This volume collects contributions from the speakers at an INdAM Intensive period held at the University of Bari in 2017. The contributions cover several aspects of partial differential equations whose development in recent years has experienced major breakthroughs in terms of both theory and applications. The topics covered include nonlocal equations, elliptic equations and systems, fully nonlinear equations, nonlinear parabolic equations, overdetermined boundary value problems, maximum principles, geometric analysis, control theory, mean field games, and bio-mathematics. The authors are trailblazers in these topics and present their work in a way that is exhaustive and clearly accessible to PhD students and early career researcher. As such, the book offers an excellent introduction to a variety of fundamental topics of contemporary investigation and inspires novel and high-quality research.

This book presents cutting-edge contributions in the areas of control theory and partial differential equations. Over the decades, control theory has had deep and fruitful interactions with the theory of partial differential equations (PDEs). Well-known examples are the study of the generalized solutions of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations arising in deterministic and stochastic optimal control and the development of modern analytical tools to study the controllability of infinite dimensional systems governed by PDEs. In the present volume, leading experts provide an up-to-date overview of the connections between these two vast fields of mathematics. Topics addressed include regularity of the value function associated to finite dimensional control systems, controllability and observability for PDEs, and asymptotic analysis of multiagent systems. The book will be of interest for both researchers and graduate students working in these areas.

This book proposes, for the first time, a basic formulation for structural control that takes into account the stochastic dynamics induced by engineering excitations in the nature of non-stationary and non-Gaussian processes. Further, it establishes the theory of and methods for stochastic optimal control of randomly-excited engineering structures in the context of probability density evolution methods, such as physically-based stochastic optimal (PSO) control. By logically integrating randomness into control gain, the book helps readers design elegant control systems, mitigate risks in civil engineering structures, and avoid the dilemmas posed by the methods predominantly applied in current practice, such as deterministic control and classical linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control associated with nominal white noises.

This book focuses on the development of approximation-related algorithms and their relevant applications. Individual contributions are written by leading experts and reflect emerging directions and connections in data approximation and optimization. Chapters discuss state of the art topics with highly relevant applications throughout science, engineering, technology and social sciences. Academics, researchers, data science practitioners, business analysts, social sciences investigators and graduate students will find the number of illustrations, applications, and examples provided useful. This volume is based on the conference Approximation and Optimization: Algorithms, Complexity, and Applications, which was held in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, June 29-30, 2017. The mix of survey and research content includes topics in approximations to discrete noisy data; binary sequences; design of networks and energy systems; fuzzy control; large scale optimization; noisy data; data-dependent approximation; networked control systems; machine learning ; optimal design; no free lunch theorem; non-linearly constrained optimization; spectroscopy.

This brief describes the basics of Riemannian optimization-optimization on Riemannian manifolds-introduces algorithms for Riemannian optimization problems, discusses the theoretical properties of these algorithms, and suggests possible applications of Riemannian optimization to problems in other fields. To provide the reader with a smooth introduction to Riemannian optimization, brief reviews of mathematical optimization in Euclidean spaces and Riemannian geometry are included. Riemannian optimization is then introduced by merging these concepts. In particular, the Euclidean and Riemannian conjugate gradient methods are discussed in detail. A brief review of recent developments in Riemannian optimization is also provided. Riemannian optimization methods are applicable to many problems in various fields. This brief discusses some important applications including the eigenvalue and singular value decompositions in numerical linear algebra, optimal model reduction in control engineering, and canonical correlation analysis in statistics.

This tutorial introduces readers to several variants of routing problems with profits. In these routing problems each node has a certain profit, and not all nodes need to be visited. Since the orienteering problem (OP) is by far the most frequently studied problem in this category of routing problems, the book mainly focuses on the OP. In turn, other problems are presented as variants of the OP, focusing on the similarities and differences. The goal of the OP is to determine a subset of nodes to visit and in which order, so that the total collected profit is maximized and a given time budget is not exceeded.The book provides a comprehensive review of variants of the OP, such as the team OP, the team OP with time windows, the profitable tour problem, and the prize-collecting travelling salesperson problem. In addition, it presents mathematical models and techniques for solving these OP variants and discusses their complexity. Several simple examples and benchmark instances, together with their best-known results, are also included. Finally, the book reviews the latest applications of these problems in the fields of logistics, tourism and others.

