, i.e., a leader and a follower, who seek to attract customers by establishing new facilities to maximize their own … Read more

An Algorithmic Approach to Multiobjective Optimization with Decision Uncertainty

In real life applications optimization problems with more than one objective function are often of interest. Next to handling multiple objective functions, another challenge is to deal with uncertainties concerning the realization of the decision variables. One approach to handle these uncertainties is to consider the objectives as set-valued functions. Hence, the image of one … Read more

Best case exponential running time of a branch-and-bound algorithm using an optimal semidefinite relaxation

Chvatal (1980) has given a simple example of a knapsack problem for which a branch-and-bound algorithm using domination and linear relaxations to eliminate subproblems will use an exponential number of steps in the best case. In this short note it is shown that Chvatals result remains true when the LP relaxation is replaced with a … Read more

A Branch-and-Bound based Algorithm for Nonconvex Multiobjective Optimization

A new branch-and-bound based algorithm for smooth nonconvex multiobjective optimization problems with convex constraints is presented. The algorithm computes an $(\varepsilon,\delta)$-approximation of all globally optimal solutions. We introduce the algorithm which uses selection rules, discarding and termination tests. The discarding tests are the most important aspect, as they examine in different ways whether a box … Read more

An LP-based Algorithm to Test Copositivity

A symmetric matrix is called copositive if it generates a quadratic form taking no negative values over the nonnegative orthant, and the linear optimization problem over the set of copositive matrices is called the copositive programming problem. Recently, many studies have been done on the copositive programming problem (see, for example, \cite{aDUR10, aBOMZE12}). Among others, … Read more