Signomial dual Kuhn-tucker intervals

Signomial programs are a special type of nonlinear programming problems which are especially useful in engineering design. This paper applies interval arithmetic, a generalization of ordinary arithmetic, to a dual equilibrium problem in signomial programming. Two constructive applications are considered. Application I involves uniqueness of local solutions; Application II involves existence and error bounds.The authors are grateful to the National Science Foundation for support through a Graduate Fellowship and Grant No. GK-41301.     

Global optimization of signomial geometric programming problems

This paper presents a global optimization approach for solving signomial geometric programming problems. In most cases nonconvex optimization problems with signomial parts are difficult, NP-hard problems to solve for global optimality. But some transformation and convexification strategies can be used to convert the original signomial geometric programming problem into a series of standard geometric programming problems that can be solved to reach a global solution. The tractability and effectiveness of the proposed successive convexification framework is demonstrated by seven numerical experiments. Some considerations are also presented to investigate the convergence properties of the algorithm and to give a performance comparison of our proposed approach and the current methods in terms of both computational efficiency and solution quality.     

Global optimization of signomial mixed-integer nonlinear programming problems with free variables

Mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problems involving general constraints and objective functions with continuous and integer variables occur frequently in engineering design, chemical process industry and management. Although many optimization approaches have been developed for MINLP problems, these methods can only handle signomial terms with positive variables or find a local solution. Therefore, this study proposes a novel method for solving a signomial MINLP problem with free variables to obtain a global optimal solution. The signomial MINLP problem is first transformed into another one containing only positive variables. Then the transformed problem is reformulated as a convex mixed-integer program by the convexification strategies and piecewise linearization techniques. A global optimum of the signomial MINLP problem can finally be found within the tolerable error. Numerical examples are also presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

On the mixed integer signomial programming problems

This paper proposes an approximate method to solve the mixed integer signomial programming problem, for which the objective function and the constraints may contain product terms with exponents and decision variables, which could be continuous or integral. A linear programming relaxation is derived for the problem based on piecewise linearization techniques, which first convert a signomial term into the sum of absolute terms; these absolute terms are then linearized by linearization strategies. In addition, a novel approach is included for solving integer and undefined problems in the logarithmic piecewise technique, which leads to more usefulness of the proposed method. The proposed method could reach a solution as close as possible to the global optimum.     

混合约束下广义几何规划的一种全局收敛算法

In this paper, we develop a rapidly convergent algorithm for mixed constrained signomial geometric programming. The algorithm makes use of the characteristics of signomial geometric programming, and establishes a new active-set strategy on the basis of trust region method. The global convergence is proved, and some numerical tests are given to illustrate the effectiveness.     

符号几何规划的一种分解方法

针对符号几何规划提出了一种直接的分解方法,将难于求解的符号几何规划问题等价地转化为一个非线性程度很低的可分离规划,为寻求困难度高且规模较大的符号几何规划问题的求解提供了一种方法,特别是经此方法分解后的每个子问题均易于求解,最后给出了数值实例,验证了此方法的有效性．     

Range reduction techniques for improving computational efficiency in global optimization of signomial geometric programming problems

Many global optimization approaches for solving signomial geometric programming problems are based on transformation techniques and piecewise linear approximations of the inverse transformations. Since using numerous break points in the linearization process leads to a significant increase in the computational burden for solving the reformulated problem, this study integrates the range reduction techniques in a global optimization algorithm for signomial geometric programming to improve computational efficiency. In the proposed algorithm, the non-convex geometric programming problem is first converted into a convex mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem by convexification and piecewise linearization techniques. Then, an optimization-based approach is used to reduce the range of each variable. Tightening variable bounds iteratively allows the proposed method to reach an approximate solution within an acceptable error by using fewer break points in the linearization process, therefore decreasing the required CPU time. Several numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method in terms of both computational efficiency and solution quality.     

