非线性约束优化的光滑化平方根罚函数

介绍一种非线性约束优化的不可微平方根罚函数,为这种非光滑罚函数提出了一个新的光滑化函数和对应的罚优化问题,获得了原问题与光滑化罚优化问题目标之间的误差估计. 基于这种罚函数,提出了一个算法和收敛性证明,数值例子表明算法对解决非线性约束优化具有有效性.     

A filled function method for constrained global optimization

In this paper, a filled function method for solving constrained global optimization problems is proposed. A filled function is proposed for escaping the current local minimizer of a constrained global optimization problem by combining the idea of filled function in unconstrained global optimization and the idea of penalty function in constrained optimization. Then a filled function method for obtaining a global minimizer or an approximate global minimizer of the constrained global optimization problem is presented. Some numerical results demonstrate the efficiency of this global optimization method for solving constrained global optimization problems.     

Regularized gap function as penalty term for constrained minimization problems

By using the regularized gap function for variational inequalities, Li and Peng introduced a new penalty function Pα(x) for the problem of minimizing a twice continuously differentiable function in closed convex subset of the n-dimensional space Rn. Under certain assumptions, they proved that the original constrained minimization problem is equivalent to unconstrained minimization of Pα(x). The main purpose of this paper is to give an in-depth study of those properties of the objective function that can be extended from the feasible set to the whole Rn by Pα(x). For example, it is proved that the objective function has bounded level sets (or is strongly coercive) on the feasible set if and only if Pα(x) has bounded level sets (or is strongly coercive) on Rn. However, the convexity of the objective function does not imply the convexity of Pα(x) when the objective function is not quadratic, no matter how small α is. Instead, the convexity of the objective function on the feasible set only implies the invexity of Pα(x) on Rn. Moreover, a characterization for the invexity of Pα(x) is also given.     

等式约束优化问题的一类新的简单光滑精确罚函数

精确罚函数方法是求解优化问题的一类经典方法,传统的精确罚函数不可能既是简单的又是光滑的,这里简单的是指罚函数中不包含目标函数和约束函数的梯度信息。针对等式约束问题提出了不同与传统罚函数的一类新的简单光滑罚函数并证明了它是精确的。给出了以新的罚函数为基础的罚函数方法并用数值例子说明算法是可行的。     

Globally convergent algorithm for nonlinearly constrained optimization problems

A new globally convergent algorithm for minimizing an objective function subject to equality and inequality constraints is presented. The algorithm determines a search direction by first solving a linear program and using the information gained thereby to define a quadratic approximation, with a guaranteed solution, to the original problem; the solution of the quadratic problem is the desired search direction. The algorithm incorporates a new method for choosing the penalty parameter. Numerical results illustrate the performance of the algorithm.The author wishes to thank Professor D. Q. Mayne and Dr. F. A. Pantoja for critically reviewing the first draft of this paper, for their suggestions, criticism, and contributions to some of the proofs. Support of the UK Science Research and Engineering Council is gratefully acknowledged.     

On the role of continuously differentiable exact penalty functions in constrained global optimization

The aim of this paper is to show that the new continuously differentiable exact penalty functions recently proposed in literature can play an important role in the field of constrained global optimization. In fact they allow us to transfer ideas and results proposed in unconstrained global optimization to the constrained case.First, by drawing our inspiration from the unconstrained case and by using the strong exactness properties of a particular continuously differentiable penalty function, we propose a sufficient condition for a local constrained minimum point to be global.Then we show that every constrained local minimum point satisfying the second order sufficient conditions is an attraction point for a particular implementable minimization algorithm based on the considered penalty function. This result can be used to define new classes of global algorithms for the solution of general constrained global minimization problems. As an example, in this paper we describe a simulated annealing algorithm which produces a sequence of points converging in probability to a global minimum of the original constrained problem.     

Augmented Lagrangian function, non-quadratic growth condition and exact penalization

In this paper, under the assumption that the perturbation function satisfies a growth condition, necessary and sufficient conditions for an exact penalty representation and a zero duality gap property between the primal problem and its augmented Lagrangian dual problem are established.     

带等式约束的光滑优化问题的一类新的精确罚函数

罚函数方法是将约束优化问题转化为无约束优化问题的主要方法之一. 不包含目标函数和约束函数梯度信息的罚函数, 称为简单罚函数. 对传统精确罚函数而言, 如果它是简单的就一定是非光滑的; 如果它是光滑的, 就一定不是简单的. 针对等式约束优化问题, 提出一类新的简单罚函数, 该罚函数通过增加一个新的变量来控制罚项. 证明了此罚函数的光滑性和精确性, 并给出了一种解决等式约束优化问题的罚函数算法. 数值结果表明, 该算法对于求解等式约束优化问题是可行的.     

Stochastic penalty function methods for nonsmooth constrained minimization

This paper presents a stochastic algorithm with proper stopping rules for nonsmooth inequality-constrained minimization problems. The algorithm is based on an augmented Lagrangian dual problem transformed from a primal one, and it consists of two loops: an outer loop, which is the iteration for the approximate Lagrange multipliers, and an inner loop, which is a nonsmooth unconstrained minimization subroutine. Under mild assumptions, the algorithm is proved to be almost surely convergent.This work was partially supported by the Science Foundation of Ningbo University. The author is grateful to Professor D. Q. Mayne for his help with this work and to two referees for their helpful comments.     

