Kurt Marti Knihy

This volume considers optimal stochastic decision processes from the viewpoint of stochastic programming. It focuses on theoretical properties and on approximate or numerical solution techniques for time-dependent optimization problems with random parameters (multistage stochastic programs, optimal stochastic decision processes). Methods for finding approximate solutions of probabilistic and expected cost based deterministic substitute problems are presented. Besides theoretical and numerical considerations, the proceedings volume contains selected refereed papers on many practical applications to economics and engineering: risk, risk management, portfolio management, finance, insurance-matters and control of robots.

German

Focusing on optimization techniques, this book explores incorporating stochastic parameter variations to reduce costs in corrective measures. It addresses common deterministic substitute problems, emphasizing two key strategies: minimizing expected primary costs while adhering to reliability and deterministic constraints, and minimizing total expected costs, which include construction and design expenses, within the same constraints. The methods presented aim to enhance decision-making in practical applications by integrating uncertainty into the optimization process.

Ongoing global changes bring fundamentally new scientific problems requiring new concepts and tools. A key issue concerns a vast variety of practically irreducible uncertainties, which challenge our traditional models and require new concepts and analytical tools. The uncertainty critically dominantes, e. g., the climate change debates. In short, the dilemma is concerned with enormous costs vs. massive uncertainties of potential extreme impacts. Traditional scientific approaches usually rely on real observations and experiments. Yet no sufficient observations exist for new problems, and „pure“ experiments and learning by doing may be very expensive, dangerous, or simply impossible. In addition, available historical observations are contaminated by actions, policies. The complexity of new problems does not allow to achieve enough certainty by increasing the resolution of models or by bringing in more links. Hence, new tools for modeling and management of uncertainty are needed, as given in this book.

This text provides a concise overview of stochastic optimization and considers nonlinear optimization problems. Optimization problems arising in practice involve random parameters. For the computation of robust optimal solutions, deterministic substitute problems are needed. Based on the distribution of the random data, and using decision theoretical concepts, optimization problems under stochastic uncertainty are converted into deterministic substitute problems.

Optimization problems arising in practice mostly contain several random parameters. Hence, in order to get robust optimal solutions with respect to random parameter variations, the available statistical information about the random data should be considered already at the planning phase. Thus, the original problem with random coefficients must be replaced by an appropriate deterministic substitute problem. This proceedings volume of the 4th GAMM/IFIP-Workshop on "Stochastic Optimization: Numerical Methods and Technical Applications" held June 27-29, 2000 at the Federal Armed Forces University Munich, Neubiberg/Munich contains new methods for the approximation and numerical solution of deterministic substitute problems, especially the handling of mean value and probability functions as objective and/or constraint functions. Moreover, many concrete applications from engineering and operations research can be found in this book.

Optimization problems arising in practice usually contain several random parameters. Hence, in order to obtain optimal solutions being robust with respect to random parameter variations, the mostly available statistical information about the random parameters should be considered already at the planning phase. The original problem with random parameters must be replaced by an appropriate deterministic substitute problem, and efficient numerical solution or approximation techniques have to be developed for those problems. This proceedings volume contains a selection of papers on modelling techniques, approximation methods, numerical solution procedures for stochastic optimization problems and applications to the reliability-based optimization of concrete technical or economic systems.

This volume includes a selection of papers presented at the GAMM/ IFIP-Workshop on IIStochastic Optimization: Numerical Methods and ll Technical Applications, held at the Federal Armed Forces Univer sity Munich, May 29-31, 1990. The objective of this meeting was to bring together scientists from Stochastic Programming and from those Engineering areas, where Mathematical Programming models are common tools, as e.g. Optimal structural Design, Power Dispatch, Acid Rain Abatement etc .. Hence, the aim was to discuss the effects of taking into account the in herent randomness of some data of these problems, i.e. considering Stochastic Programming instead of Mathematical Programming models in order to get solutions being more reliable, but not more expen sive. An international programme committe2 was formed which included H.A. Eschenauer (Germany) P. Kall (Switzerland) K. Marti (Germany, Chairman) J. Mayer (Hungary) G.I. Schueller (Austria) Although the number of participants had to be small for technical reasons, the area covered by the lectures during the workshop was rather broad. It contains theoretical insight into stochastic pro gramming problems, new computational approaches, analyses of known solution methods, and applications in such very different technical fields as ecology, energy demands, and optimal reliability of me chanical structures. In particular, the applied presentation also pointed to several open methodological problems.

Man soll von Toten nichts Schlechtes sagen, heißt es. In seinen 'Leichenreden' hinterfragt Kurt Marti diese Konvention und wehrt sich gegen die gängigen Abschiedsrituale, gegen die gut gemeinten Worte und tröstenden Phrasen. Er schreibt ehrlich und schonungslos über das Leben, das Sterben und den Tod, immer verbunden mit einem tiefen Verständnis für Angst, Verdrängung und Abwehr, die den Verlust eines Menschen begleiten. Martis lyrische Totenreden sind ein Klassiker der Schweizer Literatur. Seit ihrer Erstveröffentlichung haben sie nichts von ihrer Aktualität und Brillanz verloren. Selten wurde so offen über den Tod und die Trauer geschrieben.