A neural network for solving a convex quadratic bilevel programming problem

A neural network is proposed for solving a convex quadratic bilevel programming problem. Based on Lyapunov and LaSalle theories, we prove strictly an important theoretical result that, for an arbitrary initial point, the trajectory of the proposed network does converge to the equilibrium, which corresponds to the optimal solution of a convex quadratic bilevel programming problem. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed neural network is feasible and efficient for a convex quadratic bilevel programming problem.     

二层供应链网络均衡模型的研究

利用均衡理论和二层规划理论来研究供应链网络均衡问题。针对供应链网络中上下层成员之间具有的Stackelberg博弈特征以及同层成员之间具有的非合作博弈特征,构建了二层供应链网络的均衡模型,该模型实际上一个均衡约束的二层规划问题。此外,为了使得供应链网络在整体上实现最优,本文还在模型中引入回收契约以协调供应链网络。最后,利用罚函数法对模型进行了求解,算例分析说明了模型的合理性和有效性。     

Integrating link-based discrete credit charging scheme into discrete network design problem

In this paper, we present an optimization model for integrating link-based discrete credit charging scheme into the discrete network design problem, to improve the transport performance from the perspectives of both transport network planning and travel demand management. The proposed model is a mixed-integer nonlinear bilevel programming problem, which includes an upper level problem for the transport authority and a lower level problem for the network users. The lower level sub-model is the traffic network user equilibrium (UE) formulation for a given network design strategy determined by the upper level problem. The network user at the lower level tries to minimize his/her own generalized travel cost (including both the travel time and the value of the credit charged for using the link) by choosing his/her route. While the transport authority at the upper level tries to find the optimal number of lanes and credit charging level with their locations to minimize the total system travel time (or maximize the transportation system performance). A genetic algorithm is used to solve the proposed mixed-integer nonlinear bilevel programming problem. Numerical experiments show the efficiency of the proposed model for traffic congestion mitigation, reveal that interaction effects across the tradable credit scheme and the discrete network design problem which amplify their individual effects. Moreover, the integrated model can achieve better performance than the sequential decision problems.     

A general MPCC model and its solution algorithm for continuous network design problem

This paper formulates the continuous network design problem as a mathematical program with complementarity constraints (MPCC), with the upper level a nonlinear programming problem and the lower level a nonlinear complementarity problem. Unlike in most previous studies, the proposed framework is more general, in which both symmetric and asymmetric user equilibria can be captured. By applying the complementarity slackness condition of the lower-level problem, the original bilevel formulation can be converted into a single-level and smooth nonlinear programming problem. In order to solve the problem, a relaxation scheme is applied by progressively restricting the complementarity condition, which has been proven to be a rigorous approach under certain conditions. The model and solution algorithm are tested for well-known network design problems and promising results are shown.     

An interval approach based on expectation optimization for fuzzy random bilevel linear programming problems

This paper considers a class of bilevel linear programming problems in which the coefficients of both objective functions are fuzzy random variables. The main idea of this paper is to introduce the Pareto optimal solution in a multi-objective bilevel programming problem as a solution for a fuzzy random bilevel programming problem. To this end, a stochastic interval bilevel linear programming problem is first introduced in terms of α-cuts of fuzzy random variables. On the basis of an order relation of interval numbers and the expectation optimization model, the stochastic interval bilevel linear programming problem can be transformed into a multi-objective bilevel programming problem which is solved by means of weighted linear combination technique. In order to compare different optimal solutions depending on different cuts, two criterions are given to provide the preferable optimal solutions for the upper and lower level decision makers respectively. Finally, a production planning problem is given to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.     

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.     

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.     

二(双)层规划综述

二(双)层规划是研究二层决策的递阶优化问题.其理论、方法和应用在过去的30多年取得了很大的发展.本文对二层规划问题的基本概念、性质和算法作了综述,并且对下层规划问题的解不唯一的情况也作了介绍,最后还给出了几种常见的二层规划模型.     

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.     

求解弱线性双层规划问题的一种全局优化方法

双层规划在经济、交通、生态、工程等领域有着广泛而重要的应用.目前对双层规划的研究主要是基于强双层规划和弱双层规划.然而,针对弱双层规划的求解方法却鲜有研究.研究求解弱线性双层规划问题的一种全局优化方法,首先给出弱线性双层规划问题与其松弛问题在最优解上的关系,然后利用线性规划的对偶理论和罚函数方法,讨论该松弛问题和它的罚问题之间的关系.进一步设计了一种求解弱线性双层规划问题的全局优化方法,该方法的优势在于它仅仅需要求解若干个线性规划问题就可以获得原问题的全局最优解.最后,用一个简单算例说明了所提出的方法是可行的.     

OD估计双层规划扩展模型

利用双层规划模型进行OD估计,建立双层规划扩展模型.考虑OD估计问题中的随机误差,基于Bayes估计和多元正态分布建立上层目标函数;考虑用户路径选择行为的随机性,基于随机用户均衡建立需求可变动的下层目标函数,同时该扩展模型能适应我国混合交通的实际,既能适用于拥挤网络、也能适用于非拥挤网络,最后通过算例证明此模型的有效性.     

