TY - GEN A1 - Witzig, Jakob A1 - Berthold, Timo T1 - Conflict-Free Learning for Mixed Integer Programming N2 - Conflict learning plays an important role in solving mixed integer programs (MIPs) and is implemented in most major MIP solvers. A major step for MIP conflict learning is to aggregate the LP relaxation of an infeasible subproblem to a single globally valid constraint, the dual proof, that proves infeasibility within the local bounds. Among others, one way of learning is to add these constraints to the problem formulation for the remainder of the search. We suggest to not restrict this procedure to infeasible subproblems, but to also use global proof constraints from subproblems that are not (yet) infeasible, but can be expected to be pruned soon. As a special case, we also consider learning from integer feasible LP solutions. First experiments of this conflict-free learning strategy show promising results on the MIPLIB2017 benchmark set. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-59 KW - mixed integer programming KW - conflict analysis KW - dual proof analysis KW - no-good learning KW - solution learning Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-75338 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Müller, Benjamin A1 - Serrano, Felipe A1 - Gleixner, Ambros T1 - Using two-dimensional Projections for Stronger Separation and Propagation of Bilinear Terms N2 - One of the most fundamental ingredients in mixed-integer nonlinear programming solvers is the well- known McCormick relaxation for a product of two variables x and y over a box-constrained domain. The starting point of this paper is the fact that the convex hull of the graph of xy can be much tighter when computed over a strict, non-rectangular subset of the box. In order to exploit this in practice, we propose to compute valid linear inequalities for the projection of the feasible region onto the x-y-space by solving a sequence of linear programs akin to optimization-based bound tightening. These valid inequalities allow us to employ results from the literature to strengthen the classical McCormick relaxation. As a consequence, we obtain a stronger convexification procedure that exploits problem structure and can benefit from supplementary information obtained during the branch-and bound algorithm such as an objective cutoff. We complement this by a new bound tightening procedure that efficiently computes the best possible bounds for x, y, and xy over the available projections. Our computational evaluation using the academic solver SCIP exhibit that the proposed methods are applicable to a large portion of the public test library MINLPLib and help to improve performance significantly. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-15 KW - mixed-integer quadratically constrained programs KW - nonconvex KW - global optimization KW - separation KW - propagation KW - projection KW - bilinear terms Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-72759 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Berthold, Timo A1 - Gamrath, Gerald A1 - Salvagnin, Domenico T1 - Exploiting Dual Degeneracy in Branching N2 - Branch-and-bound methods for mixed-integer programming (MIP) are traditionally based on solving a linear programming (LP) relaxation and branching on a variable which takes a fractional value in the (single) computed relaxation optimum. In this paper, we study branching strategies for mixed-integer programs that exploit the knowledge of multiple alternative optimal solutions (a cloud ) of the current LP relaxation. These strategies naturally extend common methods like most infeasible branching, strong branching, pseudocost branching, and their hybrids, but we also propose a novel branching rule called cloud diameter branching. We show that dual degeneracy, a requirement for alternative LP optima, is present for many instances from common MIP test sets. Computational experiments show significant improvements in the quality of branching decisions as well as reduced branching effort when using our modifications of existing branching rules. We discuss different ways to generate a cloud of solutions and present extensive computational results showing that through a careful implementation, cloud modifications can speed up full strong branching by more than 10 % on standard test sets. Additionally, by exploiting degeneracy, we are also able to improve the state-of-the-art hybrid branching rule and reduce the solving time on affected instances by almost 20 % on average. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-17 KW - mixed integer programming KW - branching rule KW - search strategy KW - dual degeneracy Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-73028 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Witzig, Jakob A1 - Berthold, Timo A1 - Heinz, Stefan T1 - Computational Aspects of Infeasibility Analysis in Mixed Integer Programming N2 - The analysis of infeasible subproblems plays an important role in solving mixed integer programs (MIPs) and is implemented in most major MIP solvers. There are two fundamentally different concepts to generate valid global constraints from infeasible subproblems. The first is to analyze the sequence of implications, obtained by domain propagation, that led to infeasibility. The result of this analysis is one or more sets of contradicting variable bounds from which so-called conflict constraints can be generated. This concept is called conflict graph analysis and has its origin in solving satisfiability problems and is similarly used in constraint programming. The second concept is to analyze infeasible linear programming (LP) relaxations. Every ray of the dual LP provides a set of multipliers that can be used to generate a single new globally valid linear constraint. This method is called dual proof analysis. The main contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we present three enhancements of dual proof analysis: presolving via variable cancellation, strengthening by applying mixed integer rounding functions, and a filtering mechanism. Further, we provide an intense computational study evaluating the impact of every presented component regarding dual proof analysis. Secondly, this paper presents the first integrated approach to use both conflict graph and dual proof analysis simultaneously within a single MIP solution process. All experiments are carried out on general MIP instances from the standard public test set MIPLIB 2017; the presented algorithms have been implemented within the non-commercial MIP solver SCIP and the commercial MIP solver FICO Xpress. