Optimal control problem described by impulsive differential equations with nonlocal boundary conditions

We study an optimal control problem in which the plant state is described by impulsive differential equations with nonlocal boundary conditions. By using the contraction mapping principle, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a solution of the nonlocal impulsive boundary value problem for given feasible controls. We compute the first and second variations of the performance functional and use them to obtain various necessary second-order optimality conditions.     

First and second order necessary optimality conditions for a discrete-time optimal control problem with a vector-valued objective function

The paper deals with a nonlinear discrete-time optimal control problem with a vector-valued objective function of terminal type. For the admissible controls of the problem under consideration which satisfy the additional regularity condition of the Lyusternik type we prove the first and second necessary optimality conditions extending such the classical optimality conditions as the Euler condition and the negativity of second variation of the objective function.     

Conjugate Intervals for the Linear Fixed-Endpoint Control Problem

For certain optimal control problems with piecewise continuous controls, recently Loewen and Zheng (Ref. 1) and Zeidan (Ref. 2) defined two sets of generalized conjugate points for which, under normality assumptions, the second-order conditions in terms of the accessory problem imply their emptiness. However, simple examples show that checking the existence of such points may be more difficult than directly finding variations that make the second variation negative. In this paper, for the linear fixed-endpoint control problem, we introduce a new set whose emptiness is equivalent to the nonnegativity of the second variation along admissible variations. Moreover, we achieve by means of this set the main objective of introducing a characterization of this condition, namely, to obtain a simpler way of verifying it.     

Optimization Techniques for Solving Elliptic Control Problems with Control and State Constraints: Part 1. Boundary Control

We study optimal control problems for semilinear elliptic equations subject to control and state inequality constraints. In a first part we consider boundary control problems with either Dirichlet or Neumann conditions. By introducing suitable discretization schemes, the control problem is transcribed into a nonlinear programming problem. It is shown that a recently developed interior point method is able to solve these problems even for high discretizations. Several numerical examples with Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions are provided that illustrate the performance of the algorithm for different types of controls including bang-bang and singular controls. The necessary conditions of optimality are checked numerically in the presence of active control and state constraints.     

Second Order Sufficiency Criteria for a Discrete Optimal Control Problem

In this work, we derive second order necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for a discrete optimal control problem with one variable endpoint and the other fixed, and with equality control constraints. In particular, the positivity of the second variation, which is a discrete quadratic functional with appropriate boundary conditions, is characterized in terms of the nonexistence of intervals conjugate to 0, the existence of a certain conjoined basis of the associated linear Hamiltonian difference system, or the existence of a symmetric solution to the implicit and explicit Riccati matrix equations. Some results require a certain minimal normality assumption, and are derived using the sensitivity analysis technique.     

On the existence and uniqueness of a generalized solution of the mixed problem for the wave equation with the second and third boundary conditions

We prove the uniqueness of a generalized solution of an initial-boundary value problem for the wave equation with boundary conditions of the third and second kind. In addition, we find a closed-form expression for the analytic solution of that problem with zero initial data. The result plays an important role in the investigation of the boundary control problem. We show how to use the obtained solution for the investigation of the boundary control problem in the case of subcritical time intervals for which the solution of the boundary control problem, if it exists at all, is unique. We obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a unique solution in a class admitting the existence of finite energy.     

On necessary optimality conditions for systems Governed by a two point boundary value problem. I

The paper concerns a necessary optimality condition in form of a Pontryagin Minimum Principle for a system governed by a linear two point boundary value problem with homogeneous Dibichlet conditions, whereby the control vector occurs in all coefficients of the differential equation. Without any convexity assumption the optimality condition is derived using a needle-like variation of the optimal control. In case of convex local control constraints the optimality condition implies the linearized minimum principle, which we have proved in [2]. An example shows that for this linearized optimality condition the convexity of the set of all admissible controls is essential.     

