Derivative-free optimization on thin domains

Author(s)

Francisco Nogueira Calmon Sobral

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Matemática, Estatística e Computação Científica
• Defense date: 2012-03-28

Examining board members

José Mario Martínez Pérez; Peter Sussner; Ademir Alves Ribeiro; Elizabeth Wegner Karas; Ernesto Julián Goldberg Birgin

• Advisor: José Mario Martínez Pérez

Abstract

Derivative-free optimization problems arise from models whose derivatives of some functions are not available. This information is unavailable due to extremely complex and black-box functions, originated from simulation procedures, or even to user inability. Following the growth in the number of applications, the number of derivative-free algorithms has increased in the last years. However, few algorithms are able to handle thin feasible domains efficiently, for example, in the presence of equality nonlinear constraints. In the present work, we describe the theory and implementation of two algorithms capable of dealing with thin-constrained derivative-free problems. Their definition considers that the objective function evaluation is the most expensive part of the problem. Based on this principle, the process of solving a problem is split into two phases. In the restoration phase, we try to improve the feasibility without evaluating the objective function. In the minimization phase, the aim is to decrease the objective function value by using well-established algorithms in order to solve derivative-free problems with simple constraints. The _rst algorithm uses Inexact Restoration ideas together with a decreasing infeasibility tolerance. Under the usual hypotheses of direct search methods, we show global minimization results. The second algorithm extends to the derivative-free case all the theoretical results obtained in a recent line-search Inexact Restoration algorithm. In this approach, only the derivatives of the objective function are not available. We perform numerical experiments to show the advantages of each algorithm, in particular when comparing with penalty-like algorithms (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/00468-4 - KKT Systems
• Grantee: Francisco Nogueira Calmon Sobral
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate