Orientador: Elias Leite Mendonça / Resumo: Neste trabalho propomos uma base de operadores de projeção e transição de spin para tensores de rank-3. Utilizaremos essa base para determinar os coeficientes da densidade de lagrangiana do modelo de Singh-Hagen (SH). Forneceremos uma expressão geral para obtenção do propagador para teorias de rank-3 via tensor totalmente simétrico sem quebra de paridade. Além disso, realizaremos o processo de Imersão de Calibre de Noether (ICN) no modelo SH em D dimensões e verificaremos seu conteúdo físico. Por fim iremos verificar o conteúdo físico de um novo modelo de dubleto de spin-3 de sexta ordem obtido pelo processo de solda dos modelos auto-duais de quinta e sexta ordem que não necessitam de campos auxiliares. / Abstract: In this work we suggest a basis of spin projection and transition operators for rank-3 tensors. We use it in order to determine the coefficients of the Singh-Hagen model. We also provide a general expression for obtaining the propagator for rank-3 theories via full symmetric tensor without parity breaking. In addition, we perform the Noether Gauge Embendment (NGE) procedure on the SH model in D dimensions and verify its particle content. Finally we analyze the unitarity of a new sixth-order spin-3 doublet model obtained through the soldering approach of the fifth and sixth order self-dual models which do not require auxiliary fields. / Mestre

Thesis (Ph.D.); Submitted to the University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (US); 1 Dