Two-level primal–dual proximal decomposition technique to solve large scale optimization problems

We describe a primal–dual application of the proximal point algorithm to nonconvex minimization problems. Motivated by the work of Spingarn and more recently by the work of Hamdi et al. about the primal resource-directive decomposition scheme to solve nonlinear separable problems. This paper discusses some local results of a primal–dual regularization approach that leads to a decomposition algorithm.     

A New Higher Order Shear Deformation Model for Static Behavior of Functionally Graded Plates

In this paper, a new displacement based high-order shear deformation theory is introduced for the static response of functionally graded plate. Unlike any other theory, the number of unknown functions involved is only four, as against five in case of other shear deformation theories. The theory presented is variationally consistent, has strong similarity with classical plate theory in many aspects, does not require shear correction factor, and gives rise to transverse shear stress variation such that the transverse shear stresses vary parabolically across the thickness satisfying shear stress free surface conditions. The mechanical properties of the plate are assumed to vary continuously in the thickness direction by a simple power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. Numerical illustrations concerned flexural behavior of FG plates with Metal-Ceramic composition. Parametric studies are performed for varying ceramic volume fraction, volume fraction profiles, aspect ratios and length to thickness ratios. The validity of the present theory is investigated by comparing some of the present results with those of the classical, the first-order and the other higher-order theories. It can be concluded that the proposed theory is accurate and simple in solving the static behavior of functionally graded plates.     

Reconstruction approximating method by biquadratic splines of offset surfaces holes

Journal of Mathematical Chemistry - Standard Offset surfaces are defined as locus of the points which are at constant distance along the unit normal direction from the generator surfaces. Offset...     

An approximation problem of noisy data by cubic and bicubic splines

Smoothing of noisy data has always been a topic of interest in many areas where computer simulations have been performed, including natural sciences as well as economics and social sciences. In this paper we present an approximation method of explicit curves or surfaces from exact and noisy data by fairness cubic or bicubic splines. A variational problem of explicit curves or surfaces is obtained by minimizing a quadratic functional in a space of cubic or bicubic splines from noisy data. We show the existence and uniqueness of this problem as long as a convergence result especially for noisy data is carefully established. We analyze some numerical and graphical examples using fictional noisy data in order to prove the validity of our method.     

Two new refined shear displacement models for functionally graded sandwich plates

Two refined displacement models, RSDT1 and RSDT2, are developed for a bending analysis of functionally graded sandwich plates. Unlike any other theory, the number of unknown functions involved is only four, as against five in case of other shear deformation theories. The developed models are variationally consistent, have strong similarity with classical plate theory in many aspects, do not require shear correction factor, and give rise to transverse shear stress variation such that the transverse shear stresses vary parabolically across the thickness satisfying shear stress-free surface conditions. The accuracy of the analysis presented is demonstrated by comparing the results with solutions derived from other higher-order models. The functionally graded layers are assumed to have isotropic, two-constituent material distribution through the thickness, and the modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio of the faces, and thermal expansion coefficients are assumed to vary according to a power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The core layer is still homogeneous and made of an isotropic ceramic material. Numerical results for deflections and stresses of functionally graded metal–ceramic plates are investigated. It can be concluded that the proposed models are accurate and simple in solving the bending behavior of functionally graded plates.     

On some nonlinear elliptic problems for p–Laplacian in \mathbb {R}^N

In this paper, we consider a nonlinear elliptic problem involving the p-Laplacian with perturbation terms in the whole . Via variational arguments, we obtain existence and regularity of nontrivial solutions. The research of the first and second authors is supported by grant num, #28/12 from the Al-Imam University, Riyadh, KSA.     

Production of liquid bio-fuel from catalytic de-oxygenation: Pyrolysis of beech wood and flax shives

This study presents a detailed analysis of the catalytic de-oxygenation of the liquid and gaseous pyrolytic products of two biomasses (beech wood and flax shives) using different catalysts (commercial HZSM-5 and H-Y,and lab-synthesised Fe-HZSM-5,Fe-H-Y,Pt/Al2O3 and CoMo/Al2O3). The experiments were all conducted in a semi-batch reactor under the same operating conditions for all feed materials. BET specific surface area,BJH pore size distribution and FT-IR technologies have been used to characterise the catalysts,while gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS),flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) and thermal conductivity detection (GC-TCD) were used to examine the liquid and gaseous pyrolytic products. It was firstly seen that at higher catalyst-to-biomass ratios of 4∶1,de-oxygenation efficiency did not experience any further significant improvement. FeHZSM-5 was deemed to be the most efficient of the catalysts utilised as it helped reach the lowest oxygen contents in the bio-oils samples and the second best was HZSM-5. It was also found that HZSM-5 and H-Y tended to privilege the decarbonylation route(production of CO),whilst their iron-modified counterparts favoured the decarboxylation one (production of CO2) for both biomasses studied. It was then seen that the major bio-oil components (carboxylic acids) underwent almost complete conversion under catalytic treatment to produce mostly unoxygenated aromatic compounds,phenols and gases like CO and CO2. Finally,phenols were seen to be the family most significantly formed from the actions of all catalysts.     

A re-scaled twin augmented Lagrangian algorithm for saddle point seeking

In [A. Ouorou, A primal-dual algorithm for monotropic programming and its application to network optimization, Computational Optimization and Application 15 (2002) 125–143], a block-wise Gauss–Seidel method has been developed for monotropic programming problems, using two different quadratic augmented Lagrangian functions defined for the primal and the dual problems. In this paper, we extend the concept by introducing a nonlinear re-scaling principle obtained recently by Polyak [R. Polyak, Nonlinear rescaling vs smoothing technique in constrained optimization, Mathematical Programming 92 (2002) 197–235].     

应用4变量精确平板理论分析FG复合板的自由振动

应用4变量的精确平板理论,对矩形功能梯度材料(FGM)复合板进行自由振动分析.与其它的理论不同,该理论的未知函数数量只有4个,而别的剪变形理论的未知函数为5个.提出的4变量精确平板理论,协调条件有了改变,与经典的薄板理论相比,许多方面有着惊人的相似,无需引入剪切修正因数——当横向剪应力越过板厚后,为了满足剪应力自由表面条件,出现抛物线状的改变,导致横向剪应力的变化.考虑了两种常见类型的FGM复合板,即,FGM表面层和各向同性夹芯层的复合板,以及各向同性表面层和FGM夹芯层的复合板.通过Hamilton原理,得到了FGM复合板的运动方程.得到闭式的Navier解,然后求解特征值问题,得到自由振动的基本频率.将该理论得到的结果,与经典理论,一阶的及其它更高阶的理论所得到的结果进行比较,检验了该理论的有效性.研究发现,该理论在求解FGM复合板自由振动性能方面,既精确又简单.     

On the Spectrum of a Class of Strongly Coupled p-Laplacian Systems

Consider the nonlinear coupled elliptic system