On optimal structural remodeling

We present the problem of remodeling a given structure such as to improve structural performance optimally within a specified available resource. The development pertains to all types of problems where the mode of structural response is governed by an extremum principle. A variational formulation is used, and the idea is illustrated for maximum-stiffness remodeling of single-purpose structures.The work of the second author was supported in part by the National Science Foundation.     

On the existence of sporadically catching-up optimal solutions for infinite-horizon optimal control problems

In this paper, we extend the existence theory of Brock and Haurie concerning the existence of sporadically catching-up optimal solutions for autonomous, infinite-horizon optimal control problems. This notion of optimality is one of a hierarchy of types of optimality that have appeared in the literature to deal with optimal control problems whose cost functionals, described by an improper integral, either diverge or are unbounded below. Our results rely on the now classical convexity and seminormality hypotheses due to Cesari and are weaker than those assumed in the work of Brock and Haurie. An example is presented where our results are applicable, but those of the above-mentioned authors do not.This research forms part of the author's doctoral dissertation, written at the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, under the supervision of Professor T. S. Angell.     

On some elliptic optimal control problems with state constraints

In this paper optimality conditions will be derived for elliptic optimal control problems with a restriction on the state or on the gradient of the state. Essential tools are the method of transposition and generalized trace theorems and green's formulas from the theory of elliptic differential equations.     

On the existence of catching-up optimal solutions for Lagrange problems defined on unbounded intervals

In this paper, we are concerned with the question of the existence of optimal solutions for infinite-horizon optimal control problems of Lagrange type. In such problems, the objective or cost functional is described by an improper integral. As dictated by applications arising in mathematical economics, we do nota priori assume that this improper integral converges. This leads us to consider a weaker type of optimality, known as catching-up optimality. The results presented here utilize the classical convexity and seminormality conditions typically imposed in the existence theory for the case of finite intervals. These conditions are significantly weaker than those imposed by other authors; as a consequence, their existence results are contained as special cases of the results presented here. The method of proof utilizes the Carathéodory-Hamilton-Jacobi theory previously developed by the author for infinite-horizon optimal control problems.This research forms part of the author's doctoral dissertation written at the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware under the supervision of Professor T. S. Angell.     

First-Order Necessary Optimality Conditions for General Bilevel Programming Problems

In Ref. 1, bilevel programming problems have been investigated using an equivalent formulation by use of the optimal value function of the lower level problem. In this comment, it is shown that Ref. 1 contains two incorrect results: in Proposition 2.1, upper semicontinuity instead of lower semicontinuity has to be used for guaranteeing existence of optimal solutions; in Theorem 5.1, the assumption that the abnormal part of the directional derivative of the optimal value function reduces to zero has to be replaced by the demand that a nonzero abnormal Lagrange multiplier does not exist.     

Existence of finitely optimal solutions for infinite-horizon optimal control problems

In this paper, we investigate the existence of finitely optimal solutions for the Lagrange problem of optimal control defined on [0, ) under weaker convexity and seminormality hypotheses than those of previous authors. The notion of finite optimality has been introduced into the literature as the weakest of a hierarchy of types of optimality that have been defined to permit the study of Lagrange problems, arising in mathematical economics, whose cost functions either diverge or are not bounded below. Our method of proof requires us to analyze the continuous dependence of finite-interval Lagrange problems with respect to a prescribed terminal condition. Once this is done, we show that a finitely optimal solution can be obtained as the limit of a sequence of solutions to a sequence of corresponding finite-horizon optimal control problems. Our results utilize the convexity and seminormality hypotheses which are now classical in the existence theory of optimal control.This research forms part of the author's doctoral dissertation written at the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware under the supervision of Professor Thomas S. Angell.     

Additional necessary conditions for optimal control with state-variable inequality constraints

It is shown that, when the set of necessary conditions for an optimal control problem with state-variable inequality constraints given by Bryson, Denham, and Dreyfus is appropriately augmented, it is equivalent to the (different) set of conditions given by Jacobson, Lele, and Speyer. Relationships among the various multipliers are given.This work was done at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, under a National Research Council Associateship.     

On the optimal control for variational inequalities

We prove an existence theorem for the optimal control of variational inequalities governed by a pseudomonotone operator: the cost is assumed to be quadratic. Then, we give an extension of the theorem to more general costs (assuming the operator to be monotone); we also give a result on a perturbation problem.This work is an extended part of the author's thesis, written under the direction of Professor T. Zolezzi. This research was partially supported by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy.     

