Necessary optimality conditions for a special class of bilevel programming problems with unique lower level solution

We consider a bilevel programming problem in Banach spaces whose lower level solution is unique for any choice of the upper level variable. A condition is presented which ensures that the lower level solution mapping is directionally differentiable, and a formula is constructed which can be used to compute this directional derivative. Afterwards, we apply these results in order to obtain first-order necessary optimality conditions for the bilevel programming problem. It is shown that these optimality conditions imply that a certain mathematical program with complementarity constraints in Banach spaces has the optimal solution zero. We state the weak and strong stationarity conditions of this problem as well as corresponding constraint qualifications in order to derive applicable necessary optimality conditions for the original bilevel programming problem. Finally, we use the theory to state new necessary optimality conditions for certain classes of semidefinite bilevel programming problems and present an example in terms of bilevel optimal control.     

Bilevel programming problems with simple convex lower level

This article is dedicated to the study of bilevel optimal control problems equipped with a fully convex lower level of special structure. In order to construct necessary optimality conditions, we consider a general bilevel programming problem in Banach spaces possessing operator constraints, which is a generalization of the original bilevel optimal control problem. We derive necessary optimality conditions for the latter problem using the lower level optimal value function, ideas from DC-programming and partial penalization. Afterwards, we apply our results to the original optimal control problem to obtain necessary optimality conditions of Pontryagin-type. Along the way, we derive a handy formula, which might be used to compute the subdifferential of the optimal value function which corresponds to the lower level parametric optimal control problem.     

A study of mixed discrete bilevel programs using semidefinite and semi-infinite programming

In this paper, we study the bilevel programming problem with discrete polynomial lower level problem. We start by transforming the problem into a bilevel problem comprising a semidefinite program (SDP for short) in the lower level problem. Then, we are able to deduce some conditions of existence of solutions for the original problem. After that, we again change the bilevel problem with SDP in the lower level problem into a semi-infinite program. With the aid of the exchange technique, for simple bilevel programs, an algorithm for computing a global optimal solution is suggested, the convergence is shown, and a numerical example is given.     

A penalty function method for solving inverse optimal value problem

In order to consider the inverse optimal value problem under more general conditions, we transform the inverse optimal value problem into a corresponding nonlinear bilevel programming problem equivalently. Using the Kuhn–Tucker optimality condition of the lower level problem, we transform the nonlinear bilevel programming into a normal nonlinear programming. The complementary and slackness condition of the lower level problem is appended to the upper level objective with a penalty. Then we give via an exact penalty method an existence theorem of solutions and propose an algorithm for the inverse optimal value problem, also analysis the convergence of the proposed algorithm. The numerical result shows that the algorithm can solve a wider class of inverse optimal value problem.     

非线性二层规划问题的全局优化方法

对于下层为线性规划问题的一类非线性二层规划问题,利用线性规划的对偶理论,将其转化为一个单层优化问题,同时取下层问题的对偶间隙作为惩罚项,构造了一个相应的罚问题,然后提出了一个求解该类二层规划问题的全局优化方法。最后,数值结果表明,所提出的方法是可行的。     

The bilevel programming problem: reformulations, constraint qualifications and optimality conditions

We consider the bilevel programming problem and its optimal value and KKT one level reformulations. The two reformulations are studied in a unified manner and compared in terms of optimal solutions, constraint qualifications and optimality conditions. We also show that any bilevel programming problem where the lower level problem is linear with respect to the lower level variable, is partially calm without any restrictive assumption. Finally, we consider the bilevel demand adjustment problem in transportation, and show how KKT type optimality conditions can be obtained under the partial calmness, using the differential calculus of Mordukhovich.     

关于二层规划的逼近问题

下层问题以上层决策变量作为参数,而上层是以下层问题的最优值作为响应 的一类最优化问题——二层规划问题。我们给出了由一系列此类二层规划去逼近原二层规划的逼近法,得到了这种逼近的一些有趣的结果.     

