Another Conjugate Gradient Algorithm with Guaranteed Descent and Conjugacy Conditions for Large-scale Unconstrained Optimization

In this paper, we suggest another accelerated conjugate gradient algorithm for which both the descent and the conjugacy conditions are guaranteed. The search direction is selected as a linear combination of the gradient and the previous direction. The coefficients in this linear combination are selected in such a way that both the descent and the conjugacy condition are satisfied at every iteration. The algorithm introduces the modified Wolfe line search, in which the parameter in the second Wolfe condition is modified at every iteration. It is shown that both for uniformly convex functions and for general nonlinear functions, the algorithm with strong Wolfe line search generates directions bounded away from infinity. The algorithm uses an acceleration scheme modifying the step length in such a manner as to improve the reduction of the function values along the iterations. Numerical comparisons with some conjugate gradient algorithms using a set of 75 unconstrained optimization problems with different dimensions show that the computational scheme outperforms the known conjugate gradient algorithms like Hestenes and Stiefel; Polak, Ribière and Polyak; Dai and Yuan or the hybrid Dai and Yuan; CG_DESCENT with Wolfe line search, as well as the quasi-Newton L-BFGS.     

A modified Polak–Ribière–Polyak conjugate gradient algorithm for unconstrained optimization

A modified Polak–Ribière–Polyak conjugate gradient algorithm which satisfies both the sufficient descent condition and the conjugacy condition is presented. These properties are independent of the line search. The algorithms use the standard Wolfe line search. Under standard assumptions, we show the global convergence of the algorithm. Numerical comparisons with conjugate gradient algorithms using a set of 750 unconstrained optimization problems, some of them from the CUTE library, show that this computational scheme outperforms the known Polak–Ribière–Polyak algorithm, as well as some other unconstrained optimization algorithms.     

Acceleration of conjugate gradient algorithms for unconstrained optimization

Conjugate gradient methods are important for large-scale unconstrained optimization. This paper proposes an acceleration of these methods using a modification of steplength. The idea is to modify in a multiplicative manner the steplength α_k, computed by Wolfe line search conditions, by means of a positive parameter η_k, in such a way to improve the behavior of the classical conjugate gradient algorithms. It is shown that for uniformly convex functions the convergence of the accelerated algorithm is still linear, but the reduction in function values is significantly improved. Numerical comparisons with some conjugate gradient algorithms using a set of 750 unconstrained optimization problems, some of them from the CUTE library, show that the accelerated computational scheme outperform the corresponding conjugate gradient algorithms.     

A new family of conjugate gradient methods

In this paper we develop a new class of conjugate gradient methods for unconstrained optimization problems. A new nonmonotone line search technique is proposed to guarantee the global convergence of these conjugate gradient methods under some mild conditions. In particular, Polak–Ribiére–Polyak and Liu–Storey conjugate gradient methods are special cases of the new class of conjugate gradient methods. By estimating the local Lipschitz constant of the derivative of objective functions, we can find an adequate step size and substantially decrease the function evaluations at each iteration. Numerical results show that these new conjugate gradient methods are effective in minimizing large-scale non-convex non-quadratic functions.     

Accelerated conjugate gradient algorithm with finite difference Hessian/vector product approximation for unconstrained optimization

