Optimal control of random evolutions

We consider a stochastic control problem for a random evolution. We study the Bellman equation of the problem and we prove the existence of an optimal stochastic control which is Markovian. This problem enables us to approximate the general problem of the optimal control of solutions of stochastic differential equations.     

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.     

Interval optimal control problem in a Hilbert space

An optimal control problem for a system involving an interval parameter is considered. The concepts of a universal optimal state and a universal optimal control are introduced. The existence and uniqueness of a universal solution to the interval optimal control problem is proved, and an algorithm for its determination is presented. The interval optimal control problem for a system described by the boundary value problem for a second-order ordinary differential equation is solved as an example.     

Optimal control of continuity equations

An optimal control problem for the continuity equation is considered. The aim of a “controller” is to maximize the total mass within a target set at a given time moment. The existence of optimal controls is established. For a particular case of the problem, where an initial distribution is absolutely continuous with smooth density and the target set has certain regularity properties, a necessary optimality condition is derived. It is shown that for the general problem one may construct a perturbed problem that satisfies all the assumptions of the necessary optimality condition, and any optimal control for the perturbed problem, is nearly optimal for the original one.     

A class of optimal state-delay control problems

We consider a general nonlinear time-delay system with state-delays as control variables. The problem of determining optimal values for the state-delays to minimize overall system cost is a non-standard optimal control problem–called an optimal state-delay control problem–that cannot be solved using existing optimal control techniques. We show that this optimal control problem can be formulated as a nonlinear programming problem in which the cost function is an implicit function of the decision variables. We then develop an efficient numerical method for determining the cost function’s gradient. This method, which involves integrating an auxiliary impulsive system backwards in time, can be combined with any standard gradient-based optimization method to solve the optimal state-delay control problem effectively. We conclude the paper by discussing applications of our approach to parameter identification and delayed feedback control.     

A semidefinite programming approach for solving fractional optimal control problems

This paper presents a numerical scheme for solving fractional optimal control. The fractional derivative in this problem is in the Riemann–Liouville sense. The proposed method, based upon the method of moments, converts the fractional optimal control problem to a semidefinite optimization problem; namely, the nonlinear optimal control problem is converted to a convex optimization problem. The Grunwald–Letnikov formula is also used as an approximation for fractional derivative. The solution of fractional optimal control problem is found by solving the semidefinite optimization problem. Finally, numerical examples are presented to show the performance of the method.     

Invariant imbedding and optimal control theory

A method for directly converting an optimal control problem to a Cauchy problem is presented. No use is made of the Euler equations, Pontryagin's maximum principle, or dynamic programming in the derivation. The initial-value problem, in addition to being desirable from the computational point of view, possesses stable characteristics. The results are directly applicable in the study of guidance and control and are particularly useful for obtaining numerical solutions to control problems.     

Optimal control of a two-dimensional contact problem

We consider a frictionless contact problem with unilateral constraints for a 2D bar. We describe the problem, then we derive its weak formulation, which is in the form of an elliptic variational inequality of the first kind. Next, we establish the existence of a unique weak solution to the problem and prove its continuous dependence with respect to the applied tractions and constraints. We proceed with the study of an associated control problem for which we prove the existence of an optimal pair. Finally, we consider a perturbed optimal control problem for which we prove a convergence result.     

Optimal control problems in hybrid systems with active singularities

The optimal control problem for systems with controlled unilateral phase constraints is considered. The definition of the generalized solutions is introduced, the transformation method for the original optimal control problem within the class of generalized solution to a standard optimal control problem is proposed, and the necessary optimality conditions are found.     

Optimal control for a parabolic problem in a domain with highly oscillating boundary

In this article we study the homogenization of an optimal control problem for a parabolic equation in a domain with highly oscillating boundary. We identify the limit problem, which is an optimal control problem for the homogenized equation and with a different cost functional.     

Mordukhovich subgradients of the value function to a parametric discrete optimal control problem

This paper is devoted to the study of the first-order behavior of the value function of a parametric discrete optimal control problem with nonconvex cost functions and control constraints. By establishing an abstract result on the Mordukhovich subdifferential of the value function of a parametric mathematical programming problem, we derive a formula for computing the Mordukhovich subdifferential of the value function to a parametric discrete optimal control problem.     

A numerical method for an optimal control problem with minimum sensitivity on coefficient variation

In this paper, we consider a class of optimal control problem involving an impulsive systems in which some of its coefficients are subject to variation. We formulate this optimal control problem as a two-stage optimal control problem. We first formulate the optimal impulsive control problem with all its coefficients assigned to their nominal values. This becomes a standard optimal impulsive control problem and it can be solved by many existing optimal control computational techniques, such as the control parameterizations technique used in conjunction with the time scaling transform. The optimal control software package, MISER 3.3, is applicable. Then, we formulate the second optimal impulsive control problem, where the sensitivity of the variation of coefficients is minimized subject to an additional constraint indicating the allowable reduction in the optimal cost. The gradient formulae of the cost functional for the second optimal control problem are obtained. On this basis, a gradient-based computational method is established, and the optimal control software, MISER 3.3, can be applied. For illustration, two numerical examples are solved by using the proposed method.     

