English

Mixed-integer convex representability

Optimization and Control 2017-06-20 v2

Abstract

We consider the question of which nonconvex sets can be represented exactly as the feasible sets of mixed-integer convex optimization problems. We state the first complete characterization for the case when the number of possible integer assignments is finite. We develop a characterization for the more general case of unbounded integer variables together with a simple necessary condition for representability which we use to prove the first known negative results. Finally, we study representability of subsets of the natural numbers, developing insight towards a more complete understanding of what modeling power can be gained by using convex sets instead of polyhedral sets; the latter case has been completely characterized in the context of mixed-integer linear optimization.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1611.07491,
  title  = {Mixed-integer convex representability},
  author = {Miles Lubin and Ilias Zadik and Juan Pablo Vielma},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1611.07491},
  year   = {2017}
}