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Questions tagged [variational-calculus]

For questions about modeling the change of functionals with respect to input functions. This could include how to solve a particular functional derivative or finding the function that minimizes a given functional.

0 votes
0 answers
30 views

Covariant Euler-Lagrange Computation - Mathematica

Does anybody know of a software (or software package) that can solve the Euler-Lagrange equations for a manifestly-covariant field Lagrangian density? Mathematica has a "Variational Methods" ...
Dirac's Cat's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
296 views

Does the weighted residual method not use energy minimization in any form?

I've come across several texts/papers utilizing the concept of a minimum potential energy state corresponding to an equilibrium state, and I know that it is used in FEM formulations that are based on ...
SNIreaPER's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
161 views

Best way to compute given functional with accuracy:

I need to plot the following functional with accuracy: $$ I(x,s) =\int_0^\infty\mathrm dy \frac{F(x + \mathrm iy,s) − F(x −\mathrm iy,s)}{\mathrm e^{2πy}-1}, $$ Where $ F(z,s) = \dfrac{1}{z^s\Gamma(\...
bambi's user avatar
  • 119
2 votes
2 answers
467 views

Weak form of the Navier-Cauchy equation

I am trying to obtain the weak form of the Navier-Cauchy equation, which is $$- \rho \omega ^2 \textbf{U} - \mu \nabla ^2 \textbf{U} - (\mu + \lambda) \nabla (\nabla \cdot \textbf{U}) = \textbf{F}$$ ...
Lucas Vieira's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
88 views

Prove that the set of maximizers are independent of parameter in the objective function

A maximization problem reads as $$ J(y) = \sum_{k=1}^{K} \sigma_k(y)^q \mathop{\rightarrow}^{y} max$$ where $q \in [1,\infty]$ is a user-defined parameter and functions $\sigma_k, k=\{1,\dots,K\}$ ...
hari's user avatar
  • 95
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to solve calculus of variations problems numerically?

For example, how to solve the well-known isoperimetric problem (i.e., to enclose the largest area with a fixed-length curve)? We can simplify things a bit and fix the two ends of the curve at $[a,0]$,...
Taozi's user avatar
  • 277
0 votes
1 answer
102 views

Deriving weak form of a set of scalar equations

I have the equilibrium equation in elasticity for a static case.i.e Div T=0. For certain implementation, I have to get the x and y component equations and then derive the weak form separately. How is ...
Aswin Rajeevan's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
118 views

functional second derivative

I'm trying to build a numerical solution for a parameter estimation problem of reaction-diffusion equation, using the adjoint method. To summarize it, I'm trying to minimize the function $$ G=\frac{...
david guez's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
206 views

General-purpose Numerical Calculus of Variations Problem

Calculus of variations problems are generally cast in in the following simple form: find $u(t)$ that satisfies some boundary conditions and minimises $$ F[u] = \int_{t=0}^{t=t_f} f(u(t),u'(t),t) dt. $...
tom's user avatar
  • 231
3 votes
1 answer
194 views

Numerical computation of the velocity in the steady Navier-Stokes equation

I've asked this question on Math.SE too. Let $d\in\left\{1,\ldots,4\right\}$ $\Lambda\subseteq\mathbb R^d$ be bounded, nonempty and open and $\partial\Lambda$ be Lipschitz $V:=\left\{u\in H_0^1(\...
0xbadf00d's user avatar
  • 283
3 votes
0 answers
218 views

Solving a nonlinear poisson equation via variational minimization

I am kind of new in finite elements and I am solving simple "Poisson nonlinear" problem. $- \nabla ((1 + u^2) \nabla u) = f$ $u = 0 \ \text{on} \ \Omega $ I am using Newton solver, where I have ...
user298182's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
554 views

Finite element method applied to variational problem/functional VS weak formulation

I am confused. I read an introduction to finite element method where it was derived for the poisson equation: $$-\Delta u + cu = f,\qquad, u = g_0 \text{ on Dirichlet boundaries},\qquad\partial_n u ...
tgoossens's user avatar
  • 123
3 votes
0 answers
157 views

Reference Request: Variational Problem

I want to solve approximately the following variational problem: Given a function $c:[-1,1]^2\rightarrow [0,1]$, constants $p_1...p_n\in \mathbb{R}^+$, $\alpha_1...\alpha_n\in \mathbb{R}$, and $\...
verifying's user avatar
  • 131