A class of random variational inequalities and simple random unilateral boundary value problems - existence,discretization, finite element approximation

The paper deals with a class of random variational inequalities and simple random elliptic boundary value problems with unilateral conditions. Here randomness enters in the coefficient of the elliptic operator and in the right hand side of the p.d.e. In addition to existence and uniqueness results a theory of combined probabilistic deterministic discretization is developped that includes nonconforming approxima¬tion of unilateral constraints. Without any regularity assumptions on the solution, norm convergence of the full approximation process is established. The theory is applied to a Helmholtz like elliptic equation with Signorini boundary conditions as a simple model problem, where Galerkin discretization is realized by finite element approximation