Duality for semi-definite and semi-infinite programming

In this article, we study semi-definite and semi-infinite programming problems (SDSIP), which includes semi-infinite linear programs and semi-definite programs as special cases. We establish that a uniform duality between the homogeneous (SDSIP) and its Lagrangian-type dual problem is equivalent to the closedness condition of certain cone. Moreover, this closedness condition was assured by a generalized canonically closedness condition and a Slater condition. Corresponding results for the nonhomogeneous (SDSIP) problem were obtained by transforming it into an equivalent homogeneous (SDSIP) problem.     

Relaxed cutting plane method with convexification for solving nonlinear semi-infinite programming problems

In this paper, we present an algorithm to solve nonlinear semi-infinite programming (NSIP) problems. To deal with the nonlinear constraint, Floudas and Stein (SIAM J. Optim. 18:1187?C1208, 2007) suggest an adaptive convexification relaxation to approximate the nonlinear constraint function. The ??BB method, used widely in global optimization, is applied to construct the convexification relaxation. We then combine the idea of the cutting plane method with the convexification relaxation to propose a new algorithm to solve NSIP problems. With some given tolerances, our algorithm terminates in a finite number of iterations and obtains an approximate stationary point of the NSIP problems. In addition, some NSIP application examples are implemented by the method proposed in this paper, such as the proportional-integral-derivative controller design problem and the nonlinear finite impulse response filter design problem. Based on our numerical experience, we demonstrate that our algorithm enhances the computational speed for solving NSIP problems.     

A cutting plane algorithm for semi-definite programming problems with applications to failure discriminant analysis

We will propose a new cutting plane algorithm for solving a class of semi-definite programming problems (SDP) with a small number of variables and a large number of constraints. Problems of this type appear when we try to classify a large number of multi-dimensional data into two groups by a hyper-ellipsoidal surface. Among such examples are cancer diagnosis, failure discrimination of enterprises. Also, a certain class of option pricing problems can be formulated as this type of problem. We will show that the cutting plane algorithm is much more efficient than the standard interior point algorithms for solving SDP.     

An accelerated central cutting plane algorithm for linear semi-infinite programming

An algorithm for linear semi-infinite programming is presented which accelerates the convergence of the central cutting plane algorithm first proposed in [4]. Compared with other algorithms, the algorithm in [4] has the advantage of being applicable under mild conditions and of providing feasible solutions. However its convergence has been shown to be rather slow in practical instances. The algorithm proposed in this paper introduces a simple acceleration scheme which gives faster convergence, as confirmed by several examples, as well as an interval of prefixed length containing the optimum value. It is also shown that the algorithm provides a solution of the dual problem and that it can be used for convex semi-infinite programming too.Mathematics Subject Classification (1991): 90C05, 90C34, 65K05, 90C51Acknowledgments. The author whishes to thank the three anonymous referees and an associate editor for many useful comments and valuable suggestions.     

A logarithmic barrier cutting plane method for convex programming

The paper presents a logarithmic barrier cutting plane algorithm for convex (possibly non-smooth, semi-infinite) programming. Most cutting plane methods, like that of Kelley, and Cheney and Goldstein, solve a linear approximation (localization) of the problem and then generate an additional cut to remove the linear program's optimal point. Other methods, like the central cutting plane methods of Elzinga-Moore and Goffin-Vial, calculate a center of the linear approximation and then adjust the level of the objective, or separate the current center from the feasible set. In contrast to these existing techniques, we develop a method which does not solve the linear relaxations to optimality, but rather stays in the interior of the feasible set. The iterates follow the central path of a linear relaxation, until the current iterate either leaves the feasible set or is too close to the boundary. When this occurs, a new cut is generated and the algorithm iterates. We use the tools developed by den Hertog, Roos and Terlaky to analyze the effect of adding and deleting constraints in long-step logarithmic barrier methods for linear programming. Finally, implementation issues and computational results are presented. The test problems come from the class of numerically difficult convex geometric and semi-infinite programming problems.This work was completed under the support of a research grant of SHELL.On leave from the Eötvös University, Budapest, and partially supported by OTKA No. 2116.     

A cutting plane method from analytic centers for stochastic programming

The stochastic linear programming problem with recourse has a dual block-angular structure. It can thus be handled by Benders' decomposition or by Kelley's method of cutting planes; equivalently the dual problem has a primal block-angular structure and can be handled by Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition—the two approaches are in fact identical by duality. Here we shall investigate the use of the method of cutting planes from analytic centers applied to similar formulations. The only significant difference form the aforementioned methods is that new cutting planes (or columns, by duality) will be generated not from the optimum of the linear programming relaxation, but from the analytic center of the set of localization.This research has been supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique Suisse (grant # 12-26434.89), NSERC-Canada and FCAR-Quebec.Corresponding author.     

An entropy based central cutting plane algorithm for convex min-max semi-infinite programming problems

In this paper,we present a central cutting plane algorithm for solving convex min-max semi-infinite programming problems.Because the objective function here is non-differentiable,we apply a smoothing technique to the considered problem and develop an algorithm based on the entropy function.It is shown that the global convergence of the proposed algorithm can be obtained under weaker conditions.Some numerical results are presented to show the potential of the proposed algorithm.     

A cutting plane method for bilevel linear programming with interval coefficients

This article considers the bilevel linear programming problem with interval coefficients in both objective functions. We propose a cutting plane method to solve such a problem. In order to obtain the best and worst optimal solutions, two types of cutting plane methods are developed based on the fact that the best and worst optimal solutions of this kind of problem occur at extreme points of its constraint region. The main idea of the proposed methods is to solve a sequence of linear programming problems with cutting planes that are successively introduced until the best and worst optimal solutions are found. Finally, we extend the two algorithms proposed to compute the best and worst optimal solutions of the general bilevel linear programming problem with interval coefficients in the objective functions as well as in the constraints.     