Accessible to a variety of readers, this book is of interest to specialists, graduate students and researchers in mathematics, optimization, computer science, operations research, management science, engineering and other applied areas interested in solving optimization problems. Basic principles, potential and boundaries of applicability of stochastic global optimization techniques are examined in this book. A variety of issues that face specialists in global optimization are explored, such as multidimensional spaces which are frequently ignored by researchers. The importance of precise interpretation of the mathematical results in assessments of optimization methods is demonstrated through examples of convergence in probability of random search. Methodological issues concerning construction and applicability of stochastic global optimization methods are discussed, including the one-step optimal average improvement method based on a statistical model of the objective function. A significant portion of this book is devoted to an analysis of high-dimensional global optimization problems and the so-called 'curse of dimensionality'. An examination of the three different classes of high-dimensional optimization problems, the geometry of high-dimensional balls and cubes, very slow convergence of global random search algorithms in large-dimensional problems , and poor uniformity of the uniformly distributed sequences of points are included in this book.

The book is devoted to the study of approximate solutions of optimization problems in the presence of computational errors. It contains a number of results on the convergence behavior of algorithms in a Hilbert space, which are known as important tools for solving optimization problems. The research presented in the book is the continuation and the further development of the author's (c) 2016 book Numerical Optimization with Computational Errors, Springer 2016. Both books study the algorithms taking into account computational errors which are always present in practice. The main goal is, for a known computational error, to find out what an approximate solution can be obtained and how many iterates one needs for this. The main difference between this new book and the 2016 book is that in this present book the discussion takes into consideration the fact that for every algorithm, its iteration consists of several steps and that computational errors for different steps are generally, different. This fact, which was not taken into account in the previous book, is indeed important in practice. For example, the subgradient projection algorithm consists of two steps. The first step is a calculation of a subgradient of the objective function while in the second one we calculate a projection on the feasible set. In each of these two steps there is a computational error and these two computational errors are different in general. It may happen that the feasible set is simple and the objective function is complicated. As a result, the computational error, made when one calculates the projection, is essentially smaller than the computational error of the calculation of the subgradient. Clearly, an opposite case is possible too. Another feature of this book is a study of a number of important algorithms which appeared recently in the literature and which are not discussed in the previous book. This monograph contains 12 chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction. In Chapter 2 we study the subgradient projection algorithm for minimization of convex and nonsmooth functions. We generalize the results of [NOCE] and establish results which has no prototype in [NOCE]. In Chapter 3 we analyze the mirror descent algorithm for minimization of convex and nonsmooth functions, under the presence of computational errors. For this algorithm each iteration consists of two steps. The first step is a calculation of a subgradient of the objective function while in the second one we solve an auxiliary minimization problem on the set of feasible points. In each of these two steps there is a computational error. We generalize the results of [NOCE] and establish results which has no prototype in [NOCE]. In Chapter 4 we analyze the projected gradient algorithm with a smooth objective function under the presence of computational errors. In Chapter 5 we consider an algorithm, which is an extension of the projection gradient algorithm used for solving linear inverse problems arising in signal/image processing. In Chapter 6 we study continuous subgradient method and continuous subgradient projection algorithm for minimization of convex nonsmooth functions and for computing the saddle points of convex-concave functions, under the presence of computational errors. All the results of this chapter has no prototype in [NOCE]. In Chapters 7-12 we analyze several algorithms under the presence of computational errors which were not considered in [NOCE]. Again, each step of an iteration has a computational errors and we take into account that these errors are, in general, different. An optimization problems with a composite objective function is studied in Chapter 7. A zero-sum game with two-players is considered in Chapter 8. A predicted decrease approximation-based method is used in Chapter 9 for constrained convex optimization. Chapter 10 is devoted to minimization of quasiconvex functions. Minimization of sharp weakly convex functions is discussed in Chapter 11. Chapter 12 is devoted to a generalized projected subgradient method for minimization of a convex function over a set which is not necessarily convex. The book is of interest for researchers and engineers working in optimization. It also can be useful in preparation courses for graduate students. The main feature of the book which appeals specifically to this audience is the study of the influence of computational errors for several important optimization algorithms. The book is of interest for experts in applications of optimization to engineering and economics.

