Tractable Robust Markov Decision Processes

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Grand-Clément, Julien, Si, Nian, Wang, Shengbo
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Grand-Clément, Julien
Si, Nian
Wang, Shengbo
author_facet Grand-Clément, Julien
Si, Nian
Wang, Shengbo
contents In this paper we investigate the tractability of robust Markov Decision Processes (RMDPs) under various structural assumptions on the uncertainty set. Surprisingly, we show that in all generality (i.e. without any assumption on the instantaneous rewards), s-rectangular and sa-rectangular uncertainty sets are the only models of uncertainty that are tractable. Our analysis also shows that existing non-rectangular models, including r-rectangular uncertainty and new generalizations, are only weakly tractable in that they require an additional structural assumption that the instantaneous rewards do not depend on the next state, and in this case they are equivalent to rectangular models, which severely undermines their significance and usefulness. Interestingly, our proof techniques rely on identifying a novel simultaneous solvability property, which we show is at the heart of several important properties of RMDPs, including the existence of stationary optimal policies and dynamic programming-based formulations. The simultaneous solvability property enables a unified approach to studying the tractability of all existing models of uncertainty, rectangular and non-rectangular alike.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_08435
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Tractable Robust Markov Decision Processes
Grand-Clément, Julien
Si, Nian
Wang, Shengbo
Optimization and Control
In this paper we investigate the tractability of robust Markov Decision Processes (RMDPs) under various structural assumptions on the uncertainty set. Surprisingly, we show that in all generality (i.e. without any assumption on the instantaneous rewards), s-rectangular and sa-rectangular uncertainty sets are the only models of uncertainty that are tractable. Our analysis also shows that existing non-rectangular models, including r-rectangular uncertainty and new generalizations, are only weakly tractable in that they require an additional structural assumption that the instantaneous rewards do not depend on the next state, and in this case they are equivalent to rectangular models, which severely undermines their significance and usefulness. Interestingly, our proof techniques rely on identifying a novel simultaneous solvability property, which we show is at the heart of several important properties of RMDPs, including the existence of stationary optimal policies and dynamic programming-based formulations. The simultaneous solvability property enables a unified approach to studying the tractability of all existing models of uncertainty, rectangular and non-rectangular alike.
title Tractable Robust Markov Decision Processes
topic Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.08435