We study a parameter identification problem for the steady state diffusion equations. In this thesis, we transform this identification problem into a minimization problem by considering an appropriate cost functional and propose a finite element method for the identification of the parameter for the linear and nonlinear partial differential equation. The cost functional involves the classical output least square term, a term approximating the derivative of the piezometric head 𝑢(𝑥), an equation error term plus some regularization terms, which happen to be a norm or a semi-norm of the variables in the cost functional in an appropriate Sobolev space. The existence and uniqueness of the minimizer for the cost functional is proved. Error estimates in a weighted 𝐻⁻¹-norm, 𝐿²-norm and 𝐿¹-norm for the numerical solution are derived. Numerical examples will be given to show features of this numerical method. / Ph. D.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Neste presente trabalho, faremos o estudo de importantes propriedades geomÃtricas e analÃticas de soluÃÃes de equaÃÃes diferenciais parciais elÃpticas totalmente nÃo-lineares do tipo: singulares e degeneradas. O estudo de processos de combustÃo que se degeneram ao longo do conjunto de anulamento da densidade de um gÃs, um caso particular de problemas do tipo "quenching", apresentam em sua modelagem equaÃÃes singulares que estÃo descritas neste trabalho. Nesta primeira parte iremos obter propriedades de uma soluÃÃo minimal, que vÃo desde o controle completo Ãtimo, atà a obtenÃÃo de estimativas de Hausdorff da fronteira livre singular. Por fim, iremos obter a regularidade Ãtima de soluÃÃes de equaÃÃes em que suas propriedades de difusÃo(elipticidade) se deterioram na ordem de uma potÃncia do seu gradiente ao longo do conjunto em que tal taxa de variaÃÃo se anula. / In this work we study important geometric and analytic properties to solutions of fully nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations, both singular and degenerate types. The study of combustion processes that degenerate along the null-set of the density of a gas, a particular case of quenching problems, present in their modeling, equations described in this work. In this first part we obtain properties of a minimal solution, since the complete optimal control until the Hausdorff estimates of the singular free boundary. Ultimately, we obtain the optimal regularity to equation solutions where their diffusion property (elipticity) deterorate in a power of their gradient along the set where such rate of variation nullifies.

In this thesis we study boundary value problems for the Laplace equation on do mains with smooth boundary. Central to our analysis is a relation, known as the global relation, that couples the boundary data for a given BVP. Previously, the global re lation has primarily been applied to elliptic PDEs defined on polygonal domains. In this thesis we extend the use of the global relation to domains with smooth boundary. This is done by introducing a new transform, denoted by F_p, that is an analogue of the Fourier transform on smooth convex curves. We show that the F_p-transform is a bounded and invertible integral operator. Following this, we show that the F_p-transform naturally arises in the global relation for the Laplace equation on domains with smooth boundary. Using properties of the F_p-transform, we show that the global relation defines a continuously invertible map between the Dirichlet and Neumann data for a given BVP for the Laplace equation. Following this, we construct a numerical method that uses the global relation to find the Neumann data, given the Dirichlet data, for a given BVP for the Laplace equation on a domain with smooth boundary.

A recording of the defense presentation for this dissertation is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10754/625197 / Steady-state elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs) are frequently used to model a diverse range of physical phenomena. The source and boundary data estimation problems for such PDE systems are of prime interest in various engineering disciplines including biomedical engineering, mechanics of materials and earth sciences. Almost all existing solution strategies for such problems can be broadly classified as optimization-based techniques, which are computationally heavy especially when the problems are formulated on higher dimensional space domains. However, in this dissertation, feedback based state estimation algorithms, known as state observers, are developed to solve such steady-state problems using one of the space variables as time-like. In this regard, first, an iterative observer algorithm is developed that sweeps over regular-shaped domains and solves boundary estimation problems for steady-state Laplace equation. It is well-known that source and boundary estimation problems for the elliptic PDEs are highly sensitive to noise in the data. For this, an optimal iterative observer algorithm, which is a robust counterpart of the iterative observer, is presented to tackle the ill-posedness due to noise. The iterative observer algorithm and the optimal iterative algorithm are then used to solve source localization and estimation problems for Poisson equation for noise-free and noisy data cases respectively. Next, a divide and conquer approach is developed for three-dimensional domains with two congruent parallel surfaces to solve the boundary and the source data estimation problems for the steady-state Laplace and Poisson kind of systems respectively. Theoretical results are shown using a functional analysis framework, and consistent numerical simulation results are presented for several test cases using finite difference discretization schemes.