This volume presents some recent and principal developments related to computational intelligence and optimization methods in control. Theoretical aspects and practical applications of control engineering are covered by 14 self-contained contributions. Additional gems include the discussion of future directions and research perspectives designed to add to the reader's understanding of both the challenges faced in control engineering and the insights into the developing of new techniques. With the knowledge obtained, readers are encouraged to determine the appropriate control method for specific applications.

This book provides a basic, initial resource, introducing science and engineering students to the field of optimization. It covers three main areas: mathematical programming, calculus of variations and optimal control, highlighting the ideas and concepts and offering insights into the importance of optimality conditions in each area. It also systematically presents affordable approximation methods. Exercises at various levels have been included to support the learning process.

This book covers controller tuning techniques from conventional to new optimization methods for diverse control engineering applications. Classical controller tuning approaches are presented with real-world challenges faced in control engineering. Current developments in applying optimization techniques to controller tuning are explained. Case studies of optimization algorithms applied to controller tuning dealing with nonlinearities and limitations like the inverted pendulum and the automatic voltage regulator are presented with performance comparisons. Students and researchers in engineering and optimization interested in optimization methods for controller tuning will utilize this book to apply optimization algorithms to controller tuning, to choose the most suitable optimization algorithm for a specific application, and to develop new optimization techniques for controller tuning.

Calculus Set Free: Infinitesimals to the Rescue is a single-variable calculus textbook that incorporates the use of infinitesimal methods. The procedures used throughout make many of the calculations simpler and the concepts clearer for undergraduate students, heightening success and easing a significant burden of entry into STEM disciplines. This text features a student-friendly exposition with ample marginal notes, examples, illustrations, and more. The exercises include a wide range of difficulty levels, stretching from very simple "rapid response" questions to the occasional exercise meant to test knowledge. While some exercises require the use of technology to work through, none are dependent on any specific software. The answers to odd-numbered exercises in the back of the book include both simplified and non-simplified answers, hints, or alternative answers. Throughout the text, notes in the margins include comments meant to supplement understanding, sometimes including line-by-line commentary for worked examples. Without sacrificing academic rigor, Calculus Set Free offers an engaging style that helps students to solidify their understanding on difficult theoretical calculus.

The purpose of this book is to provide readers with an introduction to the very active field of integer programming and network models. The idea is to cover the main parts of the field without being too detailed or too technical. As a matter of fact, we found it somewhat surprising that most--especially newer---books are strongly algorithmically oriented. In contrast, the main emphasis of this book is on models rather than methods. This focus expresses our view that methods are tools to solve actual problems and not ends in themselves. As such, graduate (and with some omissions, undergraduate) students may find this book helpful in their studies as will practitioners who would like to get acquainted with a field or use this text as a refresher. This premise has resulted in a coverage that omits material that is standard fare in other books, whereas it covers topics that are only infrequently found elsewhere. There are some, yet relatively few, prerequisites for the reader. Most material that is required for the understanding of more than one chapter is presented in one of the four chapters of the introductory part, which reviews the main results in linear programming, the analysis of algorithms, graphs and networks, and dynamic programming, respectively. Readers who are familiar with the issues involved can safely skip that part. The three main parts of the book rely on intuitive reasoning and examples, whenever practical, instead of theorems and proofs.