In this paper we propose a fundamentally different conjugate gradient method, in which the well-known parameter β_k is computed by an approximation of the Hessian/vector product through finite differences. For search direction computation, the method uses a forward difference approximation to the Hessian/vector product in combination with a careful choice of the finite difference interval. For the step length computation we suggest an acceleration scheme able to improve the efficiency of the algorithm. Under common assumptions, the method is proved to be globally convergent. It is shown that for uniformly convex functions the convergence of the accelerated algorithm is still linear, but the reduction in function values is significantly improved. Numerical comparisons with conjugate gradient algorithms including CONMIN by Shanno and Phua [D.F. Shanno, K.H. Phua, Algorithm 500, minimization of unconstrained multivariate functions, ACM Trans. Math. Softw. 2 (1976) 87–94], SCALCG by Andrei [N. Andrei, Scaled conjugate gradient algorithms for unconstrained optimization, Comput. Optim. Appl. 38 (2007) 401–416; N. Andrei, Scaled memoryless BFGS preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm for unconstrained optimization, Optim. Methods Softw. 22 (2007) 561–571; N. Andrei, A scaled BFGS preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm for unconstrained optimization, Appl. Math. Lett. 20 (2007) 645–650], and new conjugacy condition and related new conjugate gradient by Li, Tang and Wei [G. Li, C. Tang, Z. Wei, New conjugacy condition and related new conjugate gradient methods for unconstrained optimization, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 202 (2007) 523–539] or truncated Newton TN by Nash [S.G. Nash, Preconditioning of truncated-Newton methods, SIAM J. on Scientific and Statistical Computing 6 (1985) 599–616] using a set of 750 unconstrained optimization test problems show that the suggested algorithm outperforms these conjugate gradient algorithms as well as TN.     

A class of improved conjugate gradient methods for nonconvex unconstrained optimization

In this paper, based on a new class of conjugate gradient methods which are proposed by Rivaie, Dai and Omer et al. we propose a class of improved conjugate gradient methods for nonconvex unconstrained optimization. Different from the above methods, our methods possess the following properties: (i) the search direction always satisfies the sufficient descent condition independent of any line search; (ii) these approaches are globally convergent with the standard Wolfe line search or standard Armijo line search without any convexity assumption. Moreover, our numerical results also demonstrated the efficiencies of the proposed methods.     

The Dai–Liao nonlinear conjugate gradient method with optimal parameter choices

Minimizing two different upper bounds of the matrix which generates search directions of the nonlinear conjugate gradient method proposed by Dai and Liao, two modified conjugate gradient methods are proposed. Under proper conditions, it is briefly shown that the methods are globally convergent when the line search fulfills the strong Wolfe conditions. Numerical comparisons between the implementations of the proposed methods and the conjugate gradient methods proposed by Hager and Zhang, and Dai and Kou, are made on a set of unconstrained optimization test problems of the CUTEr collection. The results show the efficiency of the proposed methods in the sense of the performance profile introduced by Dolan and Moré.     

Applying the Powell's Symmetrical Technique to Conjugate Gradient Methods with the Generalized Conjugacy Condition

This article proposes new conjugate gradient method for unconstrained optimization by applying the Powell symmetrical technique in a defined sense. Using the Wolfe line search conditions, the global convergence property of the method is also obtained based on the spectral analysis of the conjugate gradient iteration matrix and the Zoutendijk condition for steepest descent methods. Preliminary numerical results for a set of 86 unconstrained optimization test problems verify the performance of the algorithm and show that the Generalized Descent Symmetrical Hestenes-Stiefel algorithm is competitive with the Fletcher-Reeves (FR) and Polak-Ribiére-Polyak (PRP⁺) algorithms.     

Two New Dai–Liao-Type Conjugate Gradient Methods for Unconstrained Optimization Problems

In this paper, we present two new Dai–Liao-type conjugate gradient methods for unconstrained optimization problems. Their convergence under the strong Wolfe line search conditions is analysed for uniformly convex objective functions and general objective functions, respectively. Numerical experiments show that our methods can outperform some existing Dai–Liao-type methods by using Dolan and Moré’s performance profile.     

An improved three-term conjugate gradient algorithm for solving unconstrained optimization problems

In this article, we present an improved three-term conjugate gradient algorithm for large-scale unconstrained optimization. The search directions in the developed algorithm are proved to satisfy an approximate secant equation as well as the Dai-Liao’s conjugacy condition. With the standard Wolfe line search and the restart strategy, global convergence of the algorithm is established under mild conditions. By implementing the algorithm to solve 75 benchmark test problems with dimensions from 1000 to 10,000, the obtained numerical results indicate that the algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms available in the literature. It costs less CPU time and smaller number of iterations in solving the large-scale unconstrained optimization.     

