Solving the Nonlinear Complementarity Problem by a Homotopy Method

Abstract

Summary:We propose a modified standard embedding for solving the linear complementarity problem (LCP). This embedding is a special one-parametric optimization problem $P(t), t \in [0,1]$. Under the conditions (A3) (the Mangasarian–Fromovitz Constraint Qualification is satisfied for the feasible set $M(t)$ depending on the parameter $t$), (A4) ($P(t)$ is Jongen–Jonker– Twilt regular) and two technical assumptions, (A1) and (A2), there exists a path in the set of stationary points connecting the chosen starting point for $P(0)$ with a certain point for $P(1)$ and this point is a solution for the (LCP). This path may include types of singularities, namely points of Type 2 and Type 3 in the class of Jongen–Jonker–Twilt for $t\in [0,1)$. We can follow this path by using pathfollowing procedures (included in the program package PAFO). In case that the condition (A3) is not satisfied, also points of Type 4 and 5 may appear. The assumption (A4) will be justified by a perturbation theorem. Illustrative examples are presented