A linear quadratic control problem for the stochastic heat equation driven by Q-Wiener processes

We consider a control problem for the stochastic heat equation with Neumann boundary condition, where controls and noise terms are defined inside the domain as well as on the boundary. The noise terms are given by independent Q-Wiener processes. Under some assumptions, we derive necessary and sufficient optimality conditions stochastic controls have to satisfy. Using these optimality conditions, we establish explicit formulas with the result that stochastic optimal controls are given by feedback controls. This is an important conclusion to ensure that the controls are adapted to a certain filtration. Therefore, the state is an adapted process as well.     

Insensitizing controls for the parabolic equation with equivalued surface boundary conditions

This paper is devoted to the study of the existence of insensitizing controls for the parabolic equation with equivalued surface boundary conditions. The insensitizing problem consists in finding a control function such that some energy functional of the equation is locally insensitive to a perturbation of the initial data. As usual, this problem can be reduced to a partially null controllability problem for a cascade system of two parabolic equations with equivalued surface boundary conditions. Compared the problems with usual boundary conditions, in the present case we need to derive a new global Carleman estimate, for which, in particular one needs to construct a new weight function to match the equivalued surface boundary conditions.     

Solving elliptic control problems with interior point and SQP methods: control and state constraints

We study optimal control problems for semilinear elliptic equations subject to control and state inequality constraints. Both boundary control and distributed control problems are considered with boundary conditions of Dirichlet or Neumann type. By introducing suitable discretization schemes, the control problem is transcribed into a nonlinear programming problem. Necessary conditions of optimality are discussed both for the continuous and the discretized control problem. It is shown that the recently developed interior point method LOQO of [35] is capable of solving these problems even for high discretizations. Four numerical examples with Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions are provided that illustrate the performance of the algorithm for different types of controls including bang–bang controls.     

On second-order necessary optimality conditions in the classical sense for systems with nonlocal conditions

We consider an optimal control problem in which the state of a system is described by control systems of ordinary differential equations with two-point boundary conditions. The admissible controls are chosen in the class of bounded measurable functions. We derive a formula for the increment of a second-order functional. On the basis of control variations, we obtain necessary optimality conditions for singular controls in the classical sense.     

Computing eigenvalues of Sturm-Liouville problems via optimal control theory

In this paper, we shall address three problems arising in the computation of eigenvalues of Sturm-Liouville boundary value problems. We first consider a well-posed Sturm-Liouville problem with discrete and distinct spectrum. For this problem, we shall show that the eigenvalues can be computed by solving for the zeros of the boundary condition at the terminal point as a function of the eigenvalue. In the second problem, we shall consider the case where some coefficients and parameters in the differential equation are continuously adjustable. For this, the eigenvalues can be optimized with respect to these adjustable coefficients and parameters by reformulating the problem as a combined optimal control and optimal parameter selection problem. Subsequently, these optimized eigenvalues can be computed by using an existing optimal control software, MISER. The last problem extends the first to nonstandard boundary conditions such as periodic or interrelated boundary conditions. To illustrate the efficiency and the versatility of the proposed methods, several non-trivial numerical examples are included.     

A boundary control problem for the blood flow in venous insufficiency. The general case

The purpose of this article is to introduce and study an optimal control problem with medical applications. When a vein loses its elasticity, phenomena such as stagnation and recirculation of the blood may appear; these phenomena produce medical complications. We propose an optimization model in order to diminish the negative consequences of the lack of vein elasticity. We extend a previous model involving the interaction between a viscous fluid and an elastic boundary to the case when both the fluid and the elastic medium occupy three dimensional domains. After establishing the existence and uniqueness of the solution for the coupled problem, we present a boundary control problem in order to determine an exterior compression that realizes a blood flow without recirculation. Since it is not possible to find such a compression directly, we consider a sequence of cost functionals and we study the corresponding optimal control problems. The existence and uniqueness of the optimal controls are proved and the optimality conditions that characterize the optimal controls are derived. Finally, we establish the relation between the control problem with physical meaning and the sequence of optimal controls already constructed.     