This monograph investigates the existence of higher order sliding mode in discrete-time systems and propounds a new concept of discrete-time higher order sliding mode. The authors propose a definition of discrete-time higher order sliding mode and a control law is designed by means of a concept for an uncertain linear-time invariant system, as well as the behavior of the closed-loop system is analyzed. Moreover, the book includes a thorough treatment of the probabilistic and non-deterministic case, i.e. stochastic discrete-time higher order sliding mode. The target audience primarily comprises research experts in control theory but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students alike.

This volume collects papers, based on invited talks given at the IMA workshop in Modeling, Stochastic Control, Optimization, and Related Applications, held at the Institute for Mathematics and Its Applications, University of Minnesota, during May and June, 2018. There were four week-long workshops during the conference. They are (1) stochastic control, computation methods, and applications, (2) queueing theory and networked systems, (3) ecological and biological applications, and (4) finance and economics applications. For broader impacts, researchers from different fields covering both theoretically oriented and application intensive areas were invited to participate in the conference. It brought together researchers from multi-disciplinary communities in applied mathematics, applied probability, engineering, biology, ecology, and networked science, to review, and substantially update most recent progress. As an archive, this volume presents some of the highlights of the workshops, and collect papers covering a broad range of topics.

This book provides a comprehensive study of turnpike phenomenon arising in optimal control theory. The focus is on individual (non-generic) turnpike results which are both mathematically significant and have numerous applications in engineering and economic theory. All results obtained in the book are new. New approaches, techniques, and methods are rigorously presented and utilize research from finite-dimensional variational problems and discrete-time optimal control problems to find the necessary conditions for the turnpike phenomenon in infinite dimensional spaces. The semigroup approach is employed in the discussion as well as PDE descriptions of continuous-time dynamics. The main results on sufficient and necessary conditions for the turnpike property are completely proved and the numerous illustrative examples support the material for the broad spectrum of experts. Mathematicians interested in the calculus of variations, optimal control and in applied functional analysis will find this book a useful guide to the turnpike phenomenon in infinite dimensional spaces. Experts in economic and engineering modeling as well as graduate students will also benefit from the developed techniques and obtained results.

This book is devoted to the study of optimal control problems arising in forest management, an important and fascinating topic in mathematical economics studied by many researchers over the years. The volume studies the forest management problem by analyzing a class of optimal control problems that contains it and showing the existence of optimal solutions over infinite horizon. It also studies the structure of approximate solutions on finite intervals and their turnpike properties, as well as the stability of the turnpike phenomenon and the structure of approximate solutions on finite intervals in the regions close to the end points. The book is intended for mathematicians interested in the optimization theory, optimal control and their applications to the economic theory.

This book presents the topological derivative method through selected examples, using a direct approach based on calculus of variations combined with compound asymptotic analysis. This new concept in shape optimization has applications in many different fields such as topology optimization, inverse problems, imaging processing, multi-scale material design and mechanical modeling including damage and fracture evolution phenomena. In particular, the topological derivative is used here in numerical methods of shape optimization, with applications in the context of compliance structural topology optimization and topology design of compliant mechanisms. Some exercises are offered at the end of each chapter, helping the reader to better understand the involved concepts.

The satellite range scheduling (SRS) problem, an important operations research problem in the aerospace industry consisting of allocating tasks among satellites and Earth-bound objects, is examined in this book. SRS principles and solutions are applicable to many areas, including: Satellite communications, where tasks are communication intervals between sets of satellites and ground stations Earth observation, where tasks are observations of spots on the Earth by satellites Sensor scheduling, where tasks are observations of satellites by sensors on the Earth. This self-contained monograph begins with a structured compendium of the problem and moves on to explain the optimal approach to the solution, which includes aspects from graph theory, set theory, game theory and belief networks. This book is accessible to students, professionals and researchers in a variety of fields, including: operations research, optimization, scheduling theory, dynamic programming and game theory. Taking account of the distributed, stochastic and dynamic variants of the problem, this book presents the optimal solution to the fixed interval SRS problem and how to migrate results into more complex cases. Reference algorithms and traditional algorithms for solving the scheduling problems are provided and compared with examples and simulations in practical scenarios.

