Computational optimization: An overview

Abstract

Computational optimization is ubiquitous in many applications in engineering and industry. In this chapter, we briefly introduce computational optimization, the optimization algorithms commonly used in practice, and the choice of an algorithm for a given problem. We introduce and analyze the main components of a typical optimization process, and discuss the challenges we may have to overcome in order to obtain optimal solutions correctly and efficiently. We also highlight some of the state-of-the-art developments in optimization and its diverse applications. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.