[DEFECT] Optimizers have no way to handle failures

[aalfonsi]

Thank you for the defect report

• [X] I am using the latest version of RAVEN.
• [X] I have read the Wiki.
• [X] I have created a minimum, reproducible example that demonstrates the defect.

Defect Description

None of the optimizers have a prescribed way to handle failures. If a failure occurs the optimization process ends.

RAVEN has a flag for Samplers/Optimizers (ableToHandelFailedRuns) that is not used and it should be used to prescribe a way to handle failures in optimizers.

For example, for heuristic algorithms (e.g. GA, Simulating annealing, etc.) the failure can be considered as a "violation" of an implicit constraint.

Steps to Reproduce

Failure on demand using any optimizer

Expected Behavior

Optimizers to have a way to handle failures.

Screenshots and Input Files

No response

OS

MacOS

OS Version

No response

Dependency Manager

CONDA

For Change Control Board: Issue Review

• [ ] Is it tagged with a type: defect or task?
• [ ] Is it tagged with a priority: critical, normal or minor?
• [ ] If it will impact requirements or requirements tests, is it tagged with requirements?
• [ ] If it is a defect, can it cause wrong results for users? If so an email needs to be sent to the users.
• [ ] Is a rationale provided? (Such as explaining why the improvement is needed or why current code is wrong.)

For Change Control Board: Issue Closure

• [ ] If the issue is a defect, is the defect fixed?
• [ ] If the issue is a defect, is the defect tested for in the regression test system? (If not explain why not.)
• [ ] If the issue can impact users, has an email to the users group been written (the email should specify if the defect impacts stable or master)?
• [ ] If the issue is a defect, does it impact the latest release branch? If yes, is there any issue tagged with release (create if needed)?
• [ ] If the issue is being closed without a pull request, has an explanation of why it is being closed been provided?

[aalfonsi]

@Jimmy-INL @wangcj05 @PaulTalbot-INL @mandd do you guys have any plan for this? I was thinking that for "Heuristic" approaches, a failure can be simply treated as an ImplicitContraint violation...for Gradient descent is a bit trickier.

[wangcj05]

@aalfonsi FYI, we would like to resolve this issue, but it is not on our top priority list right now.

[aalfonsi]

I understand

[wangcj05]

@PaulTalbot-INL @mandd @dylanjm @Jimmy-INL Let's plan have a design meeting for this issue.