Characterization of perturbed mathematical programs and interval analysis

Several authors have used interval arithmetic to deal with parametric or sensitivity analysis in mathematical programming problems. Several reported computational experiments have shown how interval arithmetic can provide such results. However, there has not been a characterization of the resulting solution interval in terms of the usual sensitivity analysis results. This paper presents a characterization of perturbed convex programs and the resulting solution intervals.Interval arithmetic was developed as a mechanism for dealing with the inherent error associated with numerical computations using a computational device. Here it is used to describe error in the parameters. We show that, for convex programs, the resulting solution intervals can be characterized in terms of the usual sensitivity analysis results. It has been often reported in the literature that even well behaved convex problems can exhibit pathological behavior in the presence of data perturbations. This paper uses interval arithmetic to deal with such problems, and to characterize the behavior of the perturbed problem in the resulting interval. These results form the foundation for future computational studies using interval arithmetic to do nonlinear parametric analysis.     

Global solution of optimization problems with signomial parts

In this paper a new approach for the global solution of nonconvex MINLP (Mixed Integer NonLinear Programming) problems that contain signomial (generalized geometric) expressions is proposed and illustrated. By applying different variable transformation techniques and a discretization scheme a lower bounding convex MINLP problem can be derived. The convexified MINLP problem can be solved with standard methods. The key element in this approach is that all transformations are applied termwise. In this way all convex parts of the problem are left unaffected by the transformations. The method is illustrated by four example problems.     

On generalized geometric programming problems with non-positive variables

Generalized geometric programming (GGP) problems occur frequently in engineering design and management. Some exponential-based decomposition methods have been developed for solving global optimization of GGP problems. However, the use of logarithmic/exponential transformations restricts these methods to handle the problems with strictly positive variables. This paper proposes a technique for treating non-positive variables with integer powers in GGP problems. By means of variable transformation, the GGP problem with non-positive variables can be equivalently solved with another one having positive variables. In addition, we present some computationally efficient convexification rules for signomial terms to enhance the efficiency of the optimization approach. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method in GGP problems with non-positive variables.     

Some transformation techniques with applications in global optimization

In this paper some transformation techniques, based on power transformations, are discussed. The techniques can be applied to solve optimization problems including signomial functions to global optimality. Signomial terms can always be convexified and underestimated using power transformations on the individual variables in the terms. However, often not all variables need to be transformed. A method for minimizing the number of original variables involved in the transformations is, therefore, presented. In order to illustrate how the given method can be integrated into the transformation framework, some mixed integer optimization problems including signomial functions are finally solved to global optimality using the given techniques.     

带自由变量的广义几何规划全局求解的新算法

带自由变量的广义几何规划(FGGP)问题广泛出现在证券投资和工程设计等实际问题中.利用等价转换及对目标函数和约束函数的凸下界估计,提出一种求(FGGP)问题全局解的凸松弛方法.与已有方法相比,方法可处理符号项中含有更多变量的(FGGP)问题,且在最后形成的凸松弛问题中含有更少的变量和约束,从而在计算上更容易实现.最后数值实验表明文中方法是可行和有效的.     

Global Optimization of Nonconvex Polynomial Programming Problems Having Rational Exponents

This paper considers the solution of nonconvex polynomial programming problems that arise in various engineering design, network distribution, and location-allocation contexts. These problems generally have nonconvex polynomial objective functions and constraints, involving terms of mixed-sign coefficients (as in signomial geometric programs) that have rational exponents on variables. For such problems, we develop an extension of the Reformulation-Linearization Technique (RLT) to generate linear programming relaxations that are embedded within a branch-and-bound algorithm. Suitable branching or partitioning strategies are designed for which convergence to a global optimal solution is established. The procedure is illustrated using a numerical example, and several possible extensions and algorithmic enhancements are discussed.     

Comparison of generalized geometric programming algorithms

Numerical results are presented of extensive tests involving five posynomial and twelve signomial programming codes. The set of test problems includes problems with a pure mathematical meaning as well as problems originating from different fields of engineering. The algorithms are compared on the basis of CPU time, number of failures, preparation time, and in-core storage.The authors wish to thank Messieurs M. Avriel, P. Beck, J. Bradley, R. Dembo, T. Jefferson, R. Sargent and A. Templeman for the possibility of using their respective codes in this study.     

Intrinsic Compiler Support for Interval Arithmetic

Interval arithmetic provides an efficient method for monitoring errors in numerical computations and for solving problems that cannot be efficiently solved with floating-point arithmetic. To support interval arithmetic, several software tools have been developed including interval arithmetic libraries, extended scientific programming languages, and interval-enhanced compilers. The main disadvantage of these software tools is their speed, since interval operations are implemented using function calls. In this paper, compiler support for interval arithmetic is investigated. In particular, the performance benefits of having the compiler inline interval operations to eliminate function call overhead is researched. Interval operations are inlined with the GNU gcc compiler and the performance of interval arithmetic is evaluated on a superscalar architecture. To implement interval operations with compiler support, the compiler produces sequences of instructions that use existing floating point hardware. Simulation results show that the compiler implementation of interval arithmetic is approximately 4 to 5 times faster than a functionally equivalent interval arithmetic software implementation with function call overhead and approximately 1.2 to 1.5 times slower than a dedicated interval arithmetic hardware implementation.     

Global solutions of mathematical programs with intrinsically concave functions

An implicit enumeration technique for solving a certain type of nonconvex program is described. The method can be used for solving signomial programs with constraint functions defined by sums of quasiconcave functions and other types of programs with constraint functions called intrinsically concave functions. A signomial-type example is solved by this method. The algorithm is described together with a convergence proof. No computational results are available at present.     

Treating Free Variables in Generalized Geometric Global Optimization Programs

Generalized geometric programming (GGP) problems occur frequently in engineering design and management. Recently, some exponential-based decomposition methods [Maranas and Floudas, 1997,Computers and Chemical Engineering 21(4), 351–370; Floudas et al., 1999 , Handbook of Test Problems in Local and Global Optimization, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, pp. 5–105; Floudas, 2000 Deterministic Global Optimizaion: Theory, Methods and Application, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, pp. 257–306] have been developed for GGP problems. These methods can only handle problems with positive variables, and are incapable of solving more general GGP problems. This study proposes a technique for treating free (i.e., positive, zero or negative) variables in GGP problems. Computationally effective convexification rules are also provided for signomial terms with three variables.     

MM algorithms for geometric and signomial programming

This paper derives new algorithms for signomial programming, a generalization of geometric programming. The algorithms are based on a generic principle for optimization called the MM algorithm. In this setting, one can apply the geometric-arithmetic mean inequality and a supporting hyperplane inequality to create a surrogate function with parameters separated. Thus, unconstrained signomial programming reduces to a sequence of one-dimensional minimization problems. Simple examples demonstrate that the MM algorithm derived can converge to a boundary point or to one point of a continuum of minimum points. Conditions under which the minimum point is unique or occurs in the interior of parameter space are proved for geometric programming. Convergence to an interior point occurs at a linear rate. Finally, the MM framework easily accommodates equality and inequality constraints of signomial type. For the most important special case, constrained quadratic programming, the MM algorithm involves very simple updates.     

Solving Posynomial Geometric Programming Problems via Generalized Linear Programming

This paper revisits an efficient procedure for solving posynomial geometric programming (GP) problems, which was initially developed by Avriel et al. The procedure, which used the concept of condensation, was embedded within an algorithm for the more general (signomial) GP problem. It is shown here that a computationally equivalent dual-based algorithm may be independently derived based on some more recent work where the GP primal-dual pair was reformulated as a set of inexact linear programs. The constraint structure of the reformulation provides insight into why the algorithm is successful in avoiding all of the computational problems traditionally associated with dual-based algorithms. Test results indicate that the algorithm can be used to successfully solve large-scale geometric programming problems on a desktop computer.     

Multi-class classification using a signomial function

We propose two multi-class classification methods using a signomial function. Each of these methods directly constructs a multi-class classifier by solving a single optimization problem. Since the number of possible signomial terms is extremely large, we propose a column generation method that iteratively generates good signomial terms. Both of these methods obtain better or comparable classification accuracies than existing methods and also provide more sparse classifiers.