Mixed integer nonlinear programs (MINLPs) are arguably among the hardest optimization problems, with a wide range of applications. MINLP solvers that are based on linear relaxations and spatial branching work similar as mixed integer programming (MIP) solvers in the sense that they are based on a branch-and-cut algorithm, enhanced by various heuristics, domain propagation, and … Read more
We present a framework to obtain valid inequalities for optimization problems constrained by a reverse convex set, which is defined as the set of points in a polyhedron that lie outside a given open convex set. We are particularly interested in cases where the closure of the convex set is either non-polyhedral, or is defined … Read more
Given a factorable function f, we propose a procedure that constructs a concave underestimor of f that is tight at a given point. These underestimators can be used to generate intersection cuts. A peculiarity of these underestimators is that they do not rely on a bounded domain. We propose a strengthening procedure for the intersection … Read more
We consider a direct approach to solve mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problems with constraints depending on initial and terminal conditions of an ordinary differential equation. In order to obtain a finite-dimensional problem, the dynamics are approximated using discretization methods. In the framework of general one-step methods, we provide sufficient conditions for the convergence of this approach … Read more
Semidefinite programming relaxations complement polyhedral relaxations for quadratic optimization, but global optimization solvers built on polyhedral relaxations cannot fully exploit this advantage. This paper develops linear outer-approximations of semidefinite constraints that can be effectively integrated into global solvers. The difference from previous work is that our proposed cuts are (i) sparser with respect to the … Read more
Water supply of high-rise buildings requires pump systems to ensure pressure requirements. The design goal of these systems are energy and cost efficiency, both in terms of fixed cost as well as during operation. In this paper, cost optimal decentralized and tree-shaped water distribution networks are computed, where placements of pumps at different locations in … Read more
Within this work, we present a warm-started algorithm for Model Predictive Control (MPC) of switched nonlinear systems under combinatorial constraints based on Combinatorial Integral Approximation (CIA). To facilitate high-speed solutions, we introduce a preprocessing step for complexity reduction of CIA problems, and include this approach within a new toolbox for solution of CIA problems with … Read more
The SCIP Optimization Suite provides a collection of software packages for mathematical optimization centered around the constraint integer programming framework SCIP. This paper discusses enhancements and extensions contained in version 6.0 of the SCIP Optimization Suite. Besides performance improvements of the MIP and MINLP core achieved by new primal heuristics and a new selection criterion … Read more
In this paper, we study the transient optimization of gas networks, focusing in particular on maximizing the storage capacity of the network. We include nonlinear gas physics and active elements such as valves and compressors, which due to their switching lead to discrete decisions. The former is described by a model derived from the Euler … Read more
In this article, we provide an overview of some of our recent results on the facial structure of the multilinear polytope with a special focus on its decomposability properties. Namely, we demonstrate that, in the context of mixed-integer nonlinear optimization, the decomposability of the multilinear polytope plays a key role from both theoretical and algorithmic … Read more