Boundary optimal control for nonlinear antiplane problems

We consider a nonlinear antiplane problem which models the deformation of an elastic cylindrical body in frictional contact with a rigid foundation. The contact is modelled with Tresca’s law of dry friction in which the friction bound is slip dependent.The aim of this article is to study an optimal control problem which consists of leading the stress tensor as close as possible to a given target, by acting with a control on the boundary of the body. The existence of at least one optimal control is proved. Next we introduce a regularized problem, depending on a small parameter ρ, and we study the convergence of the optimal controls when ρ tends to zero. An optimality condition is delivered for the regularized problem.     

Identification problem of two operators for nonlinear systems in Banach spaces

We consider the identification problem of two operators having different properties for the systems governed by nonlinear evolution equations. For the identification problem, we show the existence of optimal solutions and present necessary optimality conditions. We illustrate the approach on two examples.     

Variational approach and optimal control of a PEM fuel cell

The purpose of this paper is to propose and study a mathematical model and a boundary control problem associated to the miscible displacement of hydrogen through the porous anode of a PEM fuel cell. Throughout the paper, we study certain variational problems with a priori regularity properties of the weak solutions. We obtain the existence of less regular solutions and then we prove the desired regularity of these solutions. We consider a control problem that permits to determine the boundary distribution of the pressure which provides an optimal configuration for the temperature and for the concentration, as well. Since the solution of the problem is not unique, the control variable does not appear explicitly in the definition of our cost functional. To overcome this difficulty, we introduce a family of penalized control problems which approximates our boundary control problem. The necessary conditions of optimality are derived by passing to the limit in the penalized optimality conditions.     

A multigrid method for constrained optimal control problems

We consider the fast and efficient numerical solution of linear-quadratic optimal control problems with additional constraints on the control. Discretization of the first-order conditions leads to an indefinite linear system of saddle point type with additional complementarity conditions due to the control constraints. The complementarity conditions are treated by a primal-dual active set strategy that serves as outer iteration. At each iteration step, a KKT system has to be solved. Here, we develop a multigrid method for its fast solution. To this end, we use a smoother which is based on an inexact constraint preconditioner.We present numerical results which show that the proposed multigrid method possesses convergence rates of the same order as for the underlying (elliptic) PDE problem. Furthermore, when combined with a nested iteration, the solver is of optimal complexity and achieves the solution of the optimization problem at only a small multiple of the cost for the PDE solution.     

Analysis and approximation of optimal control problems for a simplified Ginzburg-Landau model of superconductivity

Summary. This paper is concerned with optimal control problems for a Ginzburg-Landau model of superconductivity that is valid for high values of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter and high external fields. The control is of Neumann type. We first show that optimal solutions exist. We then show that Lagrange multipliers may be used to enforce the constraints and derive an optimality system from which optimal states and controls may be deduced. Then we define finite element approximations of solutions for the optimality system and derive error estimates for the approximations. Finally, we report on some numerical results. Received May 3, 1994 / Revised version received November 28, 1995     

High-order discretization and multigrid solution of elliptic nonlinear constrained optimal control problems

High(-mixed)-order finite difference discretization of optimality systems arising from elliptic nonlinear constrained optimal control problems are discussed. For the solution of these systems, an efficient and robust multigrid algorithm is presented. Theoretical and experimental results show the advantages of higher-order discretization and demonstrate that the proposed multigrid scheme is able to solve efficiently constrained optimal control problems also in the limit case of bang-bang control.     

Optimal damping control and nonlinear parabolic systemes

An optimal control problem for a parabolic equation when the control parameter is the zero order coefficient of the differential operator is considered. An optimality system is derived. Under a certain sign condition, the problem is solved completely, by proving uniqueness and providing a constructive existence proof for the nonlinear parabolic optimality system.     

Optimal Control for the Degenerate Elliptic Logistic Equation

We consider the optimal control of harvesting the diffusive degenerate elliptic logistic equation. Under certain assumptions, we prove the existence and uniqueness of an optimal control. Moreover, the optimality system and a characterization of the optimal control are also derived. The sub-supersolution method, the singular eigenvalue problem and differentiability with respect to the positive cone are the techniques used to obtain our results.     

Optimal Control for the Degenerate Elliptic Logistic Equation

We consider the optimal control of harvesting the diffusive degenerate elliptic logistic equation. Under certain assumptions, we prove the existence and uniqueness of an optimal control. Moreover, the optimality system and a characterization of the optimal control are also derived. The sub-supersolution method, the singular eigenvalue problem and differentiability with respect to the positive cone are the techniques used to obtain our results.     

Solving optimal control problems for the unsteady Burgers equation in COMSOL Multiphysics

The optimal control of unsteady Burgers equation without constraints and with control constraints are solved using the high-level modelling and simulation package COMSOL Multiphysics. Using the first-order optimality conditions, projection and semi-smooth Newton methods are applied for solving the optimality system. The optimality system is solved numerically using the classical iterative approach by integrating the state equation forward in time and the adjoint equation backward in time using the gradient method and considering the optimality system in the space-time cylinder as an elliptic equation and solving it adaptively. The equivalence of the optimality system to the elliptic partial differential equation (PDE) is shown by transforming the Burgers equation by the Cole-Hopf transformation to a linear diffusion type equation. Numerical results obtained with adaptive and nonadaptive elliptic solvers of COMSOL Multiphysics are presented both for the unconstrained and the control constrained case.     

