Finite-dimensional approximation to global minimizers in functional spaces with R-convergence

A new concept of convergence (R-convergence) of a sequence of measures is applied to characterize global minimizers in a functional space as a sequence of approximate solutions in finite-dimensional spaces. A deviation integral approach is used to find such solutions. For a constrained problem, a penalized deviation integral algorithm is proposed to convert it to unconstrained ones. A numerical example on an optimal control problem with non-convex state constraints is given to show the effectiveness of the algorithm.     

Exactness of penalization for exact minimax penalty function method in nonconvex programming

The exact minimax penalty function method is used to solve a noncon-vex differentiable optimization problem with both inequality and equality constraints. The conditions for exactness of the penalization for the exact minimax penalty function method are established by assuming that the functions constituting the considered con-strained optimization problem are invex with respect to the same function η (with the exception of those equality constraints for which the associated Lagrange multipliers are negative-these functions should be assumed to be incave with respect to η). Thus, a threshold of the penalty parameter is given such that, for all penalty parameters exceeding this threshold, equivalence holds between the set of optimal solutions in the considered constrained optimization problem and the set of minimizer in its associated penalized problem with an exact minimax penalty function. It is shown that coercivity is not suf-ficient to prove the results.     

A modified finite element method for determining equilibrium capillary surfaces of liquids with specified volumes

This paper describes a modified finite element method (MFEM) for determining the static equilibrium shape of the capillary surface of a liquid with a prescribed volume constrained by rigid boundaries with arbitrary shapes. It is assumed that the liquid is in static equilibrium under the influence of surface tension, adhesion, and gravity forces. This problem can be solved by employing the conventional FEM; however, a major difficulty arises due to the presence of the volume (integral) constraint and usually requires the use of the Lagrange multiplier method, the sequential unconstrained minimization technique, or the augmented Lagrange multiplier method. With the MFEM, the space variables defining the equilibrium surfaces (or curves) are expanded in terms of parametric interpolation functions, which are designed such that the boundary conditions and the integral constraint equation are automatically satisfied during each iteration of a direct numerical search process. Hence, there is no need to include Lagrange multipliers and/or penalty factors and the problem can be treated more simply as one involving unconstrained optimization. This investigation indicates that the MFEM is more efficient and reliable than the other methods. Results are presented for several case study problems involving liquid solder drops. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the reduction of the normality conditions in equality-constrained optimization problems in mechanics

A large class of problems in mechanics leads to the minimization of an objective function under equality constraints. In fact, inequality constraints can always be transformed into equality constraints by means of slack variables. The classical approach to solve equality-constrained problems relies on Lagrange multipliers, whose first-order normality conditions (FONC) lead to a system of nonlinear algebraic equations. This system of equations involves as many equations as unknowns, composed of the design variables and Lagrange multipliers, and hence, is amenable to a host of solution methods. In this paper, two methods to eliminate the Lagrange multipliers are reported, by which a reduced system of normality conditions is obtained. Reduction is conducted here either symbolically or numerically using an isotropic orthogonal complement L of the Jacobian matrix of the equality constraints. The relations thus resulting are cast into what is termed the dual form of the FONC. When the problem allows for symbolic calculations, a semi-graphical approach is applied, which leads to the global optimum of the problem at hand. However, the main novelty of the paper lies in an algorithm that returns the stationary points of a constrained optimization problem without requiring the closed-form expressions of the dual form of the FONC. Moreover, numerically efficient and stable procedures are given for the intermediate computational steps. The application of this algorithm is demonstrated with three examples from mechanics.     

