arXiv subjects

Mircea Sofonea

Publications and source records attributed to Mircea Sofonea.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Sensitivity analysis of a Signorini-type history-dependent variational inequality

We consider a history-dependent variational inequality (P) which models the frictionless contact between a viscoelastic body and a rigid obstacle covered by a layer of soft material. The inequality is expressed in terms of the displacement field, is governed by the data f (related to the applied body forces and surface tractions) and, under appropriate assumptions, it has a unique solution, denoted by u. Our aim in this paper is to perform a sensitivity analysis of the inequality (P), including the study of the regularity of the solution operator $f \mapsto u$. To this end, we start by proving the equivalence of (P) with a fixed point problem, denoted by (Q). We then consider an associated optimal control problem, for which we present an existence result. Then, we prove the directional differentiability of the solution operator and show that the directional derivative is characterized by a history-dependent variational inequality with time-dependent constraints. Finally, we prove two well-posedness results in the study of problems (P) and (Q), respectively, and compare the two well-posedness concepts employed.

math.AP↗

arXiv2024

A new penalty method for elliptic quasivariational inequalities

We consider a class of elliptic quasivariational inequalities in a reflexive Banach space $X$ for which we recall a convergence criterion obtained in [10]. Each inequality $\cal P$ in the class is governed by a set of constraints $K$ and has a unique solution $u\in K$. The criterion provides necessary and sufficient conditions which guarantee that an arbitrary sequence $\{u_n\}\subset X$ converges to the solution $u$. Then, we consider a sequence $\{\cal P_n\}$ of unconstrained variational-hemivariational inequalities governed by a sequence of parameters $\{\lambda_n\}\subset\mathbb{R}_+$. We use our criterion to deduce that, if for each $n\in\mathbb{N}$ the term $u_n$ represents a solution of Problem $\cal P_n$, then the sequence $\{u_n\}$ converges to $u$ as $\lambda_n\to 0$. We apply our abstract results in the study of an elastic frictional contact problem with unilateral constraints and provide the corresponding mechanical interpretations. We also present numerical simulation in the study of a two-dimensional example which represents an evidence of our convergence results.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

A Convergence Criterion for Elliptic Variational Inequalities

We consider an elliptic variational inequality with unilateral constraints in a Hilbert space $X$ which, under appropriate assumptions on the data, has a unique solution $u$. We formulate a convergence criterion to the solution $u$, i.e., we provide necessary and sufficient conditions on a sequence $\{u_n\}\subset X$ which guarantee the convergence $u_n\to u$ in the space $X$. Then, we illustrate the use of this criterion to recover well-known convergence results and well-posedness results in the sense of Tykhonov and Levitin-Polyak. We also provide two applications of our results, in the study of a heat transfer problem and an elastic frictionless contact problem, respectively.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

Duality Arguments in the Analysis of a Viscoelastic Contact Problem

We consider a mathematical model which describes the quasistatic frictionless contact of a viscoelastic body with a rigid-plastic foundation. We describe the mechanical assumptions, list the hypotheses on the data and provide three different variational formulations of the model in which the unknowns are the displacement field, the stress field and the strain field, respectively. These formulations have a different structure. Nevertheless, we prove that they are pairwise dual of each other. Then, we deduce the unique weak solvability of the contact problem as well as the Lipschitz continuity of its weak solution with respect to the data. The proofs are based on recent results on history-dependent variational inequalities and inclusions. Finally, we present numerical simulations in the study of the contact problem, together with the corresponding mechanical interpretations.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

Modelling, Analysis and Numerical Simulation of a Spring-Rods System with Unilateral Constraints

In this paper we consider a mathematical model which describes the equilibrium of two elastic rods attached to a nonlinear spring. We derive the variational formulation of the model which is in the form of an elliptic quasivariational inequality for the displacement field. We prove the unique weak solvability of the problem, then we state and prove some convergence results, for which we provide the corresponding mechanical interpretation. Next, we turn to the numerical approximation of the problem based on a finite element scheme. We use a relaxation method to solve the discrete problems that we implement on the computer. Using this method, we provide numerical simulations which validate our convergence results.

