New approach for nonseparable dynamic programming problems

A general class of nonseparable dynamic problems is studied in a dynamic programming framework by introducingkth-order separability. The solution approach uses multiobjective dynamic programming as a separation strategy forkth-order separable dynamic problems. The theoretical grounding on which the optimal solution of the original nonseparable dynamic problem can be attained by a noninferior solution of the corresponding multiobjective dynamic programming problem is established. The relationship between the overall optimal Lagrangian multipliers and the stage-optimal Lagrangian multipliers and the relationship between the overall weighting vector and the stage weighting vector are explored, providing the basis for identifying the optimal solution of the original nonseparable problem from among the set of noninferior solutions generated by the envelope approach.This work was supported in part by NSF Grant No. CES-86-17984. The authors appreciate the comments from Dr. V. Chankong and the editorial work by Mrs. V. Benade and Dr. S. Hitchcock.     

pth Power Lagrangian Method for Integer Programming

When does there exist an optimal generating Lagrangian multiplier vector (that generates an optimal solution of an integer programming problem in a Lagrangian relaxation formulation), and in cases of nonexistence, can we produce the existence in some other equivalent representation space? Under what conditions does there exist an optimal primal-dual pair in integer programming? This paper considers both questions. A theoretical characterization of the perturbation function in integer programming yields a new insight on the existence of an optimal generating Lagrangian multiplier vector, the existence of an optimal primal-dual pair, and the duality gap. The proposed pth power Lagrangian method convexifies the perturbation function and guarantees the existence of an optimal generating Lagrangian multiplier vector. A condition for the existence of an optimal primal-dual pair is given for the Lagrangian relaxation method to be successful in identifying an optimal solution of the primal problem via the maximization of the Lagrangian dual. The existence of an optimal primal-dual pair is assured for cases with a single Lagrangian constraint, while adopting the pth power Lagrangian method. This paper then shows that an integer programming problem with multiple constraints can be always converted into an equivalent form with a single surrogate constraint. Therefore, success of a dual search is guaranteed for a general class of finite integer programming problems with a prominent feature of a one-dimensional dual search.     

The augmented Lagrangian method for a type of inverse quadratic programming problems over second-order cones

The focus of this paper is on studying an inverse second-order cone quadratic programming problem, in which the parameters in the objective function need to be adjusted as little as possible so that a known feasible solution becomes the optimal one. We formulate this problem as a minimization problem with cone constraints, and its dual, which has fewer variables than the original one, is a semismoothly differentiable (SC ¹) convex programming problem with both a linear inequality constraint and a linear second-order cone constraint. We demonstrate the global convergence of the augmented Lagrangian method with an exact solution to the subproblem and prove that the convergence rate of primal iterates, generated by the augmented Lagrangian method, is proportional to 1/r, and the rate of multiplier iterates is proportional to $1/\sqrt{r}$ , where r is the penalty parameter in the augmented Lagrangian. Furthermore, a semismooth Newton method with Armijo line search is constructed to solve the subproblems in the augmented Lagrangian approach. Finally, numerical results are reported to show the effectiveness of the augmented Lagrangian method with both an exact solution and an inexact solution to the subproblem for solving the inverse second-order cone quadratic programming problem.     

A Lagrangian search method for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>-median problem

In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for solving the classical P-median problem. The essential aim is to identify the optimal extended Lagrangian multipliers corresponding to the optimal solution of the underlying problem. For this, we first explore the structure of the data matrix in P-median problem to recast it as another equivalent global optimization problem over the space of the extended Lagrangian multipliers. Then we present a stochastic search algorithm to find the extended Lagrangian multipliers corresponding to the optimal solution of the original P-median problem. Numerical experiments illustrate that the proposed algorithm can effectively find a global optimal or very good suboptimal solution to the underlying P-median problem, especially for the computationally challenging subclass of P-median problems with a large gap between the optimal solution of the original problem and that of its Lagrangian relaxation.     

Success Guarantee of Dual Search in Integer Programming: p-th Power Lagrangian Method

Although the Lagrangian method is a powerful dual search approach in integer programming, it often fails to identify an optimal solution of the primal problem. The p-th power Lagrangian method developed in this paper offers a success guarantee for the dual search in generating an optimal solution of the primal integer programming problem in an equivalent setting via two key transformations. One other prominent feature of the p-th power Lagrangian method is that the dual search only involves a one-dimensional search within [0,1]. Some potential applications of the method as well as the issue of its implementation are discussed.     