An optimal method for seismic drift design of concrete buildings using gradient and Hessian matrix calculations

This paper describes a novel seismic optimal design method for the reinforced concrete frame. First, an optimal mathematical model with time-dependent constraints, i.e., inter-story drift constraints, is established for achieving minimum weight design. Second, the inequality constraint problem with time-dependent constraints is converted into a sequence of appropriately formed unconstrained problems using the integral interior point penalty function method. Third, an efficient algorithm of the first and second derivatives of the inter-story drift with respect to design variables is formulated based on Newmark-β method. Gradient and Hessian matrix of the integral interior penalty function are also computed. Fourth, Marquardt’s method is employed to solve a sequence of unconstrained problems. Finally, the minimum weight design of a three-story, two-bay planar frame is demonstrated using the new optimization method and the augmented Lagrange multiplier method. The comparative results show the seismic optimal design method presented in this paper is more efficient than the augmented Lagrange multiplier method in terms of computational time. The proposed new method is an effective and efficient approach for minimum weight design of the reinforced concrete frames subjected to earthquake excitation.     

刚塑性广义变分不等原理及其在平面应变分析中的应用

首先利用Lagrangian乘子法，从势能角度出发构造了考虑摩擦效应这一能导致变分不等形式的广义能量泛函，把一般的有条件的变分原理化为无条件的变分原理唯一确定，得出了各Lagrangian乘子所代表的物理意义。建立了刚塑性理论中的Coulomb摩擦约束的广义变分不等原理。而后基于退化的摩擦约束广义变分等式原理，对长矩形板镦粗进行了塑性加工工步分析，所得结果与经典上限法结果相吻合。     

A posteriori bounds for linear functional outputs of Crouzeix–Raviart finite element discretizations of the incompressible Stokes problem

A finite element technique is presented for the efficient generation of lower and upper bounds to outputs which are linear functionals of the solutions to the incompressible Stokes equations in two space dimensions. The finite element discretization is effected by Crouzeix–Raviart elements, the discontinuous pressure approximation of which is central to this approach. The bounds are based upon the construction of an augmented Lagrangian: the objective is a quadratic ‘energy’ reformulation of the desired output, the constraints are the finite element equilibrium equations (including the incompressibility constraint), and the inter‐sub‐domain continuity conditions on velocity. Appealing to the dual max–min problem for appropriately chosen candidate Lagrange multipliers then yields inexpensive bounds for the output associated with a fine‐mesh discretization. The Lagrange multipliers are generated by exploiting an associated coarse‐mesh approximation. In addition to the requisite coarse‐mesh calculations, the bound technique requires the solution of only local sub‐domain Stokes problems on the fine mesh. The method is illustrated for the Stokes equations, in which the outputs of interest are the flow rate past and the lift force on a body immersed in a channel. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New exact penalty function for solving constrained finite min-max problems

This paper introduces a new exact and smooth penalty function to tackleconstrained min-max problems.By using this new penalty function and adding justone extra variable,a constrained min-max problem is transformed into an unconstrainedoptimization one.It is proved that,under certain reasonable assumptions and when thepenalty parameter is sufficiently large,the minimizer of this unconstrained optimizationproblem is equivalent to the minimizer of the original constrained one.Numerical resultsdemonstrate that this penalty function method is an effective and promising approach forsolving constrained finite min-max problems.     

New smooth gap function for box constrained variational inequalities

A new smooth gap function for the box constrained variational inequality problem(VIP) is proposed based on an integral global optimality condition.The smooth gap function is simple and has some good differentiable properties.The box constrained VIP can be reformulated as a differentiable optimization problem by the proposed smooth gap function.The conditions,under which any stationary point of the optimization problem is the solution to the box constrained VIP,are discussed.A simple frictional contact problem is analyzed to show the applications of the smooth gap function.Finally,the numerical experiments confirm the good theoretical properties of the method.     

