Continuity of solutions for parametric variational inequalities in Banach space

We consider here a type of pseudo-monotone parametric variational inequalities on a class of Banach spaces and show that such problems admit continuous (with respect to the parameter) solutions, as long as generic existence and uniqueness conditions for these solutions are satisfied. In particular, we show that such results are valid on a class of Banach spaces whenever we deal with strong pseudo-monotonicity, while others are valid in Hilbert spaces, whenever strict monotonicity is present. We also provide examples to illustrate the new results.     

Convex optimization problems with arbitrary right-hand side perturbations

The problem of finding a solution to a system of mixed variational inequalities, which can be interpreted as a generalization of a primal–dual formulation of an optimization problem under arbitrary right-hand side perturbations, is considered. A number of various equilibrium type problems are particular cases of this problem. We suggest the problem to be reduced to a class of variational inequalities and propose a general descent type method to find its solution. If the primal cost function does not possess strengthened convexity properties, this descent method can be combined with a partial regularization method.     

Differential mixed variational inequalities in finite dimensional spaces

In this paper, we introduce and study a class of differential mixed variational inequalities in finite dimensional Euclidean spaces. Under various conditions, we obtain linear growth and bounded linear growth of the solution set for the mixed variational inequalities. Moreover, we present some conclusions which enrich the literature on the mixed variational inequalities and generalize the corresponding results of [4]. In particular we prove existence theorems for weak solutions of a differential mixed variational inequality in the weak sense of Carathéodory by using a result on differential inclusions involving an upper semicontinuous set-valued map with closed convex values. Also by employing the results from differential inclusions we establish a convergence result on Euler time-dependent procedure for solving initial-value differential mixed variational inequalities.     

Parallel Algorithms for Solving a Class of Variational Inequalities over the Common Fixed Points Set of a Finite Family of Demicontractive Mappings

Abstract

We propose parallel algorithms for solving a class of variational inequalities over the set of common fixed points for a finite family of demicontractive mappings in real Hilbert spaces. Under some suitable conditions, we prove that the sequence generated by the proposed algorithms converges strongly to a solution of the problem. We apply the proposed algorithms to strongly monotone variational inequality problems with pseudomonotone equilibrium constraints by defining a quasi-nonexpansive and demi-closed mapping whose fixed point set coincides with the solution set of the equilibrium problem.     

Differential variational inequalities

This paper introduces and studies the class of differential variational inequalities (DVIs) in a finite-dimensional Euclidean space. The DVI provides a powerful modeling paradigm for many applied problems in which dynamics, inequalities, and discontinuities are present; examples of such problems include constrained time-dependent physical systems with unilateral constraints, differential Nash games, and hybrid engineering systems with variable structures. The DVI unifies several mathematical problem classes that include ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with smooth and discontinuous right-hand sides, differential algebraic equations (DAEs), dynamic complementarity systems, and evolutionary variational inequalities. Conditions are presented under which the DVI can be converted, either locally or globally, to an equivalent ODE with a Lipschitz continuous right-hand function. For DVIs that cannot be so converted, we consider their numerical resolution via an Euler time-stepping procedure, which involves the solution of a sequence of finite-dimensional variational inequalities. Borrowing results from differential inclusions (DIs) with upper semicontinuous, closed and convex valued multifunctions, we establish the convergence of such a procedure for solving initial-value DVIs. We also present a class of DVIs for which the theory of DIs is not directly applicable, and yet similar convergence can be established. Finally, we extend the method to a boundary-value DVI and provide conditions for the convergence of the method. The results in this paper pertain exclusively to systems with “index” not exceeding two and which have absolutely continuous solutions. The work of J.-S. Pang is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants CCR-0098013 CCR-0353074, and DMS-0508986, by a Focused Research Group Grant DMS-0139715 to the Johns Hopkins University and DMS-0353016 to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and by the Office of Naval Research under grant N00014-02-1-0286. The work of D. E. Stewart is supported by the National Science Foundation under a Focused Research Group grant DMS-0138708.     

