Related papers: A free boundary problem arising in PDE optimizatio…
Free boundary problems are those described by PDEs that exhibit a priori unknown (free) interfaces or boundaries. These problems appear in Physics, Probability, Biology, Finance, or Industry, and the study of solutions and free boundaries…
We study a class of semilinear free boundary problems in which admissible functions $u$ have a topological constraint, or spanning condition, on their 1-level set. This constraint forces $\{u=1\}$, which is the free boundary, to behave like…
In this paper we consider the minimization of the functional \[ J[u]:=\int_\Omega |\Delta u|^2+\chi_{\{u>0\}} \] in the admissible class of functions \[ \mathcal A:= \left\{u\in W^{2, 2}(\Omega) {\mbox{ s.t. }} u-u_0\in W^{1,2}_0(\Omega)…
We investigate a PDE-constrained optimization problem, with an intuitive interpretation in terms of the design of robust membranes made out of an arbitrary number of different materials. We prove existence and uniqueness of solutions for…
We consider the optimization problem of minimizing $\int_{\Omega}|\nabla u|^p dx$ with a constrain on the volume of $\{u>0\}$. We consider a penalization problem, and we prove that for small values of the penalization parameter, the…
We consider the optimization problem of minimizing $\int_{\mathbb{R}^n}|\nabla u|^2\,\mathrm{d}x$ with double obstacles $\phi\leq u\leq\psi$ a.e. in $D$ and a constraint on the volume of $\{u>0\}\setminus\overline{D}$, where…
In this paper we present a survey concerning unconstrained free boundary problems of type $$ \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} F_1(D^2u,\nabla u,u,x)=0 & \text{in }B_1 \cap \Omega ,\\ F_2 (D^2 u,\nabla u,u,x)=0 & \text{in }B_1\setminus\Omega ,\\ u…
A shape optimization problem arising from the optimal reinforcement of a membrane by means of one-dimensional stiffeners or from the fastest cooling of a two-dimensional object by means of ``conducting wires'' is considered. The criterion…
We study the higher regularity of free boundaries in obstacle problems for integro-differential operators. Our main result establishes that, once free boundaries are $C^{1,\alpha}$, then they are $C^\infty$. This completes the study of…
In this paper, we prove local $C^{1}$ regularity of free boundaries for the double obstacle problem with an upper obstacle $\psi$, \begin{align*} \Delta u &=f\chi_{\Omega(u) \cap\{ u< \psi\} }+ \Delta \psi \chi_{\Omega(u)\cap \{u=\psi\}},…
This brief note addresses the free boundary problem arising from the steady two-dimensional seepage flow through a rectangular dam. The flow problem consists in finding the free boundary location, and the velocity and pressure fields. The…
We study a free boundary optimization problem in heat conduction, ruled by the infinity-Laplace operator, with lower temperature bound and a volume constraint. We obtain existence and regularity results and derive geometric properties for…
For the parabolic obstacle-problem-like equation $$\Delta u - \partial_t u = \lambda_+ \chi_{\{u>0\}} - \lambda_- \chi_{\{u<0\}} ,$$ where $\lambda_+$ and $\lambda_-$ are positive Lipschitz functions, we prove in arbitrary finite dimension…
We investigate general semilinear (obstacle-like) problems of the form $\Delta u = f(u)$, where $f(u)$ has a singularity/jump at $\{u=0\}$ giving rise to a free boundary. Unlike many works on such equations where $f$ is approximately…
We consider the "thin one-phase" free boundary problem, associated to minimizing a weighted Dirichlet energy of the function in $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+$ plus the area of the positivity set of that function in $\mathbb R^n$. We establish full…
In this paper we study some optimization problems for nonlinear elastic membranes. More precisely, we consider the problem of optimizing the cost functional $\J(u)=\int_{\partial\Omega} f(x) u \rd \H^{N-1}$ over some admissible class of…
We study minimizers of the functional $$ \int_{B_1^+}|\nabla u|^2 x_n^a\,d x +2\int_{B_1'} (\lambda_+ u^++\lambda_- u^-)\,d x', $$ for $a\in(-1,1)$. The problem arises in connection with heat flow with control on the boundary. It can also…
We study a nonlinear generalization of a free boundary problem that arises in the context of thermal insulation. We consider two open sets $\Omega\subseteq A$, and we search for an optimal $A$ in order to minimize a non-linear energy…
The dynamics of a free boundary problem for electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is investigated. The model couples the electric potential to the deformation of the membrane, the deflection of the membrane being…
We consider the optimization problem of minimizing $\int_{\Omega}G(|\nabla u|)+\lambda \chi_{\{u>0\}} dx$ in the class of functions $W^{1,G}(\Omega)$ with $u-\phi_0\in W_0^{1,G}(\Omega)$, for a given $\phi_0\geq 0$ and bounded.…