Robust Optimization
Princeton Series in Applied Mathematics
Series Editors: Ingrid Daubechies (Princeton University); Weinan E (Princeton University); Jan Karel
Lenstra (Eindhoven University); Endre Süli (University of Oxford)
The Princeton Series in Applied Mathematics publishes high quality advanced texts and monographs in all
areas of applied mathematics. Books include those of a theoretical and general nature as well as those
dealing with the mathematics of specific applications areas and real-world situations.
Chaotic Transitions in Deterministic and Stochastic Dynamical Systems: Applications of Melnikov
Processes in Engineering, Physics, and Neuroscience, Emil Simiu
Self-Regularity: A New Paradigm for Primal-Dual Interior Point Algorithms, Jiming Peng, Cornelis Roos,
and Tamas Terlaky
Selfsimilar Processes, Paul Embrechts and Makoto Maejima
Analytic Theory of Global Bifurcation: An Introduction, Boris Buffoni and John Toland
Entropy, Andreas Greven, Gerhard Keller, and Gerald Warnecke, editors
Auxiliary Signal Design for Failure Detection, Stephen L. Campbell and Ramine Nikoukhah
Max Plus at Work Modeling and Analysis of Synchronized Systems: A Course on Max-Plus Algebra and Its
Applications, Bernd Heidergott, Geert Jan Olsder, and Jacob van der Woude
Optimization: Insights and Applications, Jan Brinkhuis and Vladimir Tikhomirov
Thermodynamics: A Dynamical Systems Approach, Wassim M. Haddad, VijaySekhar Chellaboina, and
Sergey G. Nersesov
Impulsive and Hybrid Dynamical Systems Stability, Dissipativity, and Control, Wassim M. Haddad,
VijaySekhar Chellaboina, and Sergey G. Nersesov
Distributed Control of Robotic Networks: A Mathematical Approach to Motion Coordination Algorithms,
Francesco Bullo, Jorge Cortés, and Sonia Martínez
Genomic Signal Processing, Ilya Shmulevich and Edward Dougherty
Positive Definite Matrices, Rajendra Bhatia
The Traveling Salesman Problem: A Computational Study, David L. Applegate, Robert E. Bixby, Vasek
Chvatal, and William J. Cook
Wave Scattering by Time-Dependent Perturbations: An Introduction, G. F. Roach
Algebraic Curves over a Finite Field, J.W.P. Hirschfeld, G. Korchmáros, and F. Torres
Distributed Control of Robotic Networks: A Mathematical Approach to Motion Coordination Algorithms,
Francesco Bullo, Jorge Cortés, and Sonia Martínez
Robust Optimization, Aharon Ben-Tal, Laurent El Ghaoui, and Arkadi Nemirovski
Robust Optimization
Aharon Ben-Tal
Laurent El Ghaoui
Arkadi Nemirovski
Princeton University Press
Princeton and Oxford
Copyright © 2009 by Princeton University Press
Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to Permissions,
Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey
08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock,
Oxfordshire OX20 1TW
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ben-Tal, A..
Robust optimization / Aharon Ben-Tal, Laurent El Ghaoui, Arkadi Nemirovski.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-691-14368-2 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Robust optimization. 2. Linear
programming. I. El Ghaoui, Laurent. II. Nemirovskii, Arkadii Semenovich. III. Title.
QA402.5.B445 2009
519.6--dc22
2009013229
The publishers would like to acknowledge the authors of this volume for providing the
electronic files from which this book was printed
Printed on acid-free paper.