A computational study on different penalty approaches for solving constrained global optimization problems with the electromagnetism-like method

In this article, the application of the electromagnetism-like method (EM) for solving constrained optimization problems is investigated. A number of penalty functions have been tested with EM in this investigation, and their merits and demerits have been discussed. We have also provided motivations for such an investigation. Finally, we have compared EM with two recent global optimization algorithms from the literature. We have shown that EM is a suitable alternative to these methods and that it has a role to play in solving constrained global optimization problems.     

Dual techniques for constrained optimization

Algorithms to solve constrained optimization problems are derived. These schemes combine an unconstrained minimization scheme like the conjugate gradient method, an augmented Lagrangian, and multiplier updates to obtain global quadratic convergence. Since an augmented Lagrangian can be ill conditioned, a preconditioning strategy is developed to eliminate the instabilities associated with the penalty term. A criterion for deciding when to increase the penalty is presented.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant Nos. MCS-81-01892, DMS-84-01758, and DMS-85-20926, and by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Grant No. AFOSR-ISSA-860091.     

线性半向量二层规划问题的全局优化方法

研究了线性半向量二层规划问题的全局优化方法. 利用下层问题的对偶间隙构造了线性半向量二层规划问题的罚问题, 通过分析原问题的最优解与罚问题可行域顶点之间的关系, 将线性半向量二层规划问题转化为有限个线性规划问题, 从而得到线性半向量二层规划问题的全局最优解. 数值结果表明所设计的全局优化方法对线性半向量二层规划问题是可行的.     

On the use of the table method in constrained optimization

In this paper, we take advantage of the availability of higher-order derivatives through the table method (see Ref. 1) and suggest a simple variant of the Lagrangian method for constrained optimization. Our method, and the software that we currently have can be used to minimize functions with many variables subject to an arbitrary number of constraints.On leave from the Faculty of Management, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.     

不等式约束优化问题的低阶精确罚函数的光滑化算法

对不等式约束优化问题提出了一个低阶精确罚函数的光滑化算法. 首先给出了光滑罚问题、非光滑罚问题及原问题的目标函数值之间的误差估计,进而在弱的假
设之下证明了光滑罚问题的全局最优解是原问题的近似全局最优解. 最后给出了一个基于光滑罚函数的求解原问题的算法,证明了算法的收敛性,并给出数值算例说明算法的可行性.     

约束优化问题的一类光滑罚算法的全局收敛特性

对约束优化问题给出了一类光滑罚算法.它是基于一类光滑逼近精确罚函数 l_p(p\in(0,1]) 的光滑函数 L_p 而提出的.在非常弱的条件下, 建立了算法的一个摄动定理, 导出了算法的全局收敛性.特别地, 在广义Mangasarian-Fromovitz约束规范假设下, 证明了当 p=1 时, 算法经过有限步迭代后, 所有迭代点都是原问题的可行解; p\in(0,1) 时,算法经过有限迭代后, 所有迭代点都是原问题可行解集的内点.     

The exact penalty map for nonsmooth and nonconvex optimization

Augmented Lagrangian duality provides zero duality gap and saddle point properties for nonconvex optimization. On the basis of this duality, subgradient-like methods can be applied to the (convex) dual of the original problem. These methods usually recover the optimal value of the problem, but may fail to provide a primal solution. We prove that the recovery of a primal solution by such methods can be characterized in terms of (i) the differentiability properties of the dual function and (ii) the exact penalty properties of the primal-dual pair. We also connect the property of finite termination with exact penalty properties of the dual pair. In order to establish these facts, we associate the primal-dual pair to a penalty map. This map, which we introduce here, is a convex and globally Lipschitz function and its epigraph encapsulates information on both primal and dual solution sets.     

1.5-Q-superlinear convergence of an exterior-point method for constrained optimization

We introduce and analyze an exterior-point method (EPM) for constrained optimization problems with both inequality constraints and equations. We show that under the standard second-order optimality conditions the EPM converges to the primal–dual solution with 1.5-Q-superlinear rate. Dedicated to Professor Gil Strang on the occasion on his 70th birthday.     

Convergence to a second-order point of a trust-region algorithm with a nonmonotonic penalty parameter for constrained optimization

In a recent paper (Ref. 1), the author proposed a trust-region algorithm for solving the problem of minimizing a nonlinear function subject to a set of equality constraints. The main feature of the algorithm is that the penalty parameter in the merit function can be decreased whenever it is warranted. He studied the behavior of the penalty parameter and proved several global and local convergence results. One of these results is that there exists a subsequence of the iterates generated by the algorithm that converges to a point that satisfies the first-order necessary conditions.In the current paper, we show that, for this algorithm, there exists a subsequence of iterates that converges to a point that satisfies both the first-order and the second-order necessary conditions.This research was supported by the Rice University Center for Research on Parallel Computation, Grant R31853, and the REDI Foundation.     

Enlarging the region of convergence of Newton's method for constrained optimization

In this paper, we consider Newton's method for solving the system of necessary optimality conditions of optimization problems with equality and inequality constraints. The principal drawbacks of the method are the need for a good starting point, the inability to distinguish between local maxima and local minima, and, when inequality constraints are present, the necessity to solve a quadratic programming problem at each iteration. We show that all these drawbacks can be overcome to a great extent without sacrificing the superlinear convergence rate by making use of exact differentiable penalty functions introduced by Di Pillo and Grippo (Ref. 1). We also show that there is a close relationship between the class of penalty functions of Di Pillo and Grippo and the class of Fletcher (Ref. 2), and that the region of convergence of a variation of Newton's method can be enlarged by making use of one of Fletcher's penalty functions.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. ENG-79-06332.