Optimal control of a bioreactor

This paper is concerned with the analysis of a control problem related to the optimal management of a bioreactor. This real-world problem is formulated as a state-control constrained optimal control problem. We analyze the state system (a complex system of partial differential equations modelling the eutrophication processes for non-smooth velocities), and we prove that the control problem admits, at least, a solution. Finally, we present a detailed derivation of a first order optimality condition - involving a suitable adjoint system - in order to characterize these optimal solutions, and some computational results.     

Choosing a cost functional and a difference scheme in the optimal control of metal solidification

The optimal control of solidification in metal casting is considered. The underlying mathematical model is based on a three-dimensional two-phase initial-boundary value problem of the Stefan type. The study is focused on choosing a cost functional in the optimal control of solidification and choosing a difference scheme for solving the direct problem. The results of the study are described and analyzed.     

Suboptimal control using a second-order parameter-optimization method

The optimal control problem is reduced to a suboptimal control problem by assuming the control histories to have particular functional forms involving a number of undetermined constants (Raleigh-Ritz method). A second-order parameter optimization method is discussed and applied to the suboptimal control problem. Also, it is shown that this approach can be used to obtain approximate Lagrange multiplier distributions for optimal control problems.     

Analysis of a multistate control problem related to food technology

This paper is concerned with an optimal control problem related to the determination of an optimal profile for the steam temperature into the autoclave along the processing of canned foods. The problem studies a system coupling the evolution Navier-Stokes equations with the heat transfer equation by natural convection (the so-called Boussinesq equations), and with the microorganisms removal equation. The essential difficulties in the study of this multistate control problem arise from the lack of uniqueness for the solution of the state system. Here we obtain—after a careful analysis of the problem mathematical formulation—the uniqueness of part of the state, and the existence of optimal solutions.     

Strong controllability and optimal control of the heat equation with a thermal source

In this paper we consider an optimal control system described byn-dimensional heat equation with a thermal source. Thus problem is to find an optimal control which puts the system in a finite time T, into a stationary regime and to minimize a general objective function. Here we assume there is no constraints on control. This problem is reduced to a moment problem.We modify the moment problem into one consisting of the minimization of a positive linear functional over a set of Radon measures and we show that there is an optimal measure corresponding to the optimal control. The above optimal measure approximated by a finite combination of atomic measures. This construction gives rise to a finite dimensional linear programming problem, where its solution can be used to determine the optimal combination of atomic measures. Then by using the solution of the above linear programming problem we find a piecewise-constant optimal control function which is an approximate control for the original optimal control problem. Finally we obtain piecewise-constant optimal control for two examples of heat equations with a thermal source in one-dimensional.     

Stochastic optimal time-delay control of quasi-integrable Hamiltonian systems

A nonlinear stochastic optimal time-delay control strategy for quasi-integrable Hamiltonian systems is proposed. First, a stochastic optimal control problem of quasi-integrable Hamiltonian system with time-delay in feedback control subjected to Gaussian white noise is formulated. Then, the time-delayed feedback control forces are approximated by the control forces without time-delay and the original problem is converted into a stochastic optimal control problem without time-delay. After that, the converted stochastic optimal control problem is solved by applying the stochastic averaging method and the stochastic dynamical programming principle. As an example, the stochastic time-delay optimal control of two coupled van der Pol oscillators under stochastic excitation is worked out in detail to illustrate the procedure and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.     

Optimal control of solutions of the Showalter-Sidorov-Dirichlet problem for the Boussinesq-Love equation

An optimal control problem for a second-order Sobolev type equation with a relatively polynomially bounded operator pencil is considered. We prove the existence and uniqueness of a strong solution of the Showalter-Sidorov problem for this equation. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of an optimal control of such solutions are obtained. We study the Showalter-Sidorov-Dirichlet problem for the Boussinesq-Love equation.     

Optimal Control Problem Governed by Semilinear Parabolic Equation and its Algorithm

In this paper, an optimal control problem governed by semilinear parabolic equation which involves the control variable acting on forcing term and coefficients appearing in the higher order derivative terms is formulated and analyzed. The strong variation method, due originally to Mayne et al to solve the optimal control problem of a lumped parameter system, is extended to solve an optimal control problem governed by semilinear parabolic equation, a necessary condition is obtained, the strong variation algorithm for this optimal control problem is presented, and the corresponding convergence result of the algorithm is verified.