Interference-fit Pins in Infinite Elastic Plates

Present address: Department of Mathematics, Rajshaki Government College, East-Pakistan. This paper is concerned with the stress concentration factorsround loaded circular elastic or rigid interference-fit pinsin elastic plates in states of generalized plane stress. Statesof all-round tension and simple tension at infinity are consideredand it is assumed that there is either no slip or no shearingstress at the surface of the pin. A comparison is made betweenthe solutions for a rigid pin with load balanced by an isolatedforce and that for a rigid pin with load balanced by infinitesimalstress at infinity.     

Necessary conditions for infinite-horizon Volterra optimal control problems with time delay

Email: csfvega{at}dm.uba.ar Received on August 17, 2006; Accepted on September 8, 2007 Necessary conditions are proved for optimal control problemsinvolving an infinite horizon and terminal conditions at infinitywhose states are governed by Volterra integral equations withnon-linear time delay.     

Stability of the approximation of a regular solution branch

In this paper we extend the so-called inf-sup conditions tononlinear problems having regular solution branches. The inf-supconditions for nonlinear problems have been introduced, forinstance, by Caloz and Rappaz in 1994. Here we present a moregeneral approach to include turning points on a solution branch.Our abstract results are applied to model examples. E-mail: Gabriel.Caloz{at}univ-rennesl.fr     

New conditions on absolute stability of uncertain Lur'e systems and the maximum admissible perturbed bound

Email: fhao{at}buaa.edu.cn Received on April 5, 2006; Accepted on September 10, 2006 The robust absolute stability problem for structured uncertainLur'e systems is considered in this paper by using Popov criterionand extended strictly positive real lemma. The conditions onrobust absolute stability for Lur'e systems with structureduncertainties are established in terms of multilinear matrixinequalities. An estimate of the maximum bound of all admissibleperturbations is given by a generalized eigenvalue problem.Finally, a numerical example is worked out to illustrate theefficiency of the main results.     

Finite-element methods for singularly perturbed high-order elliptic two-point boundary value problems. I: reaction-diffusion-type problems

We consider singularly perturbed high-order elliptic two-pointboundary value problems of reaction-diffusion type. It is shownthat, on an equidistant mesh, polynomial schemes cannot achievea high order of convergence that is uniform in the perturbationparameter. Piecewise polynomial Galerkin finite-element methodsare then constructed on a Shishkin mesh. Almost optimal convergenceresults, which are uniform in the perturbation parameter, areobtained in various norms. Numerical results are presented fora fourth-order problem. e-mail address: stynes{at}bureau.ucc.ie.     

Error estimates for the finite-element solution of an elliptic singularly perturbed problem

e-mail:ang{at}am.uni-erlangen.de The paper deals with an upwind discretization of finite-volume-typefor singularly perturbed elliptic boundary value problems. Stability,inverse monotonicity and convergence are considered. The mainobjective is to pursue the dependence of the error estimateon the perturbation parameter.     

A Note on High/Low-Wave-Number Interactions in Spatially Discrete Parabolic Equations

Present address: School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. We describe an instability introduced by the spatial discretizationof reaction-diffusion equations. The mechanism is a nonlinearinteraction between high and low wave-number modes in the discreteequations. In partial differential equations which exhibit strongtemporal growth, a parasitic high-wave-number mode is stimulated,through aliasing, by a physically meaningful low-wave-numbermode. We analyse the interaction using phase-plane techniquesand present complementary numerical results.     

The dynamic control of risk in optimised portfolios

E-mail: c.j.adcock{at}sheffield.ac.uk or adcock{at}intonet.co.uk This paper presents a theoretical treatment of the statisticalproperties of optimal portfolios. The results demonstrate theway in which the statistical properties of forecast returnsaffect the performance of optimised portfolios. The paper thenindicates how these methods may be used in principle to controlthe performance of an optimised portfolio. This is exemplifiedby an optimal portfolio of foreign currencies.     

Multiple criteria models for evaluation of competitive bids

Email: slliu{at}mail.east.net.cnAuthor for correspondence Email: mskklai{at}cityu.edu.hkEmail: sywang{at}iss02.iss.ac.cn In this paper, two general bidding systems are proposed to aidan owner to select one contractor based on multiple-attributedecision making models. They are named the general multiple-attributelower-bidder system and the general multiple-attribute average-bid system and are an extension (and refreshment) of the multiparameterbidding system and the average-bid method, respectively. Thepreference of the owner over the criteria (or attributes) relevantto construction work award is incorporated into the two newsystems if necessary and required by the owner. The values ofthe attributes (excluding the cost) required to be determinedby the owner in the multiparameter bidding system are not necessarilydetermined in the general multiple-attribute lower-bidder system.This reduces the burden to the owner. The two new bidding systemsare demonstrated via an example, and are compared with the multiparameterbidding system and the average-bid method. The comparisons showthat the preference of the owner in regard to the attributesrelevant to selection of contractors has a significant effecton bid evaluation. The two new systems preserve the form ofthe competitive bidding concept and can easily be applied topractice.     

An Analysis of Fast-Slow Systems

This paper discusses the construction of an approximate solutionto the standard fast-slow system of equations. The usual representationin terms of a fast vector and a slow vector is shown to be satisfactoryonly when certain matrices are neither ill conditioned nor near-orthogonal.Applications of the results to certain control problems areinvestigated. This paper was written while on Leave of Absence at the Departmentof Mathematics, University of Salford, Salford.     

On the stability of continuous quadrature rules for differential equations with several constant delays

The aim of the present paper is to study the stability propertiesof the numerical methods for pure delay differential equations.The methods we consider are based on a quadrature rule and aninterpolant (NCE) to get an approximation of the retarded part(continuous quadrature rule). As a test equation we consider and we give sufficient conditions for the boundedness of thesolutions. The same behaviour is preserved by the continuousquadrature rule under some restriction on the parameters. Asa conclusion we give some examples. This work was supported by CNR and M.U.R.S.T.     