math.NA↗

arXiv2021

Tykhonov Well-posedness of a Heat Transfer Problem with Unilateral Constraints

We consider an elliptic boundary value problem with unilateral constraints and subdifferential boundary conditions. The problem describes the heat transfer in a domain $D\subset\R^d$ and its weak formulation is in the form of a hemivariational inequality for the temperature field, denoted by $\cP$. We associate to Problem $\cP$ an optimal control problem, denoted by $\cQ$. Then, using appropriate Tykhonov triples, governed by a nonlinear operator $G$ and a convex $\wK$, we provide results concerning the well-posedness of problems $\cP$ and $\cQ$. Our main results are Theorems 14 and 18, together with their corollaries. Their proofs are based on arguments of compactness, lower semicontinuity and pseudomonotonicity. Moreover, we consider three relevant perturbations of the heat transfer boundary valued problem which lead to penalty versions of Problem $\cP$, constructed with particular choices of $G$ and $\wK$. We prove that Theorems 14 and 18 as well as their corollaries can be applied in the study of these problems, in order to obtain various convergence results.

math.AP↗

arXiv2020

Optimal control of differential quasivariational inequalities with applications in contact mechanics

We consider a differential quasivariational inequality for which we state and prove the continuous dependence of the solution with respect to the data. This convergence result allows us to prove the existence of at least one optimal pair for an associated control problem. Finally, we illustrate our abstract results in the study of a free boundary problem which describes the equilibrium of a viscoelastic body in frictionless contact with a foundation made of a rigid body coveblack by a rigid-elastic layer.

math.AP↗

arXiv2020

On the Tykhonov Well-posedness of an Antiplane Shear Problem

We consider a boundary value problem which describes the frictional antiplane shear of an elastic body. The process is static and friction is modeled with a slip-dependent version of Coulomb's law of dry friction. The weak formulation of the problem is in the form of a quasivariational inequality for the displacement field, denoted by $\cP$. We associated to problem $\cP$ a boundary optimal control problem, denoted by $\cQ$. For Problem $\cP$ we introduce the concept of well-posedness and for Problem $\cQ$ we introduce the concept of weakly and weakly generalized well-posedness, both associated to appropriate Tykhonov triples. Our main result are Theorems \ref{t1} and \ref{t2}. Theorem \ref{t1} provides the well-posedness of Problem $\cP$ and, as a consequence, the continuous dependence of the solution with respect to the data. Theorem \ref{t2} provides the weakly generalized well-posedness of Problem $\cQ$ and, under additional hypothesis, its weakly well posedness. The proofs of these theorems are based on arguments of compactness, lower semicontinuity, monotonicity and various estimates. Moreover, we provide the mechanical interpretation of our well-posedness results.

math.AP↗

arXiv2020

Convergence Results for Optimal Control Problems Governed by Elliptic Quasivariational Inequalities

We consider an optimal control problem $\cQ$ governed by an elliptic quasivariational inequality with unilateral constraints. The existence of optimal pairs of the problem is a well known result, see \cite{SS}, for instance. We associate to $\cQ$ a new optimal control problem $\wQ$, obtained by perturbing the state inequality (including the set of constraints and the nonlinear operator) and the cost functional, as well. Then, we provide sufficient conditions which guarantee the convergence of solutions of Problem $\wQ$ to a solution of Problem $\cQ$. The proofs are based on convergence results for elliptic quasivariational inequalities, obtained by using arguments of compactness, lower semicontinuity, monotonicity, penalty and various estimates. Finally, we illustrate the use of the abstract convergence results in the study of optimal control associated with two boundary value problems. The first one describes the equilibrium of an elastic body in frictional contact with an obstacle, the so-called foundation. The process is static and the contact is modeled with normal compliance and unilateral constraint, associated to a version of Coulomb's law of dry friction. The second one describes a stationary heat transfer problem with unilateral constraints. For the two problems we prove existence, uniqueness and convergence results together with the corresponding physical interpretation.

math.OC↗

arXiv2019

Tykhonov Well-posedness of Elliptic Variational-Hemivariational Inequalities

We consider a class of elliptic variational-hemivaria\-tional inequalities in a abstract Banach space for which we introduce the concept of well-posedness in the sense of Tykhonov. We characterize the well-posedness in terms of metric properties of a family of associated sets. Our results, which provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the well-posedness of inequalities under consideration, are valid under mild assumptions on the data. Their proofs are based on arguments of monotonicity, lower semicontinuity and properties of the Clarke directional derivative. For well-posed inequalities we also prove a continuous dependence result of the solution with respect to the data. We illustrate our abstract results in the study of one-dimensional examples, then we focus on some relevant particular cases, including variational-hemivariational inequalities with strongly monotone operators. Finally, we consider a model variational-hemivariational inequality which arises in Contact Mechanics for which we discuss its well-posedness and provide the corresponding mechanical interpretations.