Solving Large-Scale Fuzzy and Possibilistic Optimization Problems

Fuzzy and possibilistic optimization methods are demonstrated to be effective tools in solving large-scale problems. In particular, an optimization problem in radiation therapy with various orders of complexity from 1000 to 62,250 constraints for fuzzy and possibilistic linear and nonlinear programming implementations possessing (1) fuzzy or soft inequalities, (2) fuzzy right-hand side values, and (3) possibilistic right-hand side is used to demonstrate that fuzzy and possibilistic optimization methods are tractable and useful. We focus on the uncertainty in the right side of constraints which arises, in the context of the radiation therapy problem, from the fact that minimal and maximal radiation tolerances are ranges of values, with preferences within the range whose values are based on research results, empirical findings, and expert knowledge, rather than fixed real numbers. The results indicate that fuzzy/possibilistic optimization is a natural and effective way to model various types of optimization under uncertainty problems and that large fuzzy and possibilistic optimization problems can be solved efficiently.     

Estimates of Deviations from Exact Solutions of Elliptic Variational Inequalities

In this paper, we present a method of deriving majorants of the difference between exact solutions of elliptic type variational inequalities and functions lying in the admissible functional class of the problem under consideration. We analyze three classical problems associated with stationary variational inequalities: the problem with two obstacles, the elastoplastic torsion problem and the problem with friction type boundary conditions. The majorants are obtained by a modification of the duality technique earlier used by the author for variational problems with uniformly convex functionals. These majorants naturally reflects properties of exact solutions and possess necessary continuity conditions. Bibliography: 15 titles.     

On the Boundedness of Solutions to Elliptic Variational Inequalities

In this paper we present global a priori bounds for a class of variational inequalities involving general elliptic operators of second-order and terms of generalized directional derivatives. Based on Moser’s and De Giorgi’s iteration technique we prove the boundedness of solutions of such inequalities under certain criteria on the set of constraints. In our proofs we also use the localization method with a certain partition of unity and a version of a multiplicative inequality estimating the boundary integrals. Some sets of constraints satisfying the required conditions are stated as well.     

A Class of Differential Vector Variational Inequalities in Finite Dimensional Spaces

In this paper, we introduce and study a class of differential vector variational inequalities in finite dimensional Euclidean spaces. We establish a relationship between differential vector variational inequalities and differential scalar variational inequalities. Under various conditions, we obtain the existence and linear growth of solutions to the scalar variational inequalities. In particular we prove existence theorems for Carathéodory weak solutions of the differential vector variational inequalities. Furthermore, we give a convergence result on Euler time-dependent procedure for solving the initial-value differential vector variational inequalities.     

Stability of capture into parametric autoresonance

We consider nonlinear elliptic second-order variational inequalities with degenerate (with respect to the spatial variable) and anisotropic coefficients and L ¹-data. We study the cases where the set of constraints belongs to a certain anisotropic weighted Sobolev space and to a larger function class. In the first case, some new properties of T-solutions and shift T-solutions of the investigated variational inequalities are established. Moreover, the notion of W ^1,1-regular T-solution is introduced, and a theorem of existence and uniqueness of such a solution is proved. In the second case, we introduce the notion of T-solution of the variational inequalities under consideration and establish conditions of existence and uniqueness of such a solution.     

Some iterative schemes for general mixed variational inequalities

In this paper, we consider a class of variational inequalities which is called the general mixed variational inequality. It is known that the general mixed variational inequalities are equivalent to the fixed point problems. This equivalent formulation is used to suggest and analyze some three-step iterative schemes for finding the common element of the set of fixed points of a nonexpansive mappings and the set of solutions of the mixed variational inequalities. We also study the convergence criteria of three-step iterative method under some mild conditions. Our results include the previous results as special cases and may be considered as an improvement and refinement of the previously known results.     

On a contact problem for a viscoelastic von Karman plate and its semidiscretization

We deal with the system describing moderately large deflections of thin viscoelastic plates with an inner obstacle. In the case of a long memory the system consists of an integro-differential 4th order variational inequality for the deflection and an equation with a biharmonic left-hand side and an integro-differential right-hand side for the Airy stress function. The existence of a solution in a special case of the Dirichlet-Prony series is verified by transforming the problem into a sequence of stationary variational inequalities of von Karman type. We derive conditions for applying the Banach fixed point theorem enabling us to solve the biharmonic variational inequalities for each time step.     

