A deterministic global optimization method is developed for a class of discontinuous functions. McCormick’s method to obtain relaxations of nonconvex functions is extended to discontinuous factorable functions by representing a discontinuity with a step function. The properties of the...

In continuous branch-and-bound algorithms, a very large number of boxes near global minima may be visited prior to termination. This so-called cluster problem (J Glob Optim 5(3):253–265, <CitationRef CitationID="CR4">1994</CitationRef>) is revisited and a new analysis is presented. Previous results are confirmed, which state that at...</citationref>

A new method is described for computing nonlinear convex and concave relaxations of the solutions of parametric ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Such relaxations enable deterministic global optimization algorithms to be applied to problems with ODEs embedded, which arise in a wide variety...

We present a supply chain design problem modeled as a sequence of splitting and combining processes. We formulate the problem as a two-stage stochastic program. The first-stage decisions are strategic location decisions, whereas the second stage consists of operational decisions. The objective...

Natural gas flows in pipelines as a consequence of the pressure difference at the inlet and outlet. Adjusting these pressures makes it possible to inject natural gas at one rate and withdraw at a different rate, hence using the pipeline as storage as well as transport. We study the value of...

Branch and Fix Coordination is an algorithm intended to solve large scale multi-stage stochastic mixed integer problems, based on the particular structure of such problems, so that they can be broken down into smaller subproblems. With this in mind, it is possible to use distributed computation...

We present a modeling framework for analyzing if the use of interruptible transportation services can improve capacity utilization in a natural gas transportation network. The network consists of two decision makers: the transmission system operator (TSO) and a shipper of natural gas. The TSO is...

Infrastructure-planning models are challenging because of their combination of different time scales: while planning and building the infrastructure involves strategic decisions with time horizons of many years, one needs an operational time scale to get a proper picture of the...