Many partial differential equations (PDEs) admit conserved quantities like mass or energy. Those quantities are often essential to establish well-posed results. When approximating a PDE by a finite-difference scheme, it is natural to ask whether related discretized quantities remain conserved under the scheme. Such conservation may establish the stability of the numerical scheme. We present an algorithm for checking the preservation of a polynomial quantity under a polynomial finite-difference scheme. In our algorithm, schemes can be explicit or implicit, have higher-order time and space derivatives, and an arbitrary number of variables. Additionally, we present an algorithm for, given a scheme, finding conserved quantities. We illustrate our algorithm by studying several finite-difference schemes.

In partial differential equations (PDEs), conserved quantities like mass and momentum are fundamental to understanding the behavior of the described physical systems. The preservation of conserved quantities is essential when using numerical schemes to approximate solutions of corresponding PDEs. If the discrete solutions obtained through these schemes fail to preserve the conserved quantities, they may be physically meaningless and unreliable. Previous approaches focused on checking conservation in PDEs and numerical schemes, but they did not give adequate attention to systematically handling parameters. This is a crucial aspect because many PDEs and numerical schemes have parameters that need to be dealt with systematically. Here, we investigate if the discrete analog of a conserved quantity is preserved under the solution induced by a parametric finite difference method. In this thesis, we modify and enhance a pre-existing algorithm to effectively and reliably deduce conserved quantities in the context of parametric schemes, using the concept of comprehensive Groebner systems. The main contribution of this work is the development of a versatile algorithm capable of handling various parametric explicit and implicit schemes, higher-order derivatives, and multiple spatial dimensions. The algorithm’s effectiveness and efficiency are demonstrated through examples and applications. In particular, we illustrate the process of selecting an appropriate numerical scheme among a family of potential discretization for a given PDE.

Cette thèse est consacrée à l’étude théorique et numérique de plusieurs équations aux dérivées partielles non linéaires qui apparaissent dans la modélisation de la séparation de phase et des micro-systèmes électro-mécaniques (MSEM). Dans la première partie, nous étudions des modèles d’ordre élevé en séparation de phase pour lesquels nous obtenons le caractère bien posé et la dissipativité, ainsi que l’existence de l’attracteur global et, dans certains cas, des simulations numériques. De manière plus précise, nous considérons dans cette première partie des modèles de type Allen-Cahn et Cahn-Hilliard d’ordre élevé avec un potentiel régulier et des modèles de type Allen-Cahn d’ordre élevé avec un potentiel logarithmique. En outre, nous étudions des modèles anisotropes d’ordre élevé et des généralisations d’ordre élevé de l’équation de Cahn-Hilliard avec des applications en biologie, traitement d’images, etc. Nous étudions également la relaxation hyperbolique d’équations de Cahn-Hilliard anisotropes d’ordre élevé. Dans la seconde partie, nous proposons des schémas semi-discrets semi-implicites et implicites et totalement discrétisés afin de résoudre l’équation aux dérivées partielles non linéaire décrivant à la fois les effets élastiques et électrostatiques de condensateurs MSEM. Nous faisons une analyse théorique de ces schémas et de la convergence sous certaines conditions. De plus, plusieurs simulations numériques illustrent et appuient les résultats théoriques. / This thesis is devoted to the theoretical and numerical study of several nonlinear partial differential equations, which occur in the mathematical modeling of phase separation and micro-electromechanical system (MEMS). In the first part, we study higher-order phase separation models for which we obtain well-posedness and dissipativity results, together with the existence of global attractors and, in certain cases, numerical simulations. More precisely, we consider in this first part higher-order Allen-Cahn and Cahn-Hilliard equations with a regular potential and higher-order Allen-Cahn equation with a logarithmic potential. Moreover, we study higher-order anisotropic models and higher-order generalized Cahn-Hilliard equations, which have applications in biology, image processing, etc. We also consider the hyperbolic relaxation of higher-order anisotropic Cahn-Hilliard equations. In the second part, we develop semi-implicit and implicit semi-discrete, as well as fully discrete, schemes for solving the nonlinear partial differential equation, which describes both the elastic and electrostatic effects in an idealized MEMS capacitor. We analyze theoretically the stability of these schemes and the convergence under certain assumptions. Furthermore, several numerical simulations illustrate and support the theoretical results.