Solving policy design problems: Alternating direction method of multipliers-based methods for structured inverse variational inequalities

Inverse variational inequalities have broad applications in various disciplines, and some of them have very appealing structures. There are several algorithms (e.g., proximal point algorithms and projection-type algorithms) for solving the inverse variational inequalities in general settings, while few of them have fully exploited the special structures. In this paper, we consider a class of inverse variational inequalities that has a separable structure and linear constraints, which has its root in spatial economic equilibrium problems. To design an efficient algorithm, we develop an alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) based method by utilizing the separable structure. Under some mild assumptions, we prove its global convergence. We propose an improved variant that makes the subproblems much easier and derive the convergence result under the same conditions. Finally, we present the preliminary numerical results to show the capability and efficiency of the proposed methods.     

Optimal L-error estimate for variational inequalities with nonlinear source terms

We establish optimal L^∞-error estimate for a class of variational inequalities (VIs) with nonlinear source term, using a very simple argument mainly based on the discrete L^∞-stability property with respect to the right-hand side in elliptic VIs. We also show that the same approach extends to the corresponding noncoercive problems and optimal uniform convergence order is obtained as well.     

Subdifferential inclusions with unbounded perturbation: Existence and relaxation theorems

The paper studies an evolution inclusion in a separable Hilbert space whose right-hand side contains the subdifferential of a proper convex lower semicontinuous function of time and a set-valued perturbation. Together with this inclusion, an inclusion with convexified perturbation values is considered. The existence and density of the solution set of the initial inclusion in the closure of the solution set of the inclusion with convexified perturbation are proved. This property is usually called relaxation. Traditional assumptions for relaxation theorems are the compactness property of the convex function and the boundedness of the perturbation. In the present paper, such assumptions are not made. Assumptions for subdifferential inclusions described by polyhedral sweeping processes and variational inequalities with time-dependent obstacles and constraints are specified.     

Global Approximation of Solutions of Time-Dependent Variational Inequalities

We consider a class of parametric variational inequalities where both the operator and the convex set depend on time. This kind of variational inequalities are useful to model many time dependent equilibrium problems. We study the Lipschitz continuity of the solutions with respect to the time parameter and construct approximations for them which minimize the average worst case error. Some improved estimates of the Lipschitz constant for this class of problems are given. In order to illustrate our procedure, we study a classical network equilibrium problem.     

Algorithms for solutions of extended general mixed variational inequalities and fixed points

In this paper, we introduce and study a new class of extended general nonlinear mixed variational inequalities and a new class of extended general resolvent equations and establish the equivalence between the extended general nonlinear mixed variational inequalities and implicit fixed point problems as well as the extended general resolvent equations. Then by using this equivalent formulation, we discuss the existence and uniqueness of solution of the problem of extended general nonlinear mixed variational inequalities. Applying the aforesaid equivalent alternative formulation and a nearly uniformly Lipschitzian mapping S, we construct some new resolvent iterative algorithms for finding an element of set of the fixed points of nearly uniformly Lipschitzian mapping S which is the unique solution of the problem of extended general nonlinear mixed variational inequalities. We study convergence analysis of the suggested iterative schemes under some suitable conditions. We also suggest and analyze a class of extended general resolvent dynamical systems associated with the extended general nonlinear mixed variational inequalities and show that the trajectory of the solution of the extended general resolvent dynamical system converges globally exponentially to the unique solution of the extended general nonlinear mixed variational inequalities. The results presented in this paper extend and improve some known results in the literature.     

A variational inequality formulation of equilibrium models for end-of-life products with nonlinear constraints

Variational inequality theory facilitates the formulation of equilibrium problems in economic networks. Examples of successful applications include models of supply chains, financial networks, transportation networks, and electricity networks. Previous economic network equilibrium models that were formulated as variational inequalities only included linear constraints; in this case the equivalence between equilibrium problems and variational inequality problems is achieved with a standard procedure because of the linearity of the constraints. However, in reality, often nonlinear constraints can be observed in the context of economic networks. In this paper, we first highlight with an application from the context of reverse logistics why the introduction of nonlinear constraints is beneficial. We then show mathematical conditions, including a constraint qualification and convexity of the feasible set, which allow us to characterize the economic problem by using a variational inequality formulation. Then, we provide numerical examples that highlight the applicability of the model to real-world problems. The numerical examples provide specific insights related to the role of collection targets in achieving sustainability goals.