Constraint propagation on quadratic constraints

This paper considers constraint propagation methods for continuous constraint satisfaction problems consisting of linear and quadratic constraints. All methods can be applied after suitable preprocessing to arbitrary algebraic constraints. The basic new techniques consist in eliminating bilinear entries from a quadratic constraint, and solving the resulting separable quadratic constraints by means of a sequence of … Read more

An Inexact Newton Method for Nonconvex Equality Constrained Optimization

We present a matrix-free line search algorithm for large-scale equality constrained optimization that allows for inexact step computations. For strictly convex problems, the method reduces to the inexact sequential quadratic programming approach proposed by Byrd et al. [SIAM J. Optim. 19(1) 351–369, 2008]. For nonconvex problems, the methodology developed in this paper allows for the … Read more

SPECTRAL STOCHASTIC FINITE-ELEMENT METHODS FOR PARAMETRIC CONSTRAINED OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS

We present a method to approximate the solution mapping of parametric constrained optimization problems. The approximation, which is of the spectral stochastic finite element type, is represented as a linear combination of orthogonal polynomials. Its coefficients are determined by solving an appropriate finite-dimensional constrained optimization problem. We show that, under certain conditions, the latter problem … Read more

An Inexact SQP Method for Equality Constrained Optimization

We present an algorithm for large-scale equality constrained optimization. The method is based on a characterization of inexact sequential quadratic programming (SQP) steps that can ensure global convergence. Inexact SQP methods are needed for large-scale applications for which the iteration matrix cannot be explicitly formed or factored and the arising linear systems must be solved … Read more

Asynchronous parallel generating set search for linearly-constrained optimization

Generating set search (GSS) is a family of direct search methods that encompasses generalized pattern search and related methods. We describe an algorithm for asynchronous linearly-constrained GSS, which has some complexities that make it different from both the asynchronous bound-constrained case as well as the synchronous linearly-constrained case. The algorithm has been implemented in the … Read more

A local convergence property of primal-dual methods for nonlinear programming

We prove a new local convergence property of a primal-dual method for solving nonlinear optimization problem. Following a standard interior point approach, the complementarity conditions of the original primal-dual system are perturbed by a parameter which is driven to zero during the iterations. The sequence of iterates is generated by a linearization of the perturbed … Read more

Steplength Selection in Interior-Point Methods for Quadratic Programming

We present a new strategy for choosing primal and dual steplengths in a primal-dual interior-point algorithm for convex quadratic programming. Current implementations often scale steps equally to avoid increases in dual infeasibility between iterations. We propose that this method can be too conservative, while safeguarding an unequally-scaled steplength approach will often require fewer steps toward … Read more

Dynamic updates of the barrier parameter in primal-dual methods for nonlinear programming

We introduce a framework in which updating rules for the barrier parameter in primal-dual interior-point methods become dynamic. The original primal-dual system is augmented to incorporate explicitly an updating function. A Newton step for the augmented system gives a primal-dual Newton step and also a step in the barrier parameter. Based on local information and … Read more

A primal-dual interior point method for nonlinear optimization over second order cones

In this paper, we are concerned with nonlinear minimization problems with second order cone constraints. A primal-dual interior point method is proposed for solving the problems. We also propose a new primal-dual merit function by combining the barrier penalty function and the potential function within the framework of the line search strategy, and show the … Read more

Interior-Point l_2 Penalty Methods for Nonlinear Programming with Strong Global Convergence Properties

We propose two line search primal-dual interior-point methods that approximately solve a equence of equality constrained barrier subproblems. To solve each subproblem, our methods apply a modified Newton method and use an $\ell_2$-exact penalty function to attain feasibility. Our methods have strong global convergence properties under standard assumptions. Specifically, if the penalty parameter remains bounded, … Read more