A relaxed cutting plane algorithm for solving fuzzy inequality systems

This paper studies a system of infinitely many fuzzy inequalities with concavemembership functions. By using the tolerance approach, we show that solving such system can be reduced to a semi-infinite programming problem. A relaxed cutting plane algorithm is proposed. In each iteration, we solve a finite convex optimization problem and add one or two more constraints. The proposed algorithm chooses a point at which the infinite constraints are violated to a degree rather than at which the violation is maximized. The iterative process ends when an optimal solution is identified. A convergence proof, under some mild conditions, is given. An efficient implementation based on the "method of centres" with "entropic regularization" techniques is also included. Some computational results confirm the efficiency of the proposed method and show its potential for solving large scale problems.     

A globally convergent method for semi-infinite linear programming

This paper presents a globally convergent method for solving a general semi-infinite linear programming problem. Some important features of this method include: It can solve a semi-infinite linear program having an unbounded feasible region. It requires an inexact solution to a nonlinear subproblem at each iteration. It allows unbounded index sets and nondifferentiable constraints. The amount of work at each iteration k does not increase with k.     

Primal-dual path following method for nonlinear semi-infinite programs with semi-definite constraints

Mathematical Programming - In this paper, we propose a primal-dual path following method for nonlinear semi-infinite semi-definite programs with infinitely many convex inequality constraints,...     

A relaxed version of Bregman's method for convex programming

A new type of relaxation for Bregman's method, an iterative primal-dual algorithm for linearly constrained convex programming, is presented. It is shown that the new relaxation procedure generalizes the usual concept of relaxation and preserves the convergence properties of Bregman's algorithm for a suitable choice of the relaxation parameters. For convergence, Bregman's method requires that the objective function satisfy certain conditions. A sufficient and easily checkable condition for these requirements to hold is also given.     

A noninterior point homotopy method for semi-infinite programming problems

In this paper, we present a new homotopy method which is a non-interior point homotopy method for solving semi-infinite programming problems. Under suitable assumptions, we prove that the method determines a smooth path from a given point. The new homotopy method generalizes the existing combined homotopy interior point method for semi-infinite programming problems to unbounded set, moreover, it is more convenient in that it enlarges the choice scope of the initial point. Some numerical examples are given to show its efficiency.     

A homotopy interior point method for semi-infinite programming problems

This paper presents a homotopy interior point method for solving a semi-infinite programming (SIP) problem. For algorithmic purpose, based on bilevel strategy, first we illustrate appropriate necessary conditions for a solution in the framework of standard nonlinear programming (NLP), which can be solved by homotopy method. Under suitable assumptions, we can prove that the method determines a smooth interior path from a given interior point to a point w ^*, at which the necessary conditions are satisfied. Numerical tracing this path gives a globally convergent algorithm for the SIP. Lastly, several preliminary computational results illustrating the method are given.     

A central cutting plane algorithm for the convex programming problem

An algorithm is developed for solving the convex programming problem which iteratively proceeds to the optimum by constructing a cutting plane through the center of a polyhedral approximation to the optimum. This generates a sequence of primal feasible points whose limit points satisfy the Kuhn—Tucker conditions of the problem. Additionally, we present a simple, effective rule for dropping prior cuts, an easily calculated bound on the objective function, and a rate of convergence.     

A relaxed cutting plane algorithm for solving the Vasicek-type forward interest rate model

This work considers the solution of the Vasicek-type forward interest rate model. A deterministic process is adopted to model the random behavior of interest rate variation as a deterministic perturbation. It shows that the solution of the Vasicek-type forward interest rate model can be obtained by solving a nonlinear semi-infinite programming problem. A relaxed cutting plane algorithm is then proposed for solving the resulting optimization problem. The features of the proposed method are tested using a set of real data and compared with some commonly used spline fitting methods.     

An interior semi-infinite programming method

In this paper, a new method for semi-infinite programming problems with convex constraints is presented. The method generates a sequence of feasible points whose cluster points are solutions of the original problem. No maximization over the index set is required. Some computational results are also presented.This work was partly supported by Republicka Zajednica za Nauku Socijalisticke Republike Srbije. The authors are indebted to Professor R. A. Tapia for encouraging the approach taken in this research.     

A dual-active-set algorithm for positive semi-definite quadratic programming

Because of the many important applications of quadratic programming, fast and efficient methods for solving quadratic programming problems are valued. Goldfarb and Idnani (1983) describe one such method. Well known to be efficient and numerically stable, the Goldfarb and Idnani method suffers only from the restriction that in its original form it cannot be applied to problems which are positive semi-definite rather than positive definite. In this paper, we present a generalization of the Goldfarb and Idnani method to the positive semi-definite case and prove finite termination of the generalized algorithm. In our generalization, we preserve the spirit of the Goldfarb and Idnani method, and extend their numerically stable implementation in a natural way. Supported in part by ATERB, NSERC and the ARC. Much of this work was done in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Western Australia and in the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization at the University of Waterloo.     

An interior-point method for semi-infinite programming problems

This work examines the generalization of a certain interior-point method, namely the method of analytic centers, to semi-infinite linear programming problems. We define an analytic center for these problems and an appropriate norm to examine Newton's method for computing this center. A simple algorithm of order zero is constructed and a convergence proof for that algorithm is given. Finally, we describe a more practical implementation of a predictor-corrector method and give some numerical results. In particular we concentrate on practical integration rules that take care of the specific structure of the integrals.