解带有二次约束二次规划的一个整体优化方法

在本文中，我们提出了一种解带有二次约束二次规划问题（QP）的新算法，这种方法是基于单纯形分枝定界技术，其中包括极小极大问题和线性规划问题作为子问题，利用拉格朗日松弛和投影次梯度方法来确定问题（QP）最优值的下界，在问题（QP）的可行域是n维的条件下，如果这个算法有限步后终止，得到的点必是问题（QP）的整体最优解；否则，该算法产生的点的序列{v^k}的每一个聚点也必是问题（QP）的整体最优解。     

整数规划的渐进强对偶方法

虽然整数规划中经典的Lagrange对偶方法是一个有效的方法，但是由于对偶缝隙的原因它经常不能求出原问题的最优解。该文提出一个用于有界整数规划的指数对偶公式。此公式具有渐进强对偶的特性并且可以保证找到原问题的最优解。它的另一个特性是当参数选择的合适时不需要进行实际的对偶搜索。     

An Objective Penalty Function of Bilevel Programming

Penalty methods are very efficient in finding an optimal solution to constrained optimization problems. In this paper, we present an objective penalty function with two penalty parameters for inequality constrained bilevel programming under the convexity assumption to the lower level problem. Under some conditions, an optimal solution to a bilevel programming defined by the objective penalty function is proved to be an optimal solution to the original bilevel programming. Moreover, based on the objective penalty function, an algorithm is developed to obtain an optimal solution to the original bilevel programming, with its convergence proved under some conditions.     

An integrated cutting stock and sequencing problem

In this paper an integrated problem formulated as an integer linear programming problem is presented to find an optimal solution to the cutting stock problem under particular pattern sequencing constraints. The solution uses a Lagrangian approach. The dual problem is solved using a modified subgradient method. A heuristic for the integrated problem is also presented. The computational results obtained from a set of unidimensional instances that use these procedures are reported.     

On the global optimality of generalized trust region subproblems

Quadratically constrained quadratic programming is an important class of optimization problems. We consider the case with one quadratic constraint. Since both the objective function and its constraint can be neither convex nor concave, it is also known as the ‘generalized trust region subproblem.’ The theory and algorithms for this problem have been well studied under the Slater condition. In this article, we analyse the duality property between the primal problem and its Lagrangian dual problem, and discuss the attainability of the optimal primal solution without the Slater condition. The relations between the Lagrangian dual and semidefinite programming dual is also given.     

Exact augmented Lagrangian functions for nonlinear semidefinite programming

In this paper, we study augmented Lagrangian functions for nonlinear semidefinite programming (NSDP) problems with exactness properties. The term exact is used in the sense that the penalty parameter can be taken appropriately, so a single minimization of the augmented Lagrangian recovers a solution of the original problem. This leads to reformulations of NSDP problems into unconstrained nonlinear programming ones. Here, we first establish a unified framework for constructing these exact functions, generalizing Di Pillo and Lucidi’s work from 1996, that was aimed at solving nonlinear programming problems. Then, through our framework, we propose a practical augmented Lagrangian function for NSDP, proving that it is continuously differentiable and exact under the so-called nondegeneracy condition. We also present some preliminary numerical experiments.     

基于异步次梯度法的LR算法及其在多阶段HFSP的应用

为降低求解复杂度和缩短计算时间,针对多阶段混合流水车间总加权完成时间问题,提出了一种结合异步次梯度法的改进拉格朗日松弛算法。建立综合考虑有限等待时间和工件释放时间的整数规划数学模型,将异步次梯度法嵌入到拉格朗日松弛算法中,从而通过近似求解拉格朗日松弛问题得到一个合理的异步次梯度方向,沿此方向进行搜索,逐渐降低到最优点的距离。通过仿真实验,验证了所提算法的有效性。对比所提算法与传统的基于次梯度法的拉格朗日松弛算法,结果表明,就综合解的质量和计算效率而言,所提算法能在较短的计算时间内获得更好的近优解,尤其是对大规模问题。     

