Solvability of a dynamic contact problem between a piezoelectric body and a conductive foundation

We consider a mathematical model which describes the dynamic process of contact between a piezoelectric body and an electrically conductive foundation. We model the material’s behavior with a nonlinear electro-viscoelastic constitutive law; the contact is frictionless and is described with the normal compliance condition and a regularized electrical conductivity condition. We derive a variational formulation for the problem and then, under a smallness assumption on the data, we prove the existence of a unique weak solution to the model. We also investigate the behavior of the solution with respect the electric data on the contact surface and prove a continuous dependence result. Then, we introduce a fully discrete scheme, based on the finite element method to approximate the spatial variable and the backward Euler scheme to discretize the time derivatives. We treat the contact by using a penalized approach and a version of Newton’s method. We implement this scheme in a numerical code and, in order to verify its accuracy, we present numerical simulations in the study of two-dimensional test problems. These simulations provide a numerical validation of our continuous dependence result and illustrate the effects of the conductivity of the foundation, as well.     

A continuation method for linear complementarity problems with P 0 matrix

In this article, we propose a new continuation method for solving the linear complementarity problem (LCP). The method solves one system of linear equations and carries out only a one-line search at each iteration. The continuation method is based on a modified smoothing function. The existence and continuity of a smooth path for solving the LCP with a P ₀ matrix are discussed. We investigate the boundedness of the iteration sequence generated by our continuation method under the assumption that the solution set of the LCP is nonempty and bounded. It is shown to converge to an LCP solution globally linearly and locally superlinearly without the assumption of strict complementarity at the solution under suitable assumption. In addition, some numerical results are also reported in this article.     

On a time-splitting method for a scalar conservation law with a multiplicative stochastic perturbation and numerical experiments

In this paper, we present a numerical scheme for a first-order hyperbolic equation of nonlinear type perturbed by a multiplicative noise. The problem is set in a bounded domain D of ${\mathbb{R}^{d}}$ and with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. Using a time-splitting method, we are able to show the existence of an approximate solution. The result of convergence of such a sequence is based on the work of Bauzet–Vallet–Wittbold (J Funct Anal, 2013), where the authors used the concept of measure-valued solution and Kruzhkov’s entropy formulation to show the existence and uniqueness of the stochastic weak entropy solution. Then, we propose numerical experiments by applying this scheme to the stochastic Burgers’ equation in the one-dimensional case.     

A multilevel algorithm for the biharmonic problem

Summary A finite element discretization of the mixed variable formulation of the biharmonic problem is considered. A multilevel algorithm for the numerical solution of the discrete equations is described. Convergence is proved under the assumption ofH ³-regularity.     

An efficient algorithm for bounded spectral matching with affine constraint

Graph matching problem appears frequently in the applications of computer vision and machine learning. In this work, based on the spectral matching with affine constraint (SMAC) formulation, we present a new formulation, named bounded SMAC (BSMAC), for the graph matching problem by adding an upper‐bound constraint on the solution norm. We demonstrate the existence of a unique solution with BSMAC, whereas SMAC needs not to have any meaningful solution in general. We develop an effective numerical method to solve the BSMAC formulation as an optimization problem. Numerical experiments are presented to verify feasibility and to show the performance of the proposed numerical method.     

Study of a Numerical Approach for a Transient Flow Problem in Porous Media

In this work, we deal with the numerical study of the new approximation method proposed in [7] for a transient flow problem in porous media. The stationary problem, obtained from a time discretization of this transient problem, is considered as an optimal shape design formulation. We prove the existence of the solution of the discrete optimal shape problem obtained from finite element discretization. We study the convergence and give numerical results showing the efficiency of the proposed approach.     

Analysis and numerical solution of a piezoelectric frictional contact problem

We consider a mathematical model which describes the frictional contact between an electro-elastic–visco-plastic body and a conductive foundation. The contact is modelled with normal compliance and a version of Coulomb’s law of dry friction, in which the stiffness and the friction coefficients depend on the electric potential. We derive a variational formulation of the problem and we prove an existence and uniqueness result. The proof is based on a recent existence and uniqueness result on history-dependent quasivariational inequalities obtained in [15]. Then we introduce a fully discrete scheme for solving the problem and, under certain solution regularity assumptions, we derive an optimal order error estimate. Finally, we present some numerical results in the study of a two-dimensional test problem which describes the process of contact in a microelectromechanical switch.     

Model oblique derivative problem for the heat equation with a discontinuous boundary function

The oblique derivative problem for the heat equation is considered in a model formulation with a boundary function that can be discontinuous and with the boundary condition understood as the limit in the normal direction almost everywhere on the lateral boundary of the domain. An example is given showing that the solution is not unique in this formulation. A solution is sought in the parabolic Zygmund space H ₁, which is an analogue of the parabolic Hölder space for an integer smoothness exponent. A subspace of H ₁ is introduced in which the existence and uniqueness of the solution is proved under suitable assumptions about the data of the problem.     

Deriving the Properties of Linear Bilevel Programming via a Penalty Function Approach

For the linear bilevel programming problem, we propose an assumption weaker than existing assumptions, while achieving similar results via a penalty function approach. The results include: equivalence between (i) existence of a solution to the problem, (ii) existence of an exact penalty function approach for solving the problem, and (iii) achievement of the optimal value of the equivalent form of the problem at some vertex of a certain polyhedral convex set. We prove that the assumption is both necessary and sufficient for the linear bilevel programming problem to admit an exact penalty function formulation, provided that the equivalent form of the problem has a feasible solution. A method is given for computing the minimal penalty function parameter value. This method can be executed by solving a set of linear programming problems. Lagrangian duality is also presented.     