Is bilevel programming a special case of a mathematical program with complementarity constraints?

Bilevel programming problems are often reformulated using the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions for the lower level problem resulting in a mathematical program with complementarity constraints(MPCC). Clearly, both problems are closely related. But the answer to the question posed is “No” even in the case when the lower level programming problem is a parametric convex optimization problem. This is not obvious and concerns local optimal solutions. We show that global optimal solutions of the MPCC correspond to global optimal solutions of the bilevel problem provided the lower-level problem satisfies the Slater’s constraint qualification. We also show by examples that this correspondence can fail if the Slater’s constraint qualification fails to hold at lower-level. When we consider the local solutions, the relationship between the bilevel problem and its corresponding MPCC is more complicated. We also demonstrate the issues relating to a local minimum through examples.     

Weak and strong stationarity in generalized bilevel programming and bilevel optimal control

In this article, we consider a general bilevel programming problem in reflexive Banach spaces with a convex lower level problem. In order to derive necessary optimality conditions for the bilevel problem, it is transferred to a mathematical program with complementarity constraints (MPCC). We introduce a notion of weak stationarity and exploit the concept of strong stationarity for MPCCs in reflexive Banach spaces, recently developed by the second author, and we apply these concepts to the reformulated bilevel programming problem. Constraint qualifications are presented, which ensure that local optimal solutions satisfy the weak and strong stationarity conditions. Finally, we discuss a certain bilevel optimal control problem by means of the developed theory. Its weak and strong stationarity conditions of Pontryagin-type and some controllability assumptions ensuring strong stationarity of any local optimal solution are presented.     

A Bridge Between Bilevel Programs and Nash Games

We study connections between optimistic bilevel programming problems and generalized Nash equilibrium problems. We remark that, with respect to bilevel problems, we consider the general case in which the lower level program is not assumed to have a unique solution. Inspired by the optimal value approach, we propose a Nash game that, transforming the so-called implicit value function constraint into an explicitly defined constraint function, incorporates some taste of hierarchy and turns out to be related to the bilevel programming problem. We provide a complete theoretical analysis of the relationship between the vertical bilevel problem and our “uneven” horizontal model: in particular, we define classes of problems for which solutions of the bilevel program can be computed by finding equilibria of our game. Furthermore, by referring to some applications in economics, we show that our “uneven” horizontal model, in some sense, lies between the vertical bilevel model and a “pure” horizontal game.     

一种非增值型凸二次双层规划的有效算法

主要研究了非增值型凸二次双层规划的一种有效求解算法。首先利用数学规划的对偶理论,将所求双层规划转化为一个下层只有一个无约束凸二次子规划的双层规划问题.然后根据两个双层规划的最优解和最优目标值之间的关系,提出一种简单有效的算法来解决非增值型凸二次双层规划问题.并通过数值算例的计算结果说明了该算法的可行性和有效性。     

一种双层规划的光滑化目标罚函数算法

论文研究了一种双层规划的光滑化目标罚函数算法,在一些条件下,证明了光滑化罚优化问题等价于原双层规划问题,而且,当下层规划问题是凸规划问题时, 给出了一个求解算法和收敛性证明.     

Bilevel programming with discrete lower level problems

In this article, we investigate bilevel programming problems with discrete lower level and continuous upper level problems. We will analyse the structure of these problems and discuss both the optimistic and the pessimistic solution approach. Since neither the optimistic nor the pessimistic solution functions are in general lower semicontinuous, we introduce weak solution function. By using these functions we are able to discuss optimality conditions for local and global optimality.     

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.     

