A sequential linear complementarity problem method for generalized Nash equilibrium problems

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Diao, Ruoyu, Dai, Yu-Hong, Zhang, Liwei
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866915999598510080
author Diao, Ruoyu
Dai, Yu-Hong
Zhang, Liwei
author_facet Diao, Ruoyu
Dai, Yu-Hong
Zhang, Liwei
contents Generalized Nash equilibrium problems (GNEPs) arise in various applications where multiple players minimize individual cost functions subject to coupled constraints. A relatively unexplored approach to solving such problems is via a sequence of (mixed) linear complementarity problems (LCPs). Compared with the nonlinear equilibrium subproblems arising in recently popular penalty-based methods such as augmented Lagrangian methods, these LCPs are often substantially easier to solve. However, the existing literature on this approach is very limited, largely because of the difficulty of assessing the search directions generated by the subproblems and establishing a principled step-length acceptance criterion. This paper proposes a sequential linear complementarity problem (SLCP) method with a comprehensive convergence analysis. To assess the search directions, we introduce a novel merit function analogous to the $\ell_1$ penalty function in sequential quadratic programming. The merit function is shown to decrease along the search directions generated by the subproblems under suitable assumptions, thereby guaranteeing the global convergence of the SLCP method. We further establish local quadratic convergence and analyze the solvability of the subproblems. Preliminary numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and competitiveness of the proposed method relative to existing approaches.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_15742
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A sequential linear complementarity problem method for generalized Nash equilibrium problems
Diao, Ruoyu
Dai, Yu-Hong
Zhang, Liwei
Optimization and Control
65K10, 90C33, 90C55, 91A10
Generalized Nash equilibrium problems (GNEPs) arise in various applications where multiple players minimize individual cost functions subject to coupled constraints. A relatively unexplored approach to solving such problems is via a sequence of (mixed) linear complementarity problems (LCPs). Compared with the nonlinear equilibrium subproblems arising in recently popular penalty-based methods such as augmented Lagrangian methods, these LCPs are often substantially easier to solve. However, the existing literature on this approach is very limited, largely because of the difficulty of assessing the search directions generated by the subproblems and establishing a principled step-length acceptance criterion. This paper proposes a sequential linear complementarity problem (SLCP) method with a comprehensive convergence analysis. To assess the search directions, we introduce a novel merit function analogous to the $\ell_1$ penalty function in sequential quadratic programming. The merit function is shown to decrease along the search directions generated by the subproblems under suitable assumptions, thereby guaranteeing the global convergence of the SLCP method. We further establish local quadratic convergence and analyze the solvability of the subproblems. Preliminary numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and competitiveness of the proposed method relative to existing approaches.
title A sequential linear complementarity problem method for generalized Nash equilibrium problems
topic Optimization and Control
65K10, 90C33, 90C55, 91A10
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.15742