Heuristic Methods for Mixed-Integer, Linear, and Γ-Robust Bilevel Problems

Due to their nested structure, bilevel problems are intrinsically hard to solve–even if all variables are continuous and all parameters of the problem are exactly known. In this paper, we study mixed-integer linear bilevel problems with lower-level objective uncertainty, which we address using the notion of Γ-robustness. To tackle the Γ-robust counterpart of the bilevel … Read more

Adjustable Robust Nonlinear Network Design under Demand Uncertainties

We study network design problems for nonlinear and nonconvex flow models under demand uncertainties. To this end, we apply the concept of adjustable robust optimization to compute a network design that admits a feasible transport for all, possibly infinitely many, demand scenarios within a given uncertainty set. For solving the corresponding adjustable robust mixed-integer nonlinear … Read more

Using Disjunctive Cuts in a Branch-and-Cut Method to Solve Convex Integer Nonlinear Bilevel Problems

We present a branch-and-cut method for solving convex integer nonlinear bilevel problems, i.e., bilevel models with nonlinear but convex objective functions and constraints in both the upper and the lower level. To this end, we generalize the idea of using disjunctive cuts to cut off integer-feasible but bilevel-infeasible points. These cuts can be obtained by … Read more

On Coupling Constraints in Linear Bilevel Optimization

It is well-known that coupling constraints in linear bilevel optimization can lead to disconnected feasible sets, which is not possible without coupling constraints. However, there is no difference between linear bilevel problems with and without coupling constraints w.r.t. their complexity-theoretical hardness. In this note, we prove that, although there is a clear difference between these … Read more

Mixed-Integer Linear Optimization for Semi-Supervised Optimal Classification Trees

Decision trees are one of the most famous methods for solving classification problems, mainly because of their good interpretability properties. Moreover, due to advances in recent years in mixed-integer optimization, several models have been proposed to formulate the problem of computing optimal classification trees. The goal is, given a set of labeled points, to split … Read more

On a Tractable Single-Level Reformulation of a Multilevel Model of the European Entry-Exit Gas Market with Market Power

We propose a framework that allows to quantitatively analyze the interplay of the different agents involved in gas trade and transport in the context of the European entry-exit system. While previous contributions focus on the case of perfectly competitive buyers and sellers of gas, our novel framework considers the mathematically more challenging case of a … Read more

Using Column Generation in Column-and-Constraint Generation for Adjustable Robust Optimization

Adjustable robust optimization (ARO) is a powerful tool to model problems that have uncertain data and that feature a two-stage decision making process. Computationally, they are often addressed using the column-and-constraint generation (CCG) algorithm introduced by Zhao and Zeng in 2012. While it was empirically shown that the algorithm scales well if all second-stage decisions … Read more

Learning the Follower’s Objective Function in Sequential Bilevel Games

We consider bilevel optimization problems in which the leader has no or only partial knowledge about the objective function of the follower. The studied setting is a sequential one in which the bilevel game is played repeatedly. This allows the leader to learn the objective function of the follower over time. We focus on two … Read more

A Tutorial on Solving Single-Leader-Multi-Follower Problems using SOS1 Reformulations

In this tutorial we consider single-leader-multi-follower games in which the models of the lower-level players have polyhedral feasible sets and convex objective functions. This situation allows for classic KKT reformulations of the separate lower-level problems, which lead to challenging single-level reformulations of MPCC type. The main contribution of this tutorial is to present a ready-to-use … Read more

Connections and Reformulations between Robust and Bilevel Optimization

Robust and bilevel optimization share the common feature that they involve a certain multilevel structure. Hence, although they model something rather different when used in practice, they seem to have a similar mathematical structure. In this paper, we analyze the connections between different types of robust problems (strictly robust problems with and without decision-dependence of … Read more