A second-order smooth penalty function algorithm for constrained optimization problems

This paper introduces a second-order differentiability smoothing technique to the classical l ₁ exact penalty function for constrained optimization problems(COP). Error estimations among the optimal objective values of the nonsmooth penalty problem, the smoothed penalty problem and the original optimization problem are obtained. Based on the smoothed problem, an algorithm for solving COP is proposed and some preliminary numerical results indicate that the algorithm is quite promising.     

A Smoothing Objective Penalty Function Algorithm for Inequality Constrained Optimization Problems

In this article, a smoothing objective penalty function for inequality constrained optimization problems is presented. The article proves that this type of the smoothing objective penalty functions has good properties in helping to solve inequality constrained optimization problems. Moreover, based on the penalty function, an algorithm is presented to solve the inequality constrained optimization problems, with its convergence under some conditions proved. Two numerical experiments show that a satisfactory approximate optimal solution can be obtained by the proposed algorithm.     

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.     

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.     

Augmented Lagrangian Objective Penalty Function

Augmented Lagrangian function is one of the most important tools used in solving some constrained optimization problems. In this article, we study an augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function and a modified augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function for inequality constrained optimization problems. First, we prove the dual properties of the augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function, which are at least as good as the traditional Lagrangian function's. Under some conditions, the saddle point of the augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function satisfies the first-order Karush-Kuhn-Tucker condition. This is especially so when the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker condition holds for convex programming of its saddle point existence. Second, we prove the dual properties of the modified augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function. For a global optimal solution, when the exactness of the modified augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function holds, its saddle point exists. The sufficient and necessary stability conditions used to determine whether the modified augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function is exact for a global solution is proved. Based on the modified augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function, an algorithm is developed to find a global solution to an inequality constrained optimization problem, and its global convergence is also proved under some conditions. Furthermore, the sufficient and necessary calmness condition on the exactness of the modified augmented Lagrangian objective penalty function is proved for a local solution. An algorithm is presented in finding a local solution, with its convergence proved under some conditions.     

On the Smoothing of the Square-Root Exact Penalty Function for Inequality Constrained Optimization

In this paper we propose two methods for smoothing a nonsmooth square-root exact penalty function for inequality constrained optimization. Error estimations are obtained among the optimal objective function values of the smoothed penalty problem, of the nonsmooth penalty problem and of the original optimization problem. We develop an algorithm for solving the optimization problem based on the smoothed penalty function and prove the convergence of the algorithm. The efficiency of the smoothed penalty function is illustrated with some numerical examples, which show that the algorithm seems efficient.     

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.     

Algorithm of Barrier Objective Penalty Function

In this paper, an algorithm of barrier objective penalty function for inequality constrained optimization is studied and a conception–the stability of barrier objective penalty function is presented. It is proved that an approximate optimal solution may be obtained by solving a barrier objective penalty function for inequality constrained optimization problem when the barrier objective penalty function is stable. Under some conditions, the stability of barrier objective penalty function is proved for convex programming. Specially, the logarithmic barrier function of convex programming is stable. Based on the barrier objective penalty function, an algorithm is developed for finding an approximate optimal solution to an inequality constrained optimization problem and its convergence is also proved under some conditions. Finally, numerical experiments show that the barrier objective penalty function algorithm has better convergence than the classical barrier function algorithm.     

On Smoothing l1 Exact Penalty Function for Constrained Optimization Problems

This article introduces a smoothing technique to the l₁ exact penalty function. An application of the technique yields a twice continuously differentiable penalty function and a smoothed penalty problem. Under some mild conditions, the optimal solution to the smoothed penalty problem becomes an approximate optimal solution to the original constrained optimization problem. Based on the smoothed penalty problem, we propose an algorithm to solve the constrained optimization problem. Every limit point of the sequence generated by the algorithm is an optimal solution. Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.     

On smoothing exact penalty functions for nonlinear constrained optimization problems

In the paper, we give a smoothing approximation to the nondifferentiable exact penalty function for nonlinear constrained optimization problems. Error estimations are obtained among the optimal objective function values of the smoothed penalty problems, of the nonsmooth penalty problem and of the original problem. An algorithm based on our smoothing function is given, which is showed to be globally convergent under some mild conditions.     

Exactness and algorithm of an objective penalty function

Penalty function is an important tool in solving many constrained optimization problems in areas such as industrial design and management. In this paper, we study exactness and algorithm of an objective penalty function for inequality constrained optimization. In terms of exactness, this objective penalty function is at least as good as traditional exact penalty functions. Especially, in the case of a global solution, the exactness of the proposed objective penalty function shows a significant advantage. The sufficient and necessary stability condition used to determine whether the objective penalty function is exact for a global solution is proved. Based on the objective penalty function, an algorithm is developed for finding a global solution to an inequality constrained optimization problem and its global convergence is also proved under some conditions. Furthermore, the sufficient and necessary calmness condition on the exactness of the objective penalty function is proved for a local solution. An algorithm is presented in the paper in finding a local solution, with its convergence proved under some conditions. Finally, numerical experiments show that a satisfactory approximate optimal solution can be obtained by the proposed algorithm.     