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-54 Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-74962 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Anderson, Daniel A1 - Hendel, Gregor A1 - Le Bodic, Pierre A1 - Viernickel, Jan Merlin T1 - Clairvoyant Restarts in Branch-and-Bound Search Using Online Tree-Size Estimation N2 - We propose a simple and general online method to measure the search progress within the Branch-and-Bound algorithm, from which we estimate the size of the remaining search tree. We then show how this information can help solvers algorithmically at runtime by designing a restart strategy for Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) solvers that decides whether to restart the search based on the current estimate of the number of remaining nodes in the tree. We refer to this type of algorithm as clairvoyant. Our clairvoyant restart strategy outperforms a state-of-the-art solver on a large set of publicly available MIP benchmark instances. It is implemented in the MIP solver SCIP and will be available in future releases. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-11 KW - Mixed-Integer Programming solvers KW - Restart KW - Progress measures KW - tree-size estimates Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-72653 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Witzig, Jakob A1 - Berthold, Timo A1 - Heinz, Stefan T1 - A Status Report on Conflict Analysis in Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming T2 - Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming. CPAIOR 2019 N2 - Mixed integer nonlinear programs (MINLPs) are arguably among the hardest optimization problems, with a wide range of applications. MINLP solvers that are based on linear relaxations and spatial branching work similar as mixed integer programming (MIP) solvers in the sense that they are based on a branch-and-cut algorithm, enhanced by various heuristics, domain propagation, and presolving techniques. However, the analysis of infeasible subproblems, which is an important component of most major MIP solvers, has been hardly studied in the context of MINLPs. There are two main approaches for infeasibility analysis in MIP solvers: conflict graph analysis, which originates from artificial intelligence and constraint programming, and dual ray analysis. The main contribution of this short paper is twofold. Firstly, we present the first computational study regarding the impact of dual ray analysis on convex and nonconvex MINLPs. In that context, we introduce a modified generation of infeasibility proofs that incorporates linearization cuts that are only locally valid. Secondly, we describe an extension of conflict analysis that works directly with the nonlinear relaxation of convex MINLPs instead of considering a linear relaxation. This is work-in-progress, and this short paper is meant to present first theoretical considerations without a computational study for that part. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19212-9_6 VL - 11494 SP - 84 EP - 94 PB - Springer ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Berthold, Timo A1 - Stuckey, Peter A1 - Witzig, Jakob T1 - Local Rapid Learning for Integer Programs T2 - Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming. CPAIOR 2019 N2 - Conflict learning algorithms are an important component of modern MIP and CP solvers. But strong conflict information is typically gained by depth-first search. While this is the natural mode for CP solving, it is not for MIP solving. Rapid Learning is a hybrid CP/MIP approach where CP search is applied at the root to learn information to support the remaining MIP solve. This has been demonstrated to be beneficial for binary programs. In this paper, we extend the idea of Rapid Learning to integer programs, where not all variables are restricted to the domain {0, 1}, and rather than just running a rapid CP search at the root, we will apply it repeatedly at local search nodes within the MIP search tree. To do so efficiently, we present six heuristic criteria to predict the chance for local Rapid Learning to be successful. Our computational experiments indicate that our extended Rapid Learning algorithm significantly speeds up MIP search and is particularly beneficial on highly dual degenerate problems. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19212-9_5 VL - 11494 SP - 67 EP - 83 PB - Springer ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Gleixner, Ambros A1 - Steffy, Daniel T1 - Linear Programming using Limited-Precision Oracles T2 - A. Lodi, V. Nagarajan (eds), Integer Programming and Combinatorial Optimization: 20th International Conference, IPCO 2019 N2 - Linear programming is a foundational tool for many aspects of integer and combinatorial optimization. This work studies the complexity of solving linear programs exactly over the rational numbers through use of an oracle capable of returning limited-precision LP solutions. It is shown that a polynomial number of calls to such an oracle and a polynomial number of bit operations, is sufficient to compute an exact solution to an LP. Previous work has often considered oracles that provide solutions of an arbitrary specified precision. While this leads to polynomial-time algorithms, the level of precision required is often unrealistic for practical computation. In contrast, our work provides a foundation for understanding and analyzing the behavior of the methods that are currently most effective in practice for solving LPs exactly. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17953-3_30 SP - 399 EP - 412 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gamrath, Gerald A1 - Berthold, Timo A1 - Heinz, Stefan A1 - Winkler, Michael T1 - Structure-driven fix-and-propagate heuristics for mixed integer programming JF - Mathematical Programming Computation N2 - Primal heuristics play an important role in the solving of mixed integer programs (MIPs). They often provide good feasible solutions early and help to reduce the time needed to prove optimality. In this paper, we present a scheme for start heuristics that can be executed without previous knowledge of an LP solution or a previously found integer feasible solution. It uses global structures available within MIP solvers to iteratively fix integer variables and propagate these fixings. Thereby, fixings are determined based on the predicted impact they have on the subsequent domain propagation. If sufficiently many variables can be fixed that way, the resulting problem is solved first as an LP, and then as an auxiliary MIP if the rounded LP solution does not provide a feasible solution already. We present three primal heuristics that use this scheme based on different global structures. Our computational experiments on standard MIP test sets show that the proposed heuristics find solutions for about 60 % of the instances and by this, help to improve several performance measures for MIP solvers, including the primal integral and the average solving time. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12532-019-00159-1 VL - 11 IS - 4 SP - 675 EP - 702 PB - Springer CY - Berlin Heidelberg ER - TY - GEN A1 - Müller, Benjamin A1 - Muñoz, Gonzalo A1 - Gasse, Maxime A1 - Gleixner, Ambros A1 - Lodi, Andrea A1 - Serrano, Felipe T1 - On Generalized Surrogate Duality in Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming N2 - The most important ingredient for solving mixed-integer nonlinear programs (MINLPs) to global epsilon-optimality with spatial branch and bound is a tight, computationally tractable relaxation. Due to both theoretical and practical considerations, relaxations of MINLPs are usually required to be convex. Nonetheless, current optimization solver can often successfully handle a moderate presence of nonconvexities, which opens the door for the use of potentially tighter nonconvex relaxations. In this work, we exploit this fact and make use of a nonconvex relaxation obtained via aggregation of constraints: a surrogate relaxation. These relaxations were actively studied for linear integer programs in the 70s and 80s, but they have been scarcely considered since. We revisit these relaxations in an MINLP setting and show the computational benefits and challenges they can have. Additionally, we study a generalization of such relaxation that allows for multiple aggregations simultaneously and present the first algorithm that is capable of computing the best set of aggregations. We propose a multitude of computational enhancements for improving its practical performance and evaluate the algorithm’s ability to generate strong dual bounds through extensive computational experiments. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-55 KW - surrogate relaxation KW - MINLP KW - nonconvex optimization Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-75179 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Witzig, Jakob A1 - Gleixner, Ambros T1 - Conflict-Driven Heuristics for Mixed Integer Programming N2 - Two essential ingredients of modern mixed-integer programming (MIP) solvers are diving heuristics that simulate a partial depth-first search in a branch-and-bound search tree and conflict analysis of infeasible subproblems to learn valid constraints. So far, these techniques have mostly been studied independently: primal heuristics under the aspect of finding high-quality feasible solutions early during the solving process and conflict analysis for fathoming nodes of the search tree and improving the dual bound. Here, we combine both concepts in two different ways. First, we develop a diving heuristic that targets the generation of valid conflict constraints from the Farkas dual. We show that in the primal this is equivalent to the optimistic strategy of diving towards the best bound with respect to the objective function. Secondly, we use information derived from conflict analysis to enhance the search of a diving heuristic akin to classical coefficient diving. The computational performance of both methods is evaluated using an implementation in the source-open MIP solver SCIP. Experiments are carried out on publicly available test sets including Miplib 2010 and Cor@l. T3 - ZIB-Report - 19-08 KW - mixed integer programming; primal heuristics; conflict analysis; branch-and-bound Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-72204 SN - 1438-0064 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weber, Tobias A1 - Sager, Sebastian A1 - Gleixner, Ambros T1 - Solving Quadratic Programs to High Precision using Scaled Iterative Refinement JF - Mathematical Programming Computation N2 - Quadratic optimization problems (QPs) are ubiquitous, and solution algorithms have matured to a reliable technology. However, the precision of solutions is usually limited due to the underlying floating-point operations. This may cause inconveniences when solutions are used for rigorous reasoning. We contribute on three levels to overcome this issue. First, we present a novel refinement algorithm to solve QPs to arbitrary precision. It iteratively solves refined QPs, assuming a floating-point QP solver oracle. We prove linear convergence of residuals and primal errors. Second, we provide an efficient implementation, based on SoPlex and qpOASES that is publicly available in source code. Third, we give precise reference solutions for the Maros and Mészáros benchmark library. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12532-019-00154-6 VL - 11 SP - 421 EP - 455 PB - Springer Berlin Heidelberg ER -