Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Edoardo Mainini

Publications and source records attributed to Edoardo Mainini.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Equilibrium for multiphase solids with Eulerian interfaces

We describe a general phase-field model for hyperelastic multiphase materials. The model features an elastic energy functional that depends on the phase-field variable and a surface energy term that depends in turn on the elastic deformation, as it measures interfaces in the deformed configuration. We prove the existence of energy minimizing equilibrium states and $Γ$-convergence of diffuse-interface approximations to the sharp-interface limit.

math.AP↗

Maximal fluctuations around the Wulff shape for edge-isoperimetric sets in ${\mathbb Z^d}$: a sharp scaling law

We derive a sharp scaling law for deviations of edge-isoperimetric sets in the lattice $\mathbb Z^d$ from the limiting Wulff shape in arbitrary dimensions. As the number $n$ of elements diverges, we prove that the symmetric difference to the corresponding Wulff set consists of at most $O(n^{(d-1+2^{1-d})/d})$ lattice points and that the exponent $(d-1+2^{1-d})/d$ is optimal. This extends the previously found `$n^{3/4}$ laws' for $d=2,3$ to general dimensions. As a consequence we obtain optimal estimates on the rate of convergence to the limiting Wulff shape as $n$ diverges.

math-ph↗

Euler's optimal profile problem

We study an old variational problem formulated by Euler as Proposition 53 of his `Scientia Navalis' by means of the direct method of the calculus of variations. Precisely, through relaxation arguments, we prove the existence of minimizers. We fully investigate the analytical structure of the minimizers in dependence of the geometric parameters and we identify the ranges of uniqueness and non-uniqueness.

math.OC↗

Atomistic potentials and the Cauchy-Born rule for carbon nanotubes: a review

Carbon nanotubes are modeled as point particle configurations in the framework of Molecular Mechanics, where interactions are described by means of short range attractive-repulsive potentials. The identification of local energy minimizers yields a variational description for the stability of rolled-up hexagonal-lattice structures. Optimality of periodic configurations is preserved under moderate tension, hence justifying the elastic behavior of carbon nanotubes in the axial traction regime.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

On uniform continuity of posterior distributions

In the setting of dominated statistical models, we provide conditions yielding strong continuity of the posterior distribution with respect to the observed data. We show some applications, with special focus on exponential models.

math.ST↗

Characterization of optimal carbon nanotubes under stretching and validation of the Cauchy-Born rule

Carbon nanotubes are modeled as point configurations and investigated by minimizing configurational energies including two-and three-body interactions. Optimal configurations are identified with local minima and their fine geometry is fully characterized in terms of lower-dimensional problems. Under moderate tension, we prove the existence of periodic local minimizers, which indeed validates the so-called Cauchy-Born rule in this setting.

math.AP↗

$N^{3/4}$ law in the cubic lattice

We investigate the Edge-Isoperimetric Problem (EIP) for sets with $n$ elements of the cubic lattice by emphasizing its relation with the emergence of the Wulff shape in the crystallization problem. Minimizers $M_n$ of the edge perimeter are shown to deviate from a corresponding cubic Wulff configuration with respect to their symmetric difference by at most $ {\rm O}(n^{3/4})$ elements. The exponent $3/4$ is optimal. This extends to the cubic lattice analogous results that have already been established for the triangular, the hexagonal, and the square lattice in two space dimensions.

math-ph↗

A phase-field approach to Eulerian interfacial energies

We analyze a phase-field approximation of a sharp-interface model for two- phase materials proposed by M. Silhavy [32, 33]. The distinguishing trait of the model resides in the fact that the interfacial term is Eulerian in nature, for it is defined on the deformed configuration. We discuss a functional frame allowing for existence of phase- field minimizers and Γ-convergence to the sharp-interface limit. As a by-product, we provide additional detail on the admissible sharp-interface configurations with respect to the analysis in [32, 33].

math-ph↗

A gradient flow approach to the porous medium equation with fractional pressure

We consider a family of fractional porous media equations, recently studied by Caffarelli and Vázquez. We show the construction of a weak solution as Wasserstein gradient flow of a square fractional Sobolev norm. Energy dissipation inequality, regularizing effect and decay estimates for the $L^p$ norms are established. Moreover, we show that a classical porous medium equation can be obtained as a limit case.

math.AP↗

The minimal resistance problem in a class of non convex bodies

We characterize the solution to the Newton minimal resistance problem in a class of radial q-concave profiles. We also give the corresponding result for one-dimensional profiles. Moreover, we provide a numerical optimization algorithm for the general nonradial case.

math.OC↗

Ground States in the Diffusion-Dominated Regime

We consider macroscopic descriptions of particles where repulsion is modelled by non-linear power-law diffusion and attraction by a homogeneous singular kernel leading to variants of the Keller-Segel model of chemotaxis. We analyse the regime in which diffusive forces are stronger than attraction between particles, known as the diffusion-dominated regime, and show that all stationary states of the system are radially symmetric decreasing and compactly supported. The model can be formulated as a gradient flow of a free energy functional for which the overall convexity properties are not known. We show that global minimisers of the free energy always exist. Further, they are radially symmetric, compactly supported, uniformly bounded and $C^\infty$ inside their support. Global minimisers enjoy certain regularity properties if the diffusion is not too slow, and in this case, provide stationary states of the system. In one dimension, stationary states are characterised as optimisers of a functional inequality which establishes equivalence between global minimisers and stationary states, and allows to deduce uniqueness.

math.AP↗

Stationary configurations for the average distance functional and related problems

For a functional defined on the class of closed one-dimensional connected subsets of ${\mathbb R}^n$ we consider the corresponding minimization problem and we give suitable first order necessary conditions of optimality. The cases studied here are the average distance functional arising in the mass transportation theory, and the energy related to an elliptic PDE.

math.OC↗

Gradient flows for non-smooth interaction potentials

We deal with a nonlocal interaction equation describing the evolution of a particle density under the effect of a general symmetric pairwise interaction potential, not necessarily in convolution form. We describe the case of a convex (or λ-convex) potential, possibly not smooth at several points, generalizing the results of [CDFLS]. We also identify the cases in which the dynamic is still governed by the continuity equation with well-characterized nonlocal velocity field. Reference: [CDFLS] J. A. Carrillo, M. Di Francesco, A. Figalli, T. Laurent, D. Slepcev, Global-in-time weak measure solutions and finite-time aggregation for nonlocal interaction equations, Duke Math. J. 156 (2011), 229--271.

math.AP↗