<p>This investigation is motivated by the problem of optimal design of cooling elements in modern battery systems. We consider a simple model of two-dimensional steady state heat conduction described by elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs) and involving a one dimensional cooling element represented by an open contour. The problem consists in finding an optimal shape of the cooling element which will ensure that the solution in a given region is close (in the least square sense) to some prescribed target distribution. We formulate this problem as PDE-constrained optimization and the locally optimal contour shapes are found using the conjugate gradient algorithm in which the Sobolev shape gradients are obtained using methods of the shape-differential calculus combined with adjoint analysis. The main novelty of this work is an accurate and efficient approach to the evaluation of the shape gradients based on a boundary integral formulation. A number of computational aspects of the proposed approach is discussed and optimization results obtained in several test problems are presented.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

L'objet de cette thèse est l'étude mathématique de familles d'espaces-temps satisfaisant aux équations d'Einstein de la Relativité Générale. Deux approches sont considérées pour cette étude. La première partie, composée des trois premiers chapitres, examine les propriétés géométriques des espaces-temps d'Emparan-Reall et dePomeransky-Senkov, de dimension 5. Nous montrons qu'ils contiennent un trou noir, dont l'horizon des événements est à sections compactes non-homéomorphes à la sphère. Nous en construisons une extension analytique et prouvons que cette extension est maximale et unique dans une certaine classe d'extensions pour les espaces-temps d'Emparan-Reall. Nous établissons ensuite le diagramme de Carter-Penrose de ces extensions, puis analysons la structure de l'ergosurface des espaces-temps de Pomeransky-Senkov. La deuxième partie est consacrée à l'étude de données initiales, solutions des équations des contraintes, induites par les équations d'Einstein. Nous effectuons un recollement d'une classe de données initiales avec des données initiales d'espaces-temps de Kerr-Kottler-deSitter, en utilisant la méthode de Corvino. Nous construisons, d'autre part, des métriques asymptotiquement hyperboliques en dimension 3, satisfaisant les hypothèses du théorème de masse positive à l'exception de la complétude, et ayant un vecteur moment-énergie de genre causal arbitraire. / The aim of this thesis is the mathematical study of families of spacetimes satisfying the Einstein's equations of General Relativity. Two methodsare used in this context.The first part, consisting of the first three chapters of this work,investigates the geometric properties of the Emparan-Reall andPomeransky-Senkov families of 5-dimensional spacetimes. We show that they contain a black-hole region, whose event horizon has non-spherical compact cross sections. We construct an analytic extension, and show its maximality and its uniqueness within a natural class in the Emparan-Reallcase. We further establish the Carter-Penrose diagram for these extensions, and analyse the structure of the ergosurface of the Pomeransky-Senkovspacetimes.The second part focuses on the study of initial data, solutions of theconstraint equations induced by the Einstein's equations. We perform agluing construction between a given family of inital data sets andinitial data of Kerr-Kottler-de Sitter spacetimes, using Corvino'smethod.On the other hand, we construct 3-dimensional asymptotically hyperbolicmetrics which satisfy all the assumptions of the positive mass theorem but the completeness, and which display an energy-momentum vector of arbitry causal type.

[pt] Esta dissertação versa sobre a teoria das soluções de viscosidadepara equações diferenciais parciais elípticas completamente não-lineares com ingredientes mensuráveis. Nosso principal objetivo é demonstrar o Princípio do Máximo de Aleksandrov-Bakelman-Pucci neste contexto. / [en] This dissertation deals with the theory of viscosity solutions for fully nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations with measurable ingredients. Our main objective is to demonstrate the Aleksandrov-Bakelman-Pucci Maximum Principle in this context.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / In this work we establish local regularity estimates for at solutions to non-convex fully nonlinear elliptic equations and we study cavitation type equations modeled within coef- icients bounded and measurable. / Neste trabalho estabelecemos estimativas de regularidade local para soluÃÃes "flat" de equaÃÃes elÃpticas totalmente nÃo-lineares nÃo-convexas e estudamos equations do tipo cavidade com coeficientes meramente mensurÃveis.