Sensitivity analysis based heuristic algorithms for mathematical programs with variational inequality constraints

In this paper we consider heuristic algorithms for a special case of the generalized bilevel mathematical programming problem in which one of the levels is represented as a variational inequality problem. Such problems arise in network design and economic planning. We obtain derivative information needed to implement these algorithms for such bilevel problems from the theory of sensitivity analysis for variational inequalities. We provide computational results for several numerical examples.     

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.     

A dual-relax penalty function approach for solving nonlinear bilevel programming with linear lower level problem

The penalty function method, presented many years ago, is an important numerical method for the mathematical programming problems. In this article, we propose a dual-relax penalty function approach, which is significantly different from penalty function approach existing for solving the bilevel programming, to solve the nonlinear bilevel programming with linear lower level problem. Our algorithm will redound to the error analysis for computing an approximate solution to the bilevel programming. The error estimate is obtained among the optimal objective function value of the dual-relax penalty problem and of the original bilevel programming problem. An example is illustrated to show the feasibility of the proposed approach.     

Pricing and revenue maximization over a multicommodity transportation network: the nonlinear demand case

This paper is concerned with the design of efficient exact and heuristic algorithms for addressing a bilevel network pricing problem where demand is a nonlinear function of travel cost. The exact method is based on the piecewise linear approximation of the demand function, yielding mixed integer programming formulations, while heuristic procedures are developed within a bilevel trust region framework.     

Parking Capacity and Pricing in Park'n Ride Trips: A Continuous Equilibrium Network Design Problem

In this paper we consider the problem of designing parking facilities for park'n ride trips. We present a new continuous equilibrium network design problem to decide the capacity and fare of these parking lots at a tactical level. We assume that the parking facilities have already been located and other topological decisions have already been taken.The modeling approach proposed is mathematical programming with equilibrium constraints. In the outer optimization problem, a central Authority evaluates the performance of the transport network for each network design decision. In the inner problem a multimodal traffic assignment with combined modes, formulated as a variational inequality problem, generates the share demand for modes of transportation, and for parking facilities as a function of the design variables of the parking lots. The objective is to make optimal parking investment and pricing decisions in order to minimize the total travel cost in a subnetwork of the multimodal transportation system.We present a new development in model formulation based on the use of generalized parking link cost as a design variable.The bilevel model is solved by a simulated annealing algorithm applied to the continuous and non-negative design decision variables. Numerical tests are reported in order to illustrate the use of the model, and the ability of the approach to solve applications of moderate size.     

优化方法解决无上层约束的线性双层规划问题

In this paper we propose an optimal method for solving the linear bilevel programming problem with no upper-level constraint. The main idea of this method is that the initial point which is in the feasible region goes forward along the optimal direction firstly. When the iterative point reaches the boundary of the feasible region, it can continue to go forward along the suboptimal direction. The iteration is terminated until the iterative point cannot go forward along the suboptimal direction and effective direction, and the new iterative point is the solution of the lower-level programming. An algorithm which bases on the main idea above is presented and the solution obtained via this algorithm is proved to be optimal solution to the bilevel programming problem. This optimal method is effective for solving the linear bilevel programming problem.     

Transit passenger origin-destination estimation in congested transit networks with elastic line frequencies

This paper deals with the transit passenger origin-destination (O-D) estimation problem by using updated passenger counts in congested transit networks and outdated prior O-D matrix. A bilevel programming approach is extended for the transit passenger O-D updating problem where the upper-level problem seeks to minimize the sum of error measurements in passenger counts and O-D matrices, while the lower level is the stochastic user equilibrium assignment problem for congested transit networks. The transit assignment framework is based on a frequency-adaptive transit network model in this paper, which can help determine transit line frequencies and the network flow pattern simultaneously in congested transit networks. A heuristic solution algorithm is adapted for solving the transit passenger O-D estimation problem. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the applications of the proposed model and solution algorithm. The work described in this paper was mainly supported by two research grants from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Project No. PolyU 5143/03E and PolyU 5040/02E).     

基于凹性割的线性双层规划全局优化算法

通过对线性双层规划下层问题对偶间隙的讨论,定义了一种凹性割,利用该凹性割的性质,给出了一个求解线性双层规划的割平面算法。由于线性双层规划全局最优解可在其约束域的极点上达到,提出的算法能求得问题的全局最优解,并通过一个算例说明了算法的有效性。     

Parametric global optimisation for bilevel programming

We propose a global optimisation approach for the solution of various classes of bilevel programming problems (BLPP) based on recently developed parametric programming algorithms. We first describe how we can recast and solve the inner (follower’s) problem of the bilevel formulation as a multi-parametric programming problem, with parameters being the (unknown) variables of the outer (leader’s) problem. By inserting the obtained rational reaction sets in the upper level problem the overall problem is transformed into a set of independent quadratic, linear or mixed integer linear programming problems, which can be solved to global optimality. In particular, we solve bilevel quadratic and bilevel mixed integer linear problems, with or without right-hand-side uncertainty. A number of examples are presented to illustrate the steps and details of the proposed global optimisation strategy.