A posteriori error estimates for hp finite element solutions of convex optimal control problems

In this paper, we present a posteriori error analysis for hp finite element approximation of convex optimal control problems. We derive a new quasi-interpolation operator of Clément type and a new quasi-interpolation operator of Scott-Zhang type that preserves homogeneous boundary condition. The Scott-Zhang type quasi-interpolation is suitable for an application in bounding the errors in L²-norm. Then hp a posteriori error estimators are obtained for the coupled state and control approximations. Such estimators can be used to construct reliable adaptive finite elements for the control problems.     

Weak maximum principle and accessory problem for control problems on time scales

In this paper we derive the first and second variations for a nonlinear time scale optimal control problem with control and state-endpoints equality constraints. Using the first variation, a first order necessary condition for weak local optimality is obtained under the form of a weak maximum principle generalizing the Dubois–Reymond Lemma to the optimal control setting and time scales. A second order necessary condition in terms of the accessory problem is derived by using the nonnegativity of the second variation at all admissible directions. The control problem is studied under a controllability assumption, and with or without the shift in the state variable. These two forms of the problem are shown to be equivalent.     

A posteriori error estimates for mixed finite element solutions of convex optimal control problems

In this paper, we present an a posteriori error analysis for mixed finite element approximation of convex optimal control problems. We derive a posteriori error estimates for the coupled state and control approximations under some assumptions which hold in many applications. Such estimates can be used to construct reliable adaptive mixed finite elements for the control problems.     

Vertical slot fishways: Mathematical modeling and optimal management

Fishways are the main type of hydraulic devices currently used to facilitate migration of fish past obstructions (dams, waterfalls, rapids,…$\mathrm{rapids},\dots$) in rivers. In this paper we present a mathematical formulation of an optimal control problem related to the optimal management of a vertical slot fishway, where the state system is given by the shallow water equations, the control is the flux of inflow water, and the cost function reflects the need of rest areas for fish and of a water velocity suitable for fish leaping and swimming capabilities. We give a first-order optimality condition for characterizing the optimal solutions of this problem. From a numerical point of view, we use a characteristic-Galerkin method for solving the shallow water equations, and we use an optimization algorithm for the computation of the optimal control. Finally, we present numerical results obtained for the realistic case of a standard nine pools fishway.     

A Fokker–Planck control framework for multidimensional stochastic processes

An efficient framework for the optimal control of probability density functions (PDFs) of multidimensional stochastic processes is presented. This framework is based on the Fokker–Planck equation that governs the time evolution of the PDF of stochastic processes and on tracking objectives of terminal configuration of the desired PDF. The corresponding optimization problems are formulated as a sequence of open-loop optimality systems in a receding-horizon control strategy. Many theoretical results concerning the forward and the optimal control problem are provided. In particular, it is shown that under appropriate assumptions the open-loop bilinear control function is unique. The resulting optimality system is discretized by the Chang–Cooper scheme that guarantees positivity of the forward solution. The effectiveness of the proposed computational framework is validated with a stochastic Lotka–Volterra model and a noised limit cycle model.     

Recovery type superconvergence and a posteriori error estimates for control problems governed by Stokes equations

In this paper, we derive recovery type superconvergence analysis and a posteriori error estimates for the finite element approximation of the distributed optimal control governed by Stokes equations. We obtain superconvergence results and asymptotically exact a posteriori error estimates by applying two recovery methods, which are the patch recovery technique and the least-squares surface fitting method. Our results are based on some regularity assumption for the Stokes control problems and are applicable to the first order conforming finite element method with regular but nonuniform partitions.     

A posteriori error estimates for optimal control problems governed by parabolic equations

Summary. In this paper, we derive a posteriori error estimates for the finite element approximation of quadratic optimal control problem governed by linear parabolic equation. We obtain a posteriori error estimates for both the state and the control approximation. Such estimates, which are apparently not available in the literature, are an important step towards developing reliable adaptive finite element approximation schemes for the control problem. Received July 7, 2000 / Revised version received January 22, 2001 / Published online January 30, 2002 RID="*" ID="*" Supported by EPSRC research grant GR/R31980     

Mesh-independence of semismooth Newton methods for Lavrentiev-regularized state constrained nonlinear optimal control problems

A class of nonlinear elliptic optimal control problems with mixed control-state constraints arising, e.g., in Lavrentiev-type regularized state constrained optimal control is considered. Based on its first order necessary optimality conditions, a semismooth Newton method is proposed and its fast local convergence in function space as well as a mesh-independence principle for appropriate discretizations are proved. The paper ends by a numerical verification of the theoretical results including a study of the algorithm in the case of vanishing Lavrentiev-parameter. The latter process is realized numerically by a combination of a nested iteration concept and an extrapolation technique for the state with respect to the Lavrentiev-parameter.     

Minimax Control of Parabolic Systems with Dirichlet Boundary Conditions and State Constraints

In this paper we formulate and study a minimax control problem for a class of parabolic systems with controlled Dirichlet boundary conditions and uncertain distributed perturbations under pointwise control and state constraints. We prove an existence theorem for minimax solutions and develop effective penalized procedures to approximate state constraints. Based on a careful variational analysis, we establish convergence results and optimality conditions for approximating problems that allow us to characterize suboptimal solutions to the original minimax problem with hard constraints. Then passing to the limit in approximations, we prove necessary optimality conditions for the minimax problem considered under proper constraint qualification conditions. Accepted 7 June 1996     

Second-Order Necessary Optimality Conditions for Some State-Constrained Control Problems of Semilinear Elliptic Equations

In this paper we are concerned with some optimal control problems governed by semilinear elliptic equations. The case of a boundary control is studied. We consider pointwise constraints on the control and a finite number of equality and inequality constraints on the state. The goal is to derive first- and second-order optimality conditions satisfied by locally optimal solutions of the problem. Accepted 6 May 1997