On solving simple bilevel programs with a nonconvex lower level program

In this paper, we consider a simple bilevel program where the lower level program is a nonconvex minimization problem with a convex set constraint and the upper level program has a convex set constraint. By using the value function of the lower level program, we reformulate the bilevel program as a single level optimization problem with a nonsmooth inequality constraint and a convex set constraint. To deal with such a nonsmooth and nonconvex optimization problem, we design a smoothing projected gradient algorithm for a general optimization problem with a nonsmooth inequality constraint and a convex set constraint. We show that, if the sequence of penalty parameters is bounded then any accumulation point is a stationary point of the nonsmooth optimization problem and, if the generated sequence is convergent and the extended Mangasarian-Fromovitz constraint qualification holds at the limit then the limit point is a stationary point of the nonsmooth optimization problem. We apply the smoothing projected gradient algorithm to the bilevel program if a calmness condition holds and to an approximate bilevel program otherwise. Preliminary numerical experiments show that the algorithm is efficient for solving the simple bilevel program.     

Strong-Weak Nonlinear Bilevel Problems: Existence of Solutions in a Sequential Setting

The paper deals with a strong-weak nonlinear bilevel problem which generalizes the well-known weak and strong ones. In general, the study of the existence of solutions to such a problem is a difficult task. So that, for a strong-weak nonlinear bilevel problem, we first give a regularization based on the use of strict ??-solutions of the lower level problem. Then, via this regularization and under sufficient conditions, we show that the problem admits at least one solution. The obtained result is an extension and an improvement of some recent results appeared recently in the literature for both weak nonlinear bilevel programming problems and linear finite dimensional case.     

Nesterov’s smoothing technique and minimizing differences of convex functions for hierarchical clustering

A bilevel hierarchical clustering model is commonly used in designing optimal multicast networks. In this paper, we consider two different formulations of the bilevel hierarchical clustering problem, a discrete optimization problem which can be shown to be NP-hard. Our approach is to reformulate the problem as a continuous optimization problem by making some relaxations on the discreteness conditions. Then Nesterov’s smoothing technique and a numerical algorithm for minimizing differences of convex functions called the DCA are applied to cope with the nonsmoothness and nonconvexity of the problem. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate our method.     

Computation of the optimal tolls on the traffic network

The present paper is devoted to the computation of optimal tolls on a traffic network that is described as fuzzy bilevel optimization problem. As a fuzzy bilevel optimization problem we consider bilinear optimization problem with crisp upper level and fuzzy lower level. An effective algorithm for computation optimal tolls for the upper level decision-maker is developed under assumption that the lower level decision-maker chooses the optimal solution as well. The algorithm is based on the membership function approach. This algorithm provides us with a global optimal solution of the fuzzy bilevel optimization problem.     

Global optimization of mixed-integer bilevel programming problems

Two approaches that solve the mixed-integer nonlinear bilevel programming problem to global optimality are introduced. The first addresses problems mixed-integer nonlinear in outer variables and C²-nonlinear in inner variables. The second adresses problems with general mixed-integer nonlinear functions in outer level. Inner level functions may be mixed-integer nonlinear in outer variables, linear, polynomial, or multilinear in inner integer variables, and linear in inner continuous variables. This second approach is based on reformulating the mixed-integer inner problem as continuous via its vertex polyheral convex hull representation and solving the resulting nonlinear bilevel optimization problem by a novel deterministic global optimization framework. Computational studies illustrate proposed approaches.     

Bilevel optimization: on the structure of the feasible set

We consider bilevel optimization from the optimistic point of view. Let the pair (x, y) denote the variables. The main difficulty in studying such problems lies in the fact that the lower level contains a global constraint. In fact, a point (x, y) is feasible if y solves a parametric optimization problem L(x). In this paper we restrict ourselves to the special case that the variable x is one-dimensional. We describe the generic structure of the feasible set M. Moreover, we discuss local reductions of the bilevel problem as well as corresponding optimality criteria. Finally, we point out typical problems that appear when trying to extend the ideas to higher dimensional x-dimensions. This will clarify the high intrinsic complexity of the general generic structure of the feasible set M and corresponding optimality conditions for the bilevel problem U.