Estimation of nonlinear systems without a priori structural information and its application in Hammerstein model identification with dynamic nonlinearities

Email: er-wei-bai{at}uiowa.edu Received on July 30, 2005; Accepted on July 23, 2006 In the paper, we discuss identification of a nonlinear systemwithout structural information and propose two methods, thekernel method and the orthonormal basis method. The convergenceresults are established for both methods without a priori structuralinformation. We then apply the results to identification ofHammerstein models with an unknown dynamic nonlinearity. Itis also shown that identification of the linear part in Hammersteinmodels is possible with no knowledge of the dynamic nonlinearity.     

Finite-element methods for singularly perturbed high-order elliptic two-point boundary value problems. II: convection-diffusion-type problems

e-mail address: stynes{at}bureau.ucc.ie We consider singularly perturbed high-order elliptic two-pointboundary value problems of convection-diffusion type. Undersuitable hypotheses, the coercivity of the associated bilinearform is proved and a representation result for the solutionsof such problems is given. A family of Galerkin finite-elementmethods based on piecewise polynomial test/trial functions ona Shishkin mesh is constructed and proved to be convergent,uniformly in the perturbation parameter, in energy and Wnorms. Numerical results are presentedfor a second-order problem and fourth-order problems.     

Optimal control problems of parabolic equations with an infinite number of variables and with equality constraints

Email: bahaa_gm{at}hotmail.com Received on December 6, 2005; Accepted on December 7, 2006 Optimal control problems of systems governed by parabolic equationswith an infinite number of variables and with additional equalityconstraints are considered. The extremum principle, as wellas sufficient condition of optimality, is formulated for theNeumann problem by using certain extensions of Dubovitskii–Milyutinmethod.     

Time integration of the non-linear Galerkin method

e-mail: bosco{at}mac.cie.uva.es, frutos@mac.cie.uva.es Numerical tests are presented that, for the Kuramoto-Sivashinskyand a reaction-diffusion equation, compare the non-linear Galerkinmethod with standard pseudospectral and pure spectral Galerkindiscretizations. The results show that, for these problems,the non-linear Galerkin method is not competitive with eitherpure spectral Galerkin or pseudospectral discretizations.     

Delay-dependent dissipativity of singular time-delay systems

Email: msmahmoud{at}kfupm.edu.sa Received on September 21, 2007; Revision received March 10, 2008. Accepted on April 30, 2008 In this paper, new results are established for the delay-dependentproblems of dissipative analysis and state-feedback synthesisof singular time-delay (STD) systems with polytopic uncertainties.The developed results for the nominal singular system encompassavailable results on approach, passivity and positive realnessfor STD systems as special cases. All the sufficient stabilityconditions are cast as linear matrix inequality-based feasibilitytests. Robust dissipativity results are also derived. Numericalexamples are provided.     

Estimates of the region of attraction of continuous-time cascade systems

Xiao-Song Yang Department of Mathematics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan, Hubei 430074, People's Republic of China Huimin Li Departments of Mathematics and Control and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan, Hubei 430074, People's Republic of China Corresponding author. Email: yangxs{at}cqupt.edu.cn Received on May 1, 2006; Accepted on October 6, 2006 In this paper, we first present some new sufficient conditionsfor global asymptotic stability of continuous-time cascade systems.Then, we give some detailed results on the region of attractionof continuous-time cascade systems. Some examples are presentedto illustrate these results.     

On Chebyshev Solution of Parabolic Partial Differential Equations

Now at Mathemarics Department, Assiut University Egypt A method is presented to transform parabolic equations to asystem of ordinary differential equations for the solution atthe Chebyshev points. The system may be solved analyticallyor by numerical methods and the Chebyshev coefficients are computed.We have the exact solution of a perturbed problem.     

Stress softening, strain localization and permanent set in the circumferential shear of an incompressible elastomeric cylinder

Corresponding author, email huntley{at}umich.edu A constitutive theory for elastomeric materials has recentlybeen developed according to which stress is generated by differentmicromechanisms at different levels of deformation. When thedeformation is small, the stress is given by the usual theoryof rubber elasticity. As the deformation increases, some junctionsof the macromolecular microstructure rupture. Junctions thenre-form to generate a new microstructure. The constitutive equationallows for continuous scission of the original junctions andformation of new ones as deformation increases. The macromolecularscission causes stress reduction. The formation of new microstructuresresults in permanent set on release of external load. The present work considers a hollow circular cylinder composedof such a material, also assumed to be incompressible and isotropic.The cylinder is fixed rigidly at its inner surface and undergoesaxisymmetric deformation due to a uniform axial moment appliedat the outer surface. There develops an outer zone of materialwith the original microstructure and an inner zone of materialhaving undergone macromolecular scission, separated by a cylindricalinterface, the radius of which increases with the rotation ofthe outer surface. The shear deformation distribution, moment-rotationresponse and permanent set on release of moment are determined.It is found that microstructural scission can lead to higherlevels of shear deformation near the inner surface of the cylinderthan in the case of purely elastic response. It is also seenthat a residual state of high shear deformation can arise ina thin layer of material at the inner boundary of the cylinder.     

A Perturbation Solution for a Two-dimensional Annular Electrochemical Machining Problem

Present address: Deparment of Applied Mathematics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. A two-dimensional electrochemical machining problem which consistsof an almost circular anode placed inside a circular cathodeis solved using a perturbation procedure. The smoothing of roughmetal parts is studied by solving the resulting perturbationequations numerically.