Optimality conditions for abs-normal NLPs

Structured nonsmoothness is widely present in practical optimization problems. A particularly attractive class of nonsmooth problems, both from a theoretical and from an algorithmic perspective, are nonsmooth NLPs with equality and inequality constraints in abs-normal form, so-called abs-normal NLPs. In this thesis optimality conditions for this particular class are obtained. To this aim, first the theory for the case of unconstrained optimization problems in abs-normal form of Andreas Griewank and Andrea Walther is extended. In particular, similar necessary and sufficient conditions of first and second order are obtained that are directly based on classical Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) theory for smooth NLPs. Then, it is shown that the class of abs-normal NLPs is equivalent to the class of Mathematical Programs with Equilibrium Constraints (MPECs). Hence, the regularity assumption LIKQ introduced for the abs-normal NLP turns out to be equivalent to MPEC-LICQ. Moreover, stationarity concepts and optimality conditions under these regularity assumptions of linear independece type are equivalent up to technical assumptions. Next, well established constraint qualifications of Mangasarian Fromovitz, Abadie and Guignard type for MPECs are used to define corresponding concepts for abs-normal NLPs. Then, it is shown that kink qualifications and MPEC constraint qualifications of Mangasarian Fromovitz resp. Abadie type are equivalent. As it remains open if this holds for Guignard type kink and constraint qualifications, branch formulations for abs-normal NLPs and MPECs are introduced. Then, equivalence of Abadie’s and Guignard’s constraint qualifications for all branch problems hold. Throughout a reformulation of inequalities with absolute value slacks is considered. It preserves constraint qualifications of linear independence and Abadie type but not of Mangasarian Fromovitz type. For Guignard type it is still an open question but ACQ and GCQ are preserved passing over to branch problems. Further, M-stationarity and B-stationarity concepts for abs-normal NLPs are introduced and corresponding first order optimality con- ditions are proven using the corresponding concepts for MPECs. Moreover, a reformulation to extend the optimality conditions for abs-normal NLPs to those with additional nonsmooth objective functions is given and the preservation of regularity assumptions is considered. Using this, it is shown that the unconstrained abs-normal NLP always satisfies constraint qualifications of Abadie and thus Guignard type. Hence, in this special case every local minimizer satisfies the M-stationarity and B-stationarity concepts for abs-normal NLPs

Relations between Abs-Normal NLPs and MPCCs. Part 2: Weak Constraint Qualifications

This work continues an ongoing effort to compare non-smooth optimization problems in abs-normal form to Mathematical Programs with Complementarity Constraints (MPCCs). We study general Nonlinear Programs with equality and inequality constraints in abs-normal form, so-called Abs-Normal NLPs, and their relation to equivalent MPCC reformulations. We introduce the concepts of Abadie's and Guignard's kink qualification and prove relations to MPCC-ACQ and MPCC-GCQ for the counterpart MPCC formulations. Due to non-uniqueness of a specific slack reformulation suggested in [10], the relations are non-trivial. It turns out that constraint qualifications of Abadie type are preserved. We also prove the weaker result that equivalence of Guginard's (and Abadie's) constraint qualifications for all branch problems hold, while the question of GCQ preservation remains open. Finally, we introduce M-stationarity and B-stationarity concepts for abs-normal NLPs and prove first order optimality conditions corresponding to MPCC counterpart formulations

Relations between Abs-Normal NLPs and MPCCs. Part 1: Strong Constraint Qualifications

This work is part of an ongoing effort of comparing non-smooth optimization problems in abs-normal form to MPCCs. We study the general abs-normal NLP with equality and inequality constraints in relation to an equivalent MPCC reformulation. We show that kink qualifications and MPCC constraint qualifications of linear independence type and Mangasarian-Fromovitz type are equivalent. Then we consider strong stationarity concepts with first and second order optimality conditions, which again turn out to be equivalent for the two problem classes. Throughout we also consider specific slack reformulations suggested in [9], which preserve constraint qualifications of linear independence type but not of Mangasarian-Fromovitz type

Solving Constrained Piecewise Linear Optimization Problems by Exploiting the Abs-linear Approach

In dieser Arbeit wird ein Algorithmus zur Lösung von endlichdimensionalen Optimierungsproblemen mit stückweise linearer Zielfunktion und stückweise linearen Nebenbedingungen vorgestellt. Dabei wird angenommen, dass die Funktionen in der sogenannten Abs-Linear Form, einer Matrix-Vektor-Darstellung, vorliegen. Mit Hilfe dieser Form lässt sich der Urbildraum in Polyeder zerlegen, so dass die Nichtglattheiten der stückweise linearen Funktionen mit den Kanten der Polyeder zusammenfallen können. Für die Klasse der abs-linearen Funktionen werden sowohl für den unbeschränkten als auch für den beschränkten Fall notwendige und hinreichende Optimalitätsbedingungen bewiesen, die in polynomialer Zeit verifiziert werden können. Für unbeschränkte stückweise lineare Optimierungsprobleme haben Andrea Walther und Andreas Griewank bereits 2019 mit der Active Signature Method (ASM) einen Lösungsalgorithmus vorgestellt. Aufbauend auf dieser Methode und in Kombination mit der Idee der aktiven Mengen Strategie zur Behandlung von Ungleichungsnebenbedingungen entsteht ein neuer Algorithmus mit dem Namen Constrained Active Signature Method (CASM) für beschränkte Probleme. Beide Algorithmen nutzen die stückweise lineare Struktur der Funktionen explizit aus, indem sie die Abs-Linear Form verwenden. Teil der Analyse der Algorithmen ist der Nachweis der endlichen Konvergenz zu lokalen Minima der jeweiligen Probleme sowie die Betrachtung effizienter Berechnung von Lösungen der in jeder Iteration der Algorithmen auftretenden Sattelpunktsysteme. Die numerische Performanz von CASM wird anhand verschiedener Beispiele demonstriert. Dazu gehören akademische Probleme, einschließlich bi-level und lineare Komplementaritätsprobleme, sowie Anwendungsprobleme aus der Gasnetzwerkoptimierung und dem Einzelhandel.This thesis presents an algorithm for solving finite-dimensional optimization problems with a piecewise linear objective function and piecewise linear constraints. For this purpose, it is assumed that the functions are in the so-called Abs-Linear Form, a matrix-vector representation. Using this form, the domain space can be decomposed into polyhedra, so that the nonsmoothness of the piecewise linear functions can coincide with the edges of the polyhedra. For the class of abs-linear functions, necessary and sufficient optimality conditions that can be verified in polynomial time are given for both the unconstrained and the constrained case. For unconstrained piecewise linear optimization problems, Andrea Walther and Andreas Griewank already presented a solution algorithm called the Active Signature Method (ASM) in 2019. Building on this method and combining it with the idea of the Active Set Method to handle inequality constraints, a new algorithm called the Constrained Active Signature Method (CASM) for constrained problems emerges. Both algorithms explicitly exploit the piecewise linear structure of the functions by using the Abs-Linear Form. Part of the analysis of the algorithms is to show finite convergence to local minima of the respective problems as well as an efficient solution of the saddle point systems occurring in each iteration of the algorithms. The numerical performance of CASM is illustrated by several examples. The test problems cover academic problems, including bi-level and linear complementarity problems, as well as application problems from gas network optimization and inventory problems