TransWikia.com

Column generation when intractable variables appear in the objective function

Operations Research Asked by Mostafa on August 19, 2021

Is it possible to implement a column generation for a problem that the variables in the "complicating" constraint appear in the objective function?

Suppose the MIP is:

begin{align}
z = min&quadsum_{ij} c_{ij} x_{ij} + sum_i w_i\
text{s.t.}&quad A(x) leq a, tag1 \
&quad w_i geq c_{ij}x_{ij}, quad forall i, jtag2 \
&quad x_{ij} in {0,1},\
&quad w_{i} geq 0.
end{align}

Where constraint set (2) are the complicating constraints. If we ignore (2), then what happens to the objective function?

P.S. I don’t have the experience in implementing a column generation.

EDIT: I thank Rob for the great answer. For those unfamiliar with column generation, like me, there is additional information in the comments of his post as well.

One Answer

Suppose $K$ is the set of columns, where the $k$th column $x^k in {0,1}^n$ satisfies $A(x^k) le a$. Now express $x$ as a convex combination of the columns $x^k$. Explicitly, substitute $x_{i,j} = sum_{kin K} lambda_k x_{i,j}^k$, where $sum_{kin K} lambda_k = 1$ and $lambda_k ge 0$ for all $kin K$. You then obtain the following master problem over $lambda$ and $w$, with dual variables in parentheses: begin{align} &text{minimize} &sum_{kin K} left(sum_{i,j} c_{i,j} x_{i,j}^kright) lambda_k + sum_i w_i \ &text{subject to} &w_i - c_{i,j} sum_{kin K} x_{i,j}^k lambda_k &ge 0 &&text{for all $i,j$} &&(pi_{i,j} ge 0)\ &&sum_{kin K} lambda_k &= 1 &&&&(text{$alpha$ free})\ &&lambda_k &ge 0 &&text{for all $k$} \ &&w_i &ge 0 &&text{for all $i$} end{align}

The column generation subproblem over $x$ is then to minimize the reduced cost of $lambda_k$. That is, minimize $$sum_{i,j} c_{i,j} (1+pi_{i,j}) x_{i,j} - alpha$$ subject to $A(x) le a$ and $x in{0,1}^n$.

Correct answer by RobPratt on August 19, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP