For smooth objective functions it has been shown that the worst case cost of direct-search methods is of the same order as the one of steepest descent, when measured in number of iterations to achieve a certain threshold of stationarity. Motivated by the lack of such a result in the non-smooth case, we propose, analyze, … Read more
In the paper, we propose a bilevel direct search method for solving a type of leader-follower problems with each decision maker’s objective being a “black-box” function. First, we give a description for a leader-follower optimization problem. Then, we investigate a bilevel direct search method including two algorithms for combinatorially solving the upper and lower level … Read more
In this paper we prove that direct search of directional type shares the worst case complexity bound of steepest descent when sufficient decrease is imposed using a quadratic function of the step size parameter. This result is proved under smoothness of the objective function and using a framework of the type of GSS (generating set … Read more
In practical applications of optimization it is common to have several conflicting objective functions to optimize. Frequently, these functions are subject to noise or can be of black-box type, preventing the use of derivative-based techniques. We propose a novel multiobjective derivative-free methodology, calling it direct multisearch (DMS), which does not aggregate any of the objective … Read more
It is known that the Clarke generalized directional derivative is nonnegative along the limit directions generated by directional direct-search methods at a limit point of certain subsequences of unsuccessful iterates, if the function being minimized is Lipschitz continuous near the limit point. In this paper we generalize this result for non-Lipschitzian functions using Rockafellar generalized … Read more
In this paper we address the global optimization of functions subject to bound and linear constraints without using derivatives of the objective function. We investigate the use of derivative-free models based on radial basis functions (RBFs) in the search step of direct-search methods of directional type. We also study the application of algorithms based on … Read more
Portfolio optimisation for a Fund of Hedge Funds (“FoHF”) has to address the asymmetric, non-Gaussian nature of the underlying returns distributions. Furthermore, the objective functions and constraints are not necessarily convex or even smooth. Therefore traditional portfolio optimisation methods such as mean-variance optimisation are not appropriate for such problems and global search optimisation algorithms could … Read more
We propose a Generating Search Set method for solving the oblique l_1 Procrustes problem. Implementative details, algorithmic choices and theoretical properties of the method are discussed. The results of some numerical experiments are reported. Citationin Applied and Industrial Mathematics in Italy III – Proceedings of the 9th Conference SIMAI, De Bernardis et. Al. (eds), Series … Read more
The goal of this paper is to show that the use of minimum Frobenius norm quadratic models can improve the performance of direct-search methods. The approach taken here is to maintain the structure of directional direct-search methods, organized around a search and a poll step, and to use the set of previously evaluated points generated … Read more
PSwarm was developed originally for the global optimization of functions without derivatives and where the variables are within upper and lower bounds. The underlying algorithm used is a pattern search method, more specifically a coordinate search method, which guarantees convergence to stationary points from arbitrary starting points. In the (optional) search step of coordinate search, … Read more