Symmetry Groups and Non-Planar Collisionless Action-Minimizing Solutions of the Three-Body Problem in Three-Dimensional Space

Periodic and quasi-periodic solutions of the n-body problem can be found as minimizers of the Lagrangian action functional restricted to suitable spaces of symmetric paths. The main purpose of this paper is to develop a systematic approach to the equivariant minimization for the three-body problem in three-dimensional space. First we give a finite complete list of symmetry groups fitting to the minimization of the action, with the property that any other symmetry group can be reduced to be isomorphic to one of these representatives. A second step is to prove that the resulting (local and global) symmetric action-minimizers are always collisionless (when they are not already bound to collisions). Furthermore, we prove some results which address the question of whether minimizers are planar or non-planar; as a consequence of our theory we will give general criteria for a symmetry group to yield planar or homographic minimizers (either homographic or not, as in the Chenciner-Montgomery eight solution). On the other hand we will provide a rigorous proof of the existence of some interesting one-parameter families of periodic and quasi-periodic non-planar orbits. These include the choreographic Marchal's P₁₂ family with equal masses – together with a less-symmetric choreographic family (which anyway probably coincides with the P₁₂ family).     

Symmetry Groups of the Planar Three-Body Problem and Action-Minimizing Trajectories

We consider periodic and quasi-periodic solutions of the three-body problem with homogeneous potential from the point of view of equivariant calculus of variations. First, we show that symmetry groups of the Lagrangian action functional can be reduced to groups in a finite explicitly given list, after a suitable change of coordinates. Then, we show that local symmetric minimizers are always collisionless, without any assumption on the group other than the fact that collisions are not forced by the group itself. Moreover, we describe some properties of the resulting symmetric collisionless minimizers (Lagrange, Euler, Hill-type orbits and Chenciner–Montgomery figure-eights).     

Threshold-based Quasi-static Brittle Damage Evolution

We introduce models for static and quasi-static damage in elastic materials, based on a strain threshold, and then investigate the relationship between these threshold models and the energy-based models introduced in Francfort and Marigo (Eur J Mech A Solids 12:149–189, 1993) and Francfort and Garroni (Ration Mech Anal 182(1):125–152, 2006). A somewhat surprising result is that, while classical solutions for the energy models are also threshold solutions, this is shown not to be the case for nonclassical solutions, that is, solutions with microstructure. A new and arguably more physical definition of solutions with microstructure for the energy-based model is then given, in which the energy minimality property is satisfied by sequences of sets that generate the effective elastic tensors, rather than by the tensors themselves. We prove existence for this energy-based problem, and show that these solutions are also threshold solutions. A by-product of this analysis is that all local minimizers, in both the classical setting and for the new microstructure definition, are also global minimizers.     

New simple exact penalty function for constrained minimization

By adding one variable to the equality-or inequality-constrained minimization problems, a new simple penalty function is proposed. It is proved to be exact in the sense that under mild assumptions, the local minimizers of this penalty function are precisely the local minimizers of the original problem, when the penalty parameter is sufficiently large.     

Projected Runge-Kutta methods for constrained Hamiltonian systems

Projected Runge-Kutta (R-K) methods for constrained Hamiltonian systems are proposed. Dynamic equations of the systems, which are index-3 differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) in the Heisenberg form, are established under the framework of Lagrangian multipliers. R-K methods combined with the technique of projections are then used to solve the DAEs. The basic idea of projections is to eliminate the constraint violations at the position, velocity, and acceleration levels, and to preserve the total energy of constrained Hamiltonian systems by correcting variables of the position, velocity, acceleration, and energy. Numerical results confirm the validity and show the high precision of the proposed method in preserving three levels of constraints and total energy compared with results reported in the literature.     