带新NCP函数的Lagrangian乘子方法

在经营管理、工程设计、科学研究、军事指挥等方面普遍存在着最优化问题,而实际问题中出现的绝大多数问题都被归纳为非线性规划问题之中。作为带等式、不等式约束的复杂事例,最优化问题的求解向来较为繁琐、困难。适当条件下,非线性互补函数(NCP)可以与约束优化问题相结合,其中NCP函数的无约束极小解对应原约束问题的解及其乘子。本文提出了一类新的NCP函数用于解决等式和不等式约束非线性规划问题,结合新的NCP函数构造了增广Lagrangian函数。在适当假设条件下,证明了增广Lagrangian函数与原问题的解之间的一一对应关系。同时构造了相应算法,并证明了该算法的收敛性和有效性。     

An approach for solving nonlinear programming problems

In this paper we use measure theory to solve a wide range of the nonlinear programming problems. First, we transform a nonlinear programming problem to a classical optimal control problem with no restriction on states and controls. The new problem is modified into one consisting of the minimization of a special linear functional over a set of Radon measures; then we obtain an optimal measure corresponding to functional problem which is then approximated by a finite combination of atomic measures and the problem converted approximately to a finite-dimensional linear programming. Then by the solution of the linear programming problem we obtain the approximate optimal control and then, by the solution of the latter problem we obtain an approximate solution for the original problem. Furthermore, we obtain the path from the initial point to the admissible solution.     

A generalized Lagrangian function and multiplier method

As is well known, a saddle point for the Lagrangian function, if it exists, provides a solution to a convex programming problem; then, the values of the optimal primal and dual objective functions are equal. However, these results are not valid for nonconvex problems.In this paper, several results are presented on the theory of the generalized Lagrangian function, extended from the classical Lagrangian and the generalized duality program. Theoretical results for convex problems also hold for nonconvex problems by extension of the Lagrangian function. The concept of supporting hypersurfaces is useful to add a geometric interpretation to computational algorithms. This provides a basis to develop a new algorithm.     

基于通货膨胀风险和Heston随机波动率下的最优资产配置

本文考虑了基于均值-方差准则下的连续时间投资组合选择问题。为了对冲市场中的利率风险和通货膨胀风险,假定市场上存在可供交易的零息名义债券和零息通货膨胀指数债券。另外,投资者还可以投资一个价格具有Heston随机波动率的风险资产。首先建立了基于均值-方差框架下的最优投资组合问题,然后将原问题进行转换,利用随机动态规划方法和对偶Lagrangian原理,获得了均值-方差准则下的有效投资策略以及有效前沿的解析表达形式,最后对相关参数的敏感性进行了分析。     

一些约束规划问题的近似全局最优解

首先将一个具有多个约束的规划问题转化为一个只有一个约束的规划问题,然后通过利用这个单约束的规划问题,对原来的多约束规划问题提出了一些凸化、凹化的方法,这样这些多约束的规划问题可以被转化为一些凹规划、反凸规划问题．最后,还证明了得到的凹规划和反凸规划的全局最优解就是原问题的近似全局最优解．     

Convergence of a continuous approach for zero-one programming problems

In this paper a new continuous formulation for the zero-one programming problem is presented, followed by an investigation of the algorithm for it. This paper first reformulates the zero-one programming problem as an equivalent mathematical programs with complementarity constraints, then as a smooth ordinary nonlinear programming problem with the help of the Fischer-Burmeister function. After that the augmented Lagrangian method is introduced to solve the resulting continuous problem, with optimality conditions for the non-smooth augmented Lagrangian problem derived on the basis of approximate smooth variational principle, and with convergence properties established. To our benefit, the sequence of solutions generated converges to feasible solutions of the original problem, which provides a necessary basis for the convergence results.     

An augmented Lagrangian method for binary quadratic programming based on a class of continuous functions

In this paper, an augmented Lagrangian method is proposed for binary quadratic programming (BQP) problems based on a class of continuous functions. The binary constraints are converted into a class of continuous functions. The approach reformulates the BQP problem as an equivalent augmented Lagrangian function, and then seeks its minimizer via an augmented Lagrangian method, in which the subproblem is solved by Barzilai–Borwein type method. Numerical results are reported for max-cut problem. The results indicate that the augmented Lagrangian approach is promising for large scale binary quadratic programming by the quality of the near optimal values and the low computational time.