This book highlights the latest developments in the geometry of measurable sets, presenting them in simple, straightforward terms. It addresses nonlocal notions of perimeter and curvature and studies in detail the minimal surfaces associated with them. These notions of nonlocal perimeter and curvature are defined on the basis of a non-singular kernel. Further, when the kernel is appropriately rescaled, they converge toward the classical perimeter and curvature as the rescaling parameter tends to zero. In this way, the usual notions can be recovered by using the nonlocal ones. In addition, nonlocal heat content is studied and an asymptotic expansion is obtained. Given its scope, the book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as senior researchers interested in analysis and/or geometry.

This book presents a methodology based on inverse problems for use in solutions for fault diagnosis in control systems, combining tools from mathematics, physics, computational and mathematical modeling, optimization and computational intelligence. This methodology, known as fault diagnosis - inverse problem methodology or FD-IPM, unifies the results of several years of work of the authors in the fields of fault detection and isolation (FDI), inverse problems and optimization. The book clearly and systematically presents the main ideas, concepts and results obtained in recent years. By formulating fault diagnosis as an inverse problem, and by solving it using metaheuristics, the authors offer researchers and students a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective for problem solving in these fields. Graduate courses in engineering, applied mathematics and computing also benefit from this work.

Ship optimization design is critical to the preliminary design of a ship. With the rapid development of computer technology, the simulation-based design (SBD) technique has been introduced into the field of ship design. Typical SBD consists of three parts: geometric reconstruction; CFD numerical simulation; and optimization. In the context of ship design, these are used to alter the shape of the ship, evaluate the objective function and to assess the hull form space respectively. As such, the SBD technique opens up new opportunities and paves the way for a new method for optimal ship design. This book discusses the problem of optimizing ship's hulls, highlighting the key technologies of ship optimization design and presenting a series of hull-form optimization platforms. It includes several improved approaches and novel ideas with significant potential in this field

This book introduces readers to techniques of geometric optimal control as well as the exposure and applicability of adapted numerical schemes. It is based on two real-world applications, which have been the subject of two current academic research programs and motivated by industrial use - the design of micro-swimmers and the contrast problem in medical resonance imaging. The recently developed numerical software has been applied to the cases studies presented here. The book is intended for use at the graduate and Ph.D. level to introduce students from applied mathematics and control engineering to geometric and computational techniques in optimal control.

This clear and concise textbook provides a rigorous introduction to the calculus of variations, depending on functions of one variable and their first derivatives. It is based on a translation of a German edition of the book Variationsrechnung (Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, 2010), translated and updated by the author himself. Topics include: the Euler-Lagrange equation for one-dimensional variational problems, with and without constraints, as well as an introduction to the direct methods. The book targets students who have a solid background in calculus and linear algebra, not necessarily in functional analysis. Some advanced mathematical tools, possibly not familiar to the reader, are given along with proofs in the appendix. Numerous figures, advanced problems and proofs, examples, and exercises with solutions accompany the book, making it suitable for self-study. The book will be particularly useful for beginning graduate students from the physical, engineering, and mathematical sciences with a rigorous theoretical background.

This textbook on the calculus of variations leads the reader from the basics to modern aspects of the theory. One-dimensional problems and the classical issues such as Euler-Lagrange equations are treated, as are Noether's theorem, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, and in particular geodesic lines, thereby developing some important geometric and topological aspects. The basic ideas of optimal control theory are also given. The second part of the book deals with multiple integrals. After a review of Lebesgue integration, Banach and Hilbert space theory and Sobolev spaces (with complete and detailed proofs), there is a treatment of the direct methods and the fundamental lower semicontinuity theorems. Subsequent chapters introduce the basic concepts of the modern calculus of variations, namely relaxation, Gamma convergence, bifurcation theory and minimax methods based on the Palais-Smale condition. The prerequisites are knowledge of the basic results from calculus of one and several variables. After having studied this book, the reader will be well equipped to read research papers in the calculus of variations.