Bounds for Approximate Dynamic Programming Based on String Optimization and Curvature

In this paper, we will develop a systematic approach to deriving guaranteed bounds for approximate dynamic programming (ADP) schemes in optimal control problems. Our approach is inspired by our recent results on bounding the performance of greedy strategies in optimization of string functions over a finite horizon. The approach is to derive a string-optimization problem, for which the optimal strategy is the optimal control solution and the greedy strategy is the ADP solution. Using this approach, we show that any ADP solution achieves a performance that is at least a factor of beta of the performance of the optimal control solution, characterized by Bellman's optimality principle. The factor beta depends on the specific ADP scheme, as we will explicitly characterize. To illustrate the applicability of our bounding technique, we present examples of ADP schemes, including the popular roll-out method.