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.     

Parameter Tuning of Multi-Proportional-Integral-Derivative Controllers Based on Optimal Switching Algorithms

Under the framework of switched systems, this paper considers a multi-proportional-integral-derivative controller parameter tuning problem with terminal equality constraints and continuous-time inequality constraints. The switching time and controller parameters are decision variables to be chosen optimally. Firstly, we transform the optimal control problem into an equivalent problem with fixed switching instants by introducing an auxiliary function and a time-scaling transformation. Because of the complexity of constraints, it is difficult to solve the problem by conventional optimization techniques. To overcome this difficulty, a novel exact penalty function is introduced for these constraints. Furthermore, the penalty function is appended to the cost functional to form an augmented cost functional, giving rise to an approximate nonlinear parameter optimization problem that can be solved using any gradient-based method. Convergence results indicate that any local optimal solution of the approximate problem is also a local optimal solution of the original problem as long as the penalty parameter is sufficiently large. Finally, an example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed algorithm.     

低阶精确罚函数的一种光滑化逼近

本文对不等式约束优化问题给出了低阶精确罚函数的一种光滑化逼近.提出了通过搜索光滑化后的罚问题的全局解而得到原优化问题的近似全局解的算法.给出了几个数值例子以说明所提出的光滑化方法的有效性.     

An Optimization Problem with a Separable Non-Convex Objective Function and a Linear Constraint

For a class of global optimization (maximization) problems, with a separable non-concave objective function and a linear constraint a computationally efficient heuristic has been developed.The concave relaxation of a global optimization problem is introduced. An algorithm for solving this problem to optimality is presented. The optimal solution of the relaxation problem is shown to provide an upper bound for the optimal value of the objective function of the original global optimization problem. An easily checked sufficient optimality condition is formulated under which the optimal solution of concave relaxation problem is optimal for the corresponding non-concave problem. An heuristic algorithm for solving the considered global optimization problem is developed.The considered global optimization problem models a wide class of optimal distribution of a unidimensional resource over subsystems to provide maximum total output in a multicomponent systems.In the presented computational experiments the developed heuristic algorithm generated solutions, which either met optimality conditions or had objective function values with a negligible deviation from optimality (less than 1/10 of a percent over entire range of problems tested).     

A new Lagrangian net algorithm for solving max-bisection problems

The max-bisection problem is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem. In this paper, a new Lagrangian net algorithm is proposed to solve max-bisection problems. First, we relax the bisection constraints to the objective function by introducing the penalty function method. Second, a bisection solution is calculated by a discrete Hopfield neural network (DHNN). The increasing penalty factor can help the DHNN to escape from the local minimum and to get a satisfying bisection. The convergence analysis of the proposed algorithm is also presented. Finally, numerical results of large-scale G-set problems show that the proposed method can find a better optimal solutions.     

Expected Value and Sample Average Approximation Method for Solving Stochastic Second-Order Cone Complementarity Problems

In this paper, we consider the stochastic second-order cone complementarity problems (SSOCCP). We first formulate the SSOCCP contained expectation as an optimization problem using the so-called second-order cone complementarity function. We then use sample average approximation method and smoothing technique to obtain the approximation problems for solving this reformulation. In theory, we show that any accumulation point of the global optimal solutions or stationary points of the approximation problems are global optimal solution or stationary point of the original problem under suitable conditions. Finally, some numerical examples are given to explain that the proposed methods are feasible.     

Numerical algorithm for a class of constrained optimal control problems of switched systems

In this paper, we consider an optimal control problem of switched systems with continuous-time inequality constraints. Because of the complexity of such constraints and switching laws, it is difficult to solve this problem by standard optimization techniques. To overcome the difficulty, we adopt a bi-level algorithm to divide the problem into two nonlinear constrained optimization problems: one continuous and the other discrete. To solve the problem, we transform the inequality constraints into equality constraints which is smoothed using a twice continuously differentiable function and treated as a penalty function. On this basis, the smoothed problem can be solved by any second-order gradient algorithm, e.g., Newton’s Method. Finally, numerical examples show that our method is effective compared to existing algorithms.     

Optimal discrete-valued control computation

In this paper, we consider an optimal control problem in which the control takes values from a discrete set and the state and control are subject to continuous inequality constraints. By introducing auxiliary controls and applying a time-scaling transformation, we transform this optimal control problem into an equivalent problem subject to additional linear and quadratic constraints. The feasible region defined by these additional constraints is disconnected, and thus standard optimization methods struggle to handle these constraints. We introduce a novel exact penalty function to penalize constraint violations, and then append this penalty function to the objective. This leads to an approximate optimal control problem that can be solved using standard software packages such as MISER. Convergence results show that when the penalty parameter is sufficiently large, any local solution of the approximate problem is also a local solution of the original problem. We conclude the paper with some numerical results for two difficult train control problems.