Asymptotic analysis of a boundary optimal control problem on a general branched structure

We consider an optimal control problem posed on a domain with a highly oscillating smooth boundary where the controls are applied on the oscillating part of the boundary. There are many results on domains with oscillating boundaries where the oscillations are pillar‐type (non‐smooth) while the literature on smooth oscillating boundary is very few. In this article, we use appropriate scaling on the controls acting on the oscillating boundary leading to different limit control problems, namely, boundary optimal control and interior optimal control problem. In the last part of the article, we visualize the domains as a branched structure, and we introduce unfolding operators to get contributions from each level at every branch.     

Control Localized on Thin Structures for the Linearized Boussinesq System

We study optimal control problems for the linearized Boussinesq system when the control is supported on a submanifold of the boundary of the domain. This type of problem belongs to the class of optimal control problems with measures as controls, which has been studied recently by several authors. We are mainly interested in the optimality conditions for such problems. It is known that the differentiability properties needed to obtain the optimality conditions are more demanding, in terms of regularity of the data, than what is needed to prove the existence of optimal controls. Here we are able to derive the optimality conditions by taking advantage of the particular structure of the controls.     

二阶非线性椭圆型方程带位移的边值问题

In this paper, we consider the boundary value problem with the shift for nonlinear uniformly elliptic equations of second order in a multiply connected domain. For this sake, we propose a modified boundary value problem for nonlinear elliptic systems of first order equations, and give a priori estimates of solutions for the modified boundary value problem. Afterwards we prove by using the Schauder fixedpoint theorem that this boundary value problem with some conditions has a solution. The result obtained is the generlization of the corresponding theorem on the Poincare boundary value problem.     

Spectra of discrete symplectic eigenvalue problems with separated boundary conditions

In this paper we consider a discrete symplectic eigenvalue problem with separated boundary conditions and obtain formulas for the number of eigenvalues on a given interval of the variation of the spectral parameter. In addition, we compare the spectra of two symplectic eigenvalue problems with different separated boundary conditions.     

Maximin Approach to the Ship Collision Avoidance Problem via Multiple-Subarc Sequential Gradient-Restoration Algorithm

The ideal strategy for ship collision avoidance under emergency conditions is to maximize wrt the controls the timewise minimum distance between a host ship and an intruder ship. This is a maximin problem or Chebyshev problem of optimal control in which the performance index being maximinimized is the distance between the two ships. Based on the multiple-subarc sequential gradient-restoration algorithm, a new method for solving the maximin problem is developed.Key to the new method is the observation that, at the maximin point, the time derivative of the performance index must vanish. With the zero derivative condition being treated as an inner boundary condition, the maximin problem can be converted into a Bolza problem in which the performance index, evaluated at the inner boundary, is being maximized wrt the controls. In turn, the Bolza problem with an added inner boundary condition can be solved via the multiple-subarc sequential gradient-restoration algorithm (SGRA).The new method is applied to two cases of the collision avoidance problem: collision avoidance between two ships moving along the same rectilinear course and collision avoidance between two ships moving along orthogonal courses. For both cases, we are basically in the presence of a two-subarc problem, the first subarc corresponding to the avoidance phase of the maneuver and the second subarc corresponding to the recovery phase. For stiff systems, the robustness of the multiple-subarc SGRA can be enhanced via increase in the number of subarcs. For the ship collision avoidance problem, a modest increase in the number of subarcs from two to three (one subarc in the avoidance phase, two subarcs in the recovery phase) helps containing error propagation and achieving better convergence results.     

Dirichlet Boundary Control of Semilinear Parabolic Equations Part 2: Problems with Pointwise State Constraints

This paper is the continuation of the paper ``Dirichlet boundary control of semilinear parabolic equations. Part 1: Problems with no state constraints.' It is concerned with an optimal control problem with distributed and Dirichlet boundary controls for semilinear parabolic equations, in the presence of pointwise state constraints. We first obtain approximate optimality conditions for problems in which state constraints are penalized on subdomains. Next by using a decomposition theorem for some additive measures (based on the Stone—Cech compactification), we pass to the limit and recover Pontryagin's principles for the original problem. Accepted 21 July 2001. Online publication 21 December 2001.