press.princeton.edu
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface
PART I. ROBUST LINEAR OPTIMIZATION
Chapter 1. Uncertain Linear Optimization Problems and their
Robust Counterparts
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
Data Uncertainty in Linear Optimization
Uncertain Linear Problems and their Robust Counterparts
Tractability of Robust Counterparts
Non-Affine Perturbations
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 2. Robust Counterpart Approximations of Scalar Chance
Constraints
2.1
2.2
2.3
How to Specify an Uncertainty Set
Chance Constraints and their Safe Tractable Approximations
Safe Tractable Approximations of Scalar Chance
Constraints: Basic Examples
2.4
2.5
2.6
Extensions
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 3. Globalized Robust Counterparts of Uncertain LO Prob-
lems
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
Globalized Robust Counterpart — Motivation and Definition
Computational Tractability of GRC
Example: Synthesis of Antenna Arrays
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 4. More on Safe Tractable Approximations of Scalar
Chance Constraints
ix
1
3
3
7
16
23
25
25
27
27
28
31
44
60
64
67
67
69
70
79
79
81
vi
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
Robust Counterpart Representation of a Safe Convex
Approximation to a Scalar Chance Constraint
Bernstein Approximation of a Chance Constraint
From Bernstein Approximation to Conditional Value at Risk
and Back
Majorization
Beyond the Case of Independent Linear Perturbations
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
PART II. ROBUST CONIC OPTIMIZATION
Chapter 5. Uncertain Conic Optimization: The Concepts
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
Uncertain Conic Optimization: Preliminaries
Robust Counterpart of Uncertain Conic Problem: Tractability
Safe Tractable Approximations of RCs of Uncertain Conic
Inequalities
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 6. Uncertain Conic Quadratic Problems with Tractable
RCs
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
A Generic Solvable Case: Scenario Uncertainty
Solvable Case I: Simple Interval Uncertainty
Solvable Case II: Unstructured Norm-Bounded Uncertainty
Solvable Case III: Convex Quadratic Inequality with Un-
structured Norm-Bounded Uncertainty
Solvable Case IV: CQI with Simple Ellipsoidal Uncertainty
Illustration: Robust Linear Estimation
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 7. Approximating RCs of Uncertain Conic Quadratic
Problems
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
Structured Norm-Bounded Uncertainty
The Case of ∩-Ellipsoidal Uncertainty
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 8. Uncertain Semidefinite Problems with Tractable RCs
8.1
8.2
8.3
Uncertain Semidefinite Problems
Tractability of RCs of Uncertain Semidefinite Problems
Exercises
CONTENTS
81
83
90
105
109
136
145
147
149
149
151
153
156
157
159
159
160
161
165
167
173
178
178
179
179
195
201
201
203
203
204
222
CONTENTS
8.4
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 9. Approximating RCs of Uncertain Semidefinite
Problems
9.1
Tight Tractable Approximations of RCs of Uncertain SDPs
with Structured Norm-Bounded Uncertainty
9.2
9.3
Exercises
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 10. Approximating Chance Constrained CQIs and LMIs
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
Chance Constrained LMIs
The Approximation Scheme
Gaussian Majorization
Chance Constrained LMIs: Special Cases
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 11. Globalized Robust Counterparts of Uncertain Conic
Problems
11.1
Globalized Robust Counterparts of Uncertain Conic
Problems: Definition
11.2
11.3
11.4
11.5
Safe Tractable Approximations of GRCs
GRC of Uncertain Constraint: Decomposition
Tractability of GRCs
Illustration: Robust Analysis of Nonexpansive Dynamical
Systems
Chapter 12. Robust Classification and Estimation
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.5
12.6
Robust Support Vector Machines
Robust Classification and Regression
Affine Uncertainty Models
Random Affine Uncertainty Models
Exercises
Notes and remarks
PART III. ROBUST MULTI-STAGE OPTIMIZATION
Chapter 13. Robust Markov Decision Processes
13.1 Markov Decision Processes
13.2
The Robust MDP Problems
The Robust Bellman Recursion on Finite Horizon
13.3
13.4
Notes and Remarks
Chapter 14. Robust Adjustable Multistage Optimization
vii
222
225
225
232
234
235
235
240
252
255
276
279
279
281
282
284
292
301
301
309
325
331
336
337
339
341
341
345
347
352
355