Convex envelopes for quadratic and polynomial functions over polytopes

In this paper we consider the problem of computing the value and a supporting hyperplane of the convex envelope for quadratic and polynomial functions over polytopes with known vertex set. We show that for general quadratic functions the computation can be carried on through a copositive problem, but in some cases (including all the two-dimensional … Read more

Explicit Convex and Concave Envelopes through Polyhedral Subdivisions

In this paper, we derive explicit characterizations of convex and concave envelopes of several nonlinear functions over various subsets of a hyper-rectangle. These envelopes are obtained by identifying polyhedral subdivisions of the hyper-rectangle over which the envelopes can be constructed easily. In particular, we use these techniques to derive, in closed-form, the concave envelopes of … Read more

On convex envelopes and underestimators for bivariate functions

In this paper we discuss convex underestimators for bivariate functions. We first present a method for deriving convex envelopes over the simplest two-dimensional polytopes, i.e., triangles. Next, we propose a technique to compute the value at some point of the convex envelope over a general two-dimensional polytope, together with a supporting hyperplane of the convex … Read more