Two effective hybrid conjugate gradient algorithms based on modified BFGS updates

Based on two modified secant equations proposed by Yuan, and Li and Fukushima, we extend the approach proposed by Andrei, and introduce two hybrid conjugate gradient methods for unconstrained optimization problems. Our methods are hybridizations of Hestenes-Stiefel and Dai-Yuan conjugate gradient methods. Under proper conditions, we show that one of the proposed algorithms is globally convergent for uniformly convex functions and the other is globally convergent for general functions. To enhance the performance of the line search procedure, we propose a new approach for computing the initial value of the steplength for initiating the line search procedure. We give a comparison of the implementations of our algorithms with two efficiently representative hybrid conjugate gradient methods proposed by Andrei using unconstrained optimization test problems from the CUTEr collection. Numerical results show that, in the sense of the performance profile introduced by Dolan and Moré, the proposed hybrid algorithms are competitive, and in some cases more efficient.     

A Spectral Conjugate Gradient Method for Unconstrained Optimization

A family of scaled conjugate gradient algorithms for large-scale unconstrained minimization is defined. The Perry, the Polak—Ribière and the Fletcher—Reeves formulae are compared using a spectral scaling derived from Raydan's spectral gradient optimization method. The best combination of formula, scaling and initial choice of step-length is compared against well known algorithms using a classical set of problems. An additional comparison involving an ill-conditioned estimation problem in Optics is presented. Accepted 22 August 2000. Online publication 26 February 2001.     

改进HS共轭梯度算法及其全局收敛性

１．引 言 １９５２年 Ｍ．Ｈｅｓｔｅｎｅｓ和Ｅ．Ｓｔｉｅｆｅｌ提出了求解正定线性方程组的共轭梯度法［１］．１９６４年Ｒ．Ｆｌｅｔｃｈｅｒ和Ｃ．Ｒｅｅｖｅｓ将该方法推广到求解下列无约束优化问题： ｍｉｎｆ（ｘ）,ｘ∈Ｒｎ,（１）其中ｆ：Ｒｎ→Ｒ１为连续可微函数,记ｇｋ＝ ｆ（ｘｋ）,ｘｋ∈ Ｒｎ． 若点列｛ｘｋ｝由如下算法产生：其中 βｋ＝［ｇＴｋ（ｇｋ－ｇｋ－１）］／［ｄＴｋ－１（ｇｋ－ｇｋ－１）］．（Ｈｅｓｔｅｎｅｓ－Ｓｔｉｅｆｅｌ）　　（４）则称该算法为 Ｈｅｓｔｅｎｅｓ—Ｓｔｉｅｆｅｌ共轭梯度算…     

无约束优化的一个充分下降共轭梯度算法

在修正PRP共轭梯度法的基础上,提出了求解无约束优化问题的一个充分下降共轭梯度算法,证明了算法在Wolfe线搜索下全局收敛,并用数值实验表明该算法具有较好的数值结果.     

A scaled nonlinear conjugate gradient algorithm for unconstrained optimization

The best spectral conjugate gradient algorithm by (Birgin, E. and Martínez, J.M., 2001, A spectral conjugate gradient method for unconstrained optimization. Applied Mathematics and Optimization, 43, 117–128). which is mainly a scaled variant of (Perry, J.M., 1977, A class of Conjugate gradient algorithms with a two step varaiable metric memory, Discussion Paper 269, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science, Northwestern University), is modified in such a way as to overcome the lack of positive definiteness of the matrix defining the search direction. This modification is based on the quasi-Newton BFGS updating formula. The computational scheme is embedded into the restart philosophy of Beale–Powell. The parameter scaling the gradient is selected as spectral gradient or in an anticipative way by means of a formula using the function values in two successive points. In very mild conditions it is shown that, for strongly convex functions, the algorithm is global convergent. Computational results and performance profiles for a set consisting of 700 unconstrained optimization problems show that this new scaled nonlinear conjugate gradient algorithm substantially outperforms known conjugate gradient methods including: the spectral conjugate gradient SCG by Birgin and Martínez, the scaled Fletcher and Reeves, the Polak and Ribière algorithms and the CONMIN by (Shanno, D.F. and Phua, K.H., 1976, Algorithm 500, Minimization of unconstrained multivariate functions. ACM Transactions on Mathematical Software, 2, 87–94).     