math.AP↗

arXiv2019

Convergence and Optimization Results for a History-dependent Variational Problem

We consider a mixed variational problem in real Hilbert spaces, defined on on the unbounded interval of time and governed by a history-dependent operator. We state the unique solvability of the problem, which follows from a general existence and uniqueness result obtained in our previous paper. Then, we state and prove a general convergence result. The proof is based on arguments of monotonicity, compactness, lower semicontinuity and Mosco convergence. Finally, we consider a general optimization problem for which we prove the existence of minimizers. The mathematical tools developed in this paper are useful in the analysis of a large class of nonlinear boundary value problems which, in a weak formulation, lead to history-dependent mixed variational problems. To provide an example, we illustrate our abstract results in the study of a frictional contact problem for viscoelastic materials with long memory.

math.AP↗

arXiv2019

On the Optimal Control of Variational-Hemivariational Inequalities

The present paper represents a continuation of our previous one. There, a continuous dependence result for the solution of an elliptic variational-hemivariational inequality was obtained and then used to prove the existence of optimal pairs for two associated optimal control problems. In the current paper we complete this study with more general results. Indeed, we prove the continuous dependence of the solution with respect to a parameter which appears in all the data of the problem, including the set of constraints, the nonlinear operator and the two functionals which govern the variational-hemivariational inequality. This allows us to consider a general associated optimal control problem for which we prove the existence of optimal pairs, together with a new convergence result. The mathematical tools developed in this paper are useful in the analysis and control of a large class of boundary value problems which, in a weak formulation, lead to elliptic variational-hemivariational inequalities. To provide an example, we illustrate our results in the study of an inequality which describes the equilibrium of an elastic body in frictional contact with a foundation made of a rigid body covered by a layer of soft material.

math.AP↗

arXiv2019

Convergence Analysis of Penalty Based Numerical Methods for Constrained Inequality Problems

This paper presents a general convergence theory of penalty based numerical methods for elliptic constrained inequality problems, including variational inequalities, hemivariational inequalities, and variational-hemivariational inequalities. The constraint is relaxed by a penalty formulation and is re-stored as the penalty parameter tends to zero. The main theoretical result of the paper is the convergence of the penalty based numerical solutions to the solution of the constrained inequality problem as the mesh-size and the penalty parameter approach zero simultaneously but independently. The convergence of the penalty based numerical methods is first established for a general elliptic variational-hemivariational inequality with constraints, and then for hemivariational inequalities and variational inequalities as special cases. Applications to problems in contact mechanics are described.

math.NA↗

arXiv2019

Solvability and optimization for a class of mixed variational problems

We consider an abstract mixed variational problem governed by a nonlinear operator $A$ and a bifunctional $J$, in a real reflexive Banach space $X$. The operator $A$ is assumed to be continuous, Lipschitz continuous on each bounded subset of $X,$ and generalized monotone. First, we pay attention to the unique solvability of the problem. Next, we prove a continuous dependence result of the solution with respect to the data. Based on this result we prove the existence of at least one solution for an associated optimization problem. Finally, we apply our abstract results to the well-posedness and the optimization of an antiplane frictional contact model for nonlinearly elastic materials of Hencky-type.

math.OC↗

arXiv2019

Time-dependent Inclusions and Sweeping Processes in Contact Mechanics

We consider a class of time-dependent inclusions in Hilbert spaces for which we state and prove an existence and uniqueness result. The proof is based on arguments of variational inequalities, convex analysis and fixed point theory. Then we use this result to prove the unique weak solvability of a new class of Moreau's sweeping processes with constraints in velocity. Our results are useful in the study of mathematical models which describe the quasistatic evolution of deformable bodies in contact with an obstacle. To provide some examples we consider three viscoelastic contact problems which lead to time-dependent inclusions and sweeping processes in which the unknowns are the displacement and the velocity fields, respectively. Then we apply our abstract results in order to prove the unique weak solvability of the corresponding contact problems.

math-ph↗