Direct Multisearch for Multiobjective Optimization

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

Convergence and Descent Properties for a Class of Multilevel Optimization Algorithms

I present a multilevel optimization approach (termed MG/Opt) for the solution of constrained optimization problems. The approach assumes that one has a hierarchy of models, ordered from fine to coarse, of an underlying optimization problem, and that one is interested in finding solutions at the finest level of detail. In this hierarchy of models calculations … Read more

Necessary optimality conditions for multiobjective bilevel programs

The multiobjective bilevel program is a sequence of two optimization problems where the upper level problem is multiobjective and the constraint region of the upper level problem is determined implicitly by the solution set to the lower level problem. In the case where the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) condition is necessary and sufficient for global optimality of … Read more

Using approximate secant equations in limited memory methods for multilevel unconstrained optimization

The properties of multilevel optimization problems defined on a hierarchy of discretization grids can be used to define approximate secant equations, which describe the second-order behaviour of the objective function. Following earlier work by Gratton and Toint (2009), we introduce a quasi-Newton method (with a linesearch) and a nonlinear conjugate gradient method that both take … Read more

Approximating Hessians in multilevel unconstrained optimization

We consider Hessian approximation schemes for large-scale multilevel unconstrained optimization problems, which typically present a sparsity and partial separability structure. This allows iterative quasi-Newton methods to solve them despite of their size. Structured finite-difference methods and updating schemes based on the secant equation are presented and compared numerically inside the multilevel trust-region algorithm proposed by … Read more

Numerical Experience with a Recursive Trust-Region Method for Multilevel Nonlinear Optimization

We consider an implementation of the recursive multilevel trust-region algorithm proposed by Gratton, Mouffe, Toint, Weber (2008) for bound-constrained nonlinear problems, and provide numerical experience on multilevel test problems. A suitable choice of the algorithm’s parameters is identified on these problems, yielding a satisfactory compromise between reliability and efficiency. The resulting default algorithm is then … Read more

Comparison Between NSGA-II and MOEA/D on a Set of Multiobjective Optimization Problems with Complicated Pareto Sets

Partly due to lack of test problems, the impact of the Pareto set (PS) shapes on the performance of evolutionary algorithms has not yet attracted much attention. This paper introduces a general class of continuous multiobjective optimization test instances with arbitrary prescribed PS shapes, which could be used for studying the ability of MOEAs for … Read more

A recursive trust-region method in infinity norm for bound-constrained nonlinear optimization

A recursive trust-region method is introduced for the solution of bound-constrained nonlinear nonconvex optimization problems for which a hierarchy of descriptions exists. Typical cases are infinite-dimensional problems for which the levels of the hierarchy correspond to discretization levels, from coarse to fine. The new method uses the infinity norm to define the shape of the … Read more

An Adaptive Primal-Dual Warm-Start Technique for Quadratic Multiobjective Optimization

We present a new primal-dual algorithm for convex quadratic multicriteria optimization. The algorithm is able to adaptively refine the approximation to the set of efficient points by way of a warm-start interior-point scalarization approach. Results of this algorithm when applied on a three-criteria real-world power plant optimization problem are reported, thereby illustrating the feasibility of … Read more

Numerical Experience with a Recursive Trust-Region Method for Multilevel Nonlinear Optimization

We consider an implementation of the recursive multilevel trust-region algorithm proposed by Gratton, Sartenaer, Toint (2004), and provide significant numerical experience on multilevel test problems. A suitable choice of the algorithm’s parameters is identified on these problems, yielding a very satisfactory compromise between reliability and efficiency. The resulting default algorithm is then compared to alternative … Read more