Local and Global Injective Solution of the Rotationally Symmetric Sphere Problem

There are problems in the classical linear theory of elasticity whose closed form solutions, while satisfying the governing equations of equilibrium together with well-posed boundary conditions, predict the existence of regions, often quite small, inside the body where material overlaps. Of course, material overlapping is not physically realistic, and one possible way to prevent it combines linear theory with the requirement that the deformation field be injective. A formulation of minimization problems in classical linear elasticity proposed by Fosdick and Royer [3] imposes this requirement through a Lagrange multiplier technique. An existence theorem for minimizers of plane problems is also presented. In general, however, it is not certain that such minimizers exist. Here, the Euler–Lagrange equations corresponding to a family of three-dimensional problems is investigated. In classical linear elasticity, these problems do not have bounded solutions inside a body of anisotropic material for a range of material parameters. For another range of parameters, bounded solutions do exist but yield stresses that are infinite at a point inside the body. In addition, these solutions are not injective in a region surrounding this point, yielding unrealistic behavior such as overlapping of material. Applying the formulation of Fosdick and Royer on this family of problems, it is shown that both the displacements and the constitutive part of the stresses are bounded for all values of the material parameters and that the injectivity constraint is preserved. In addition, a penalty functional formulation of the constrained elastic problems is proposed, which allows to devise a numerical approach to compute the solutions of these problems. The approach consists of finding the displacement field that minimizes an augmented potential energy functional. This augmented functional is composed of the potential energy of linear elasticity theory and of a penalty functional divided by a penalty parameter. A sequence of solutions is then constructed, parameterized by the penalty parameter, that converges to a function that satisfies the first variation conditions for a minimizer of the constrained minimization problem when this parameter tends to infinity. This approach has the advantages of being mathematically appealling and computationally simple to implement.     

Self-Contact for Rods on Cylinders

We study self-contact phenomena in elastic rods that are constrained to lie on a cylinder. By choosing a particular set of variables to describe the rod centerline the variational setting is made particularly simple: the strain energy is a second-order functional of a single scalar variable, and the self-contact constraint is written as an integral inequality. Using techniques from ordinary differential equation theory (comparison principles) and variational calculus (cut-and-paste arguments) we fully characterize the structure of constrained minimizers. An important auxiliary result states that the set of self-contact points is continuous, a result that contrasts with known examples from contact problems in free rods.     

约束层阻尼板动力学问题的半解析解

利用条形传递函数方法(SDTFM)得到了约束层阻尼(CLD)板动力学问题的半解析解.首先对CLD板沿纵向离散成多个条形单元,基于Hamilton原理推导出条形单元的刚度矩阵和质量矩阵,仿照有限元法组集得到系统的总刚度矩阵和总质量矩阵.经Laplace变换后引入状态向量,采用分布参数传递函数方法在状态空间内建立CLD板的控制方程并进行求解.最后以对边固支和悬臂CLD板为例,得到了板的动力学特性和频响曲线,并与NASTRAN或相关文献结果进行了比较,吻合良好,验证了该方法的有效性.从推导过程和算例可以看出,该方法所需的单元数目少,获得的是半解析解,计算效率高且准确可靠.     

Kronecker product and a new matrix form of Lagrangian equations with multipliers for constrained multibody systems

The automatic derivation of motion equations is an important problem of multibody system dynamics. Firstly, an overview of the matrix calculus related to Kronecker product of two matrices is presented. A new matrix form of Lagrangian equations with multipliers for constrained multibody systems is then developed to demonstrate the usefulness of Kronecker product of two matrices in the study of dynamics of multibody systems. Finally, the equations of motion of mechanisms are derived using the proposed matrix form of Lagrangian equations as application examples.     

二维拉氏辐射流体力学人为解构造方法

人为构造解方法是复杂多物理过程耦合程序正确性验证的重要方法之一,适用于二维拉氏大变形网格的流体、辐射耦合人为解模型较为少见。针对拉氏辐射流体力学程序正确性验证的需要,从二维拉氏辐射流体力学方程组出发,基于坐标变换技术,给出了拉氏空间到欧氏空间的物理变量导数关系式,开展了辐射流体耦合的人为解构造方法研究,构造了一类质量方程无源项的二维人为解模型,并应用于非结构拉氏程序LAD2D辐射流体力学计算的正确性考核,为流体运动网格上的辐射扩散计算提供了一种有效手段。数值结果显示观测到的数值模拟收敛阶与理论分析一致。