Finite element approximation of a free boundary plasma problem

In this article, we study a finite element approximation for a model free boundary plasma problem. Using a mixed approach (which resembles an optimal control problem with control constraints), we formulate a weak formulation and study the existence and uniqueness of a solution to the continuous model problem. Using the same setting, we formulate and analyze the discrete problem. We derive optimal order energy norm a priori error estimates proving the convergence of the method. Further, we derive a reliable and efficient a posteriori error estimator for the adaptive mesh refinement algorithm. Finally, we illustrate the theoretical results by some numerical examples.     

An Elastic Frictional Contact Problem with Unilateral Constraint

We consider a mathematical model which describes the equilibrium of an elastic body in contact with two obstacles. We derive its weak formulation which is in a form of an elliptic quasi-variational inequality for the displacement field. Then, under a smallness assumption, we establish the existence of a unique weak solution to the problem. We also study the dependence of the solution with respect to the data and prove a convergence result. Finally, we consider an optimization problem associated with the contact model for which we prove the existence of a minimizer and a convergence result, as well.     

Verified computation of solutions for obstacle problems with guaranteed L∞ error bound

In this paper, we consider a numerical enclosure method with guaranteed L^∞ error bound for the solutions of obstacle problems. Using the finite-element approximations and the explicit a priori error estimates for obstacle problems, we present an effective verification procedure that automatically generates on a computer a set which includes the exact solution. A particular emphasis is that our method needs no assumption of the existence of the solution of the original obstacle problems, but it follows as the result of computation itself. A numerical example for an obstacle problem is presented.     

An analytical and numerical study of the Stefan problem with convection by means of an enthalpy method

In this paper, we consider a theoretical and numerical study of the Stefan problem with convection, described by the Navier–Stokes equations with no‐slip boundary conditions. The mathematical formulation adopted is based on the enthalpy method. The existence of a weak solution is proved in the bidimensional case. The numerical effectiveness of the model considered is confirmed by some numerical results. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Averaging of the Dirichlet problem for a special hyperbolic Kirchhoff equation

We prove a statement on the averaging of a hyperbolic initial-boundary-value problem in which the coefficient of the Laplace operator depends on the space L ²-norm of the gradient of the solution. The existence of the solution of this problem was studied by Pokhozhaev. In a space domain in ℝⁿ, n ≥ 3, we consider an arbitrary perforation whose asymptotic behavior in a sense of capacities is described by the Cioranesku-Murat hypothesis. The possibility of averaging is proved under the assumption of certain additional smoothness of the solutions of the limiting hyperbolic problem with a certain stationary capacitory potential. __________ Translated from Ukrains’kyi Matematychnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 236–249, February, 2006.     

On solutions of a system of hereditary and self-referred partial-differential equations

In this paper, we present the local and global solutions of a system of hereditary and self-referred partial-differential equations. Namely, by the assumption on the Lipschitz continuity of the initial conditions u ₀, v ₀, Theorem 1 states the existence of local solutions of the problem (1.3–1.4); furthermore, under the assumption that those initial conditions are non-negative, non-decreasing, bounded, and lower semi-continuous functions, Theorem 2 gives global solution which is also a non-negative, non-decreasing, bounded, and lower semi-continuous function (in variable x of even for any time t).     

Action of a flat stamp on a half-plane of viscoelastic material

A plane problem concerning the action of a flat stamp on a reinforced, linearly viscoelastic medium is considered. One of the main axes of elasticity is parallel to the boundary of the half-plane. The reinforcing material is supposed to be perfectly elastic, and the matrix material linearly viscoelastic. The solution of the problem is based on the assumption that up to the moment of application of the forces, the medium is stress-free and at rest. The formulation of the problem is given, and a method of solution presented. A numerical example is offered.Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 688–692, 1966     

Numerical integration in Galerkin meshless methods, applied to elliptic Neumann problem with non-constant coefficients

In this paper, we explore the effect of numerical integration on the Galerkin meshless method used to approximate the solution of an elliptic partial differential equation with non-constant coefficients with Neumann boundary conditions. We considered Galerkin meshless methods with shape functions that reproduce polynomials of degree k?≥?1. We have obtained an estimate for the energy norm of the error in the approximate solution under the presence of numerical integration. This result has been established under the assumption that the numerical integration rule satisfies a certain discrete Green’s formula, which is not problem dependent, i.e., does not depend on the non-constant coefficients of the problem. We have also derived numerical integration rules satisfying the discrete Green’s formula.     

A Dynamic Frictional Contact Problem with Normal Damped Response

We consider a mathematical model which describes the frictional contact between a viscoelastic body and a reactive foundation. The process is assumed to be dynamic and the contact is modeled with a general normal damped response condition and a local friction law. We present a variational formulation of the problem and prove the existence and uniqueness of the weak solution, using results on evolution equations with monotone operators and a fixed point argument. We then introduce and study a fully discrete numerical approximation scheme of the variational problem, in terms of the velocity variable. The numerical scheme has a unique solution. We derive error estimates under additional regularity assumptions on the data and the solution.