NEW HYBRID CONJUGATE GRADIENT METHOD AS A CONVEX COMBINATION OF LS AND FR METHODS

In this paper, we present a new hybrid conjugate gradient algorithm for unconstrained optimization. This method is a convex combination of Liu-Storey conjugate gradient method and Fletcher-Reeves conjugate gradient method. We also prove that the search direction of any hybrid conjugate gradient method, which is a convex combination of two conjugate gradient methods, satisfies the famous D-L conjugacy condition and in the same time accords with the Newton direction with the suitable condition. Furthermore, this property doesn't depend on any line search. Next, we also prove that, moduling the value of the parameter t,the Newton direction condition is equivalent to Dai-Liao conjugacy condition.The strong Wolfe line search conditions are used.The global convergence of this new method is proved.Numerical comparisons show that the present hybrid conjugate gradient algorithm is the efficient one.     

An accelerated subspace minimization three-term conjugate gradient algorithm for unconstrained optimization

A three-term conjugate gradient algorithm for large-scale unconstrained optimization using subspace minimizing technique is presented. In this algorithm the search directions are computed by minimizing the quadratic approximation of the objective function in a subspace spanned by the vectors: ?g _k+1, s _k and y _k . The search direction is considered as: d _k+1 = ?g _k+1 + a _k s _k + b _k y _k , where the scalars a _k and b _k are determined by minimization the affine quadratic approximate of the objective function. The step-lengths are determined by the Wolfe line search conditions. We prove that the search directions are descent and satisfy the Dai-Liao conjugacy condition. The suggested algorithm is of three-term conjugate gradient type, for which both the descent and the conjugacy conditions are guaranteed. It is shown that, for uniformly convex functions, the directions generated by the algorithm are bounded above, i.e. the algorithm is convergent. The numerical experiments, for a set of 750 unconstrained optimization test problems, show that this new algorithm substantially outperforms the known Hestenes and Stiefel, Dai and Liao, Dai and Yuan and Polak, Ribiére and Poliak conjugate gradient algorithms, as well as the limited memory quasi-Newton method L-BFGS and the discrete truncated-Newton method TN.     

Conjugate gradient methods based on secant conditions that generate descent search directions for unconstrained optimization

Conjugate gradient methods have been paid attention to, because they can be directly applied to large-scale unconstrained optimization problems. In order to incorporate second order information of the objective function into conjugate gradient methods, Dai and Liao (2001) proposed a conjugate gradient method based on the secant condition. However, their method does not necessarily generate a descent search direction. On the other hand, Hager and Zhang (2005) proposed another conjugate gradient method which always generates a descent search direction.     

Wolfe线搜索下一类混合共轭梯度法的全局收敛性

本文给出了一个新的共轭梯度公式,新公式在精确线搜索下与DY公式等价,并给出了新公式的相关性质.结合新公式和DY公式提出了一个新的混合共轭梯度法,新算法在Wolfe线搜索下产生一个下降方向,并证明了算法的全局收敛性,并给出了数值例子.     

A new family of hybrid three-term conjugate gradient methods with applications in image restoration

In this paper, based on the hybrid conjugate gradient method and the convex combination technique, a new family of hybrid three-term conjugate gradient methods are proposed for solving unconstrained optimization. The conjugate parameter in the search direction is a hybrid of Dai-Yuan conjugate parameter and any one. The search direction then is the sum of the negative gradient direction and a convex combination in relation to the last search direction and the gradient at the previous iteration. Without choosing any specific conjugate parameters, we show that the search direction generated by the family always possesses the descent property independent of line search technique, and that it is globally convergent under usual assumptions and the weak Wolfe line search. To verify the effectiveness of the presented family, we further design a specific conjugate parameter, and perform medium-large-scale numerical experiments for smooth unconstrained optimization and image restoration problems. The numerical results show the encouraging efficiency and applicability of the proposed methods even compared with the state-of-the-art methods.