Uniformly overtaking and weakly overtaking optimal solutions in infinite-horizon optimal control: When optimal solutions are agreeable

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between two classes of optimality which have arisen in the study of dynamic optimization problems defined on an infinite-time domain. We utilize an optimal control framework to discuss our results. In particular, we establish relationships between limiting objective functional type optimality concepts, commonly known as overtaking optimality and weakly overtaking optimality, and the finite-horizon solution concepts of decision-horizon optimality and agreeable plans. Our results show that both classes of optimality are implied by corresponding uniform limiting objective functional type optimality concepts, referred to here as uniformly overtaking optimality and uniformly weakly overtaking optimality. This observation permits us to extract sufficient conditions for optimality from known sufficient conditions for overtaking and weakly overtaking optimality by strengthening their hypotheses. These results take the form of a strengthened maximum principle. Examples are given to show that the hypotheses of these results can be realized.This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. DMS-87-00706, and by the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Summer Research Fellowship Program.     

Existence theorems in optimal control problems without convexity assumptions

A correction in the statement of Proposition 4.1 of Ref. 1 is given.     

Necessary conditions for optimal controls for systems governed by parabolic partial delay-differential equations in divergence form with first boundary conditions

In this paper, we consider the question of necessary conditions for optimality for systems governed by second-order parabolic partial delay-differential equations with first boundary conditions. All the coefficients of the system are assumed bounded measurable and contain controls and delays in their arguments. The second-order parabolic partial delay-differential equation is in divergence form. In Theorem 4.1, we present results on the existence and uniqueness of weak solutions in the sense of Ladyzhenskaya-Solonnikov-Ural'ceva for this class of systems. An integral maximum principle and its point-wise version for the corresponding controlled system are established in Theorem 5.1 and Corollary 5.1, respectively.The authors wish to thank Dr. E. Noussair for his stimulating discussion and valuable comments in the preparation of this paper. Further, they also wish to acknowledge the referee of the paper for his valuable suggestions and comments. The discussion presented in Section 6 is in response to his suggestions.     

On optimal control problems with general boundary conditions

It is shown that the necessary optimality conditions for optimal control problems with terminal constraints and with given initial state allow also to obtain in a straightforward way the necessary optimality conditions for problems involving parameters and general (mixed) boundary conditions. In a similar manner, the corresponding numerical algorithms can be adapted to handle this class of optimal control problems.This research was supported in part by the Commission on International Relations, National Academy of Sciences, under Exchange Visitor Program No. P-1-4174.The author is indebted to the anonymous reviewer bringing to his attention Ref. 9 and making him aware of the possible use of generalized inverse notation when formulating the optimality conditions.     

On the order of singular optimal control problems

In singular optimal control problems, the functional form of the optimal control function is usually determined by solving the algebraic equation which results by successively differentiating the switching function until the control appears explicitly. This process defines the order of the singular problem. Order-related results are developed for singular linear-quadratic problems and for a bilinear example which gives new insights into the relationship between singular problem order and singular are order.Dedicated to R. BellmanThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ENG-77-16660.     

On the optimal control of minimum film thickness

The present paper is concerned with the study of controlling the motion of a bearing so that the thin film of lubricant separating it from its container will have the largest possible thickness. Explicit equations are derived, and the control problem is solved explicitly in some simple cases.The authors thank Dr. S. M. Rohde, Manager, Systems Analysis and Simulation Department, General Motors System Engineering Center, for many valuable discussions about this problem.     

A generalization of a minimax theorem of Fan via a theorem of the alternative

A minimization problem for a functional on a convex subsetC of a normed linear space is considered. Under certain hypotheses, optimality in a certain subset ofC implies the validity of first-order necessary optimality conditions for the problem inC. The result is applied to a problem in optimal periodic control of neutral functional differential equations.This work was partially supported by a grant from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and by AFOSR under Grant No. AFOSR-84-0398.     

Characterizations of an approximate minimum in optimal control

By using the classical variational methods based on geodesic coverings of a domain and on Hilbert's independent integral, further characterizations of an approximate solution in problems of control are described. The starting point is the Ekeland-type characterization, the variational principle. As consequences, sufficient conditions for optimality are obtained in a form similar to the Weierstrass conditions from the calculus of variations.The author is grateful to the referee for the valuable counterexamples to the first version of the paper.     

Regularity of flows and optimal control of shear-thinning fluids

We study optimal control problems of systems describing the flow of incompressible shear-thinning fluids. Taking advantage of regularity properties of the flows, we derive necessary optimality conditions under a restriction on the optimal control.     

An optimal control problem for a pest, predator, and plant system

The paper is devoted to an optimal control problem for a system of three nonlinear parabolic equations from population dynamics. The equations model a trophic chain consisting of a predator, a pest and a plant species. The existence and uniqueness of the positive solution for the system are proved. The control variable is connected with the action of a pesticide. Our goal is to minimize the density of the pest and to maximize the plant density. The existence of the optimal solution is proved. The first and second order optimality conditions are established.     

On the existence in a problem of the calculus of variations without convexity assumptions

Summary We obtain new sufficient conditions for the existence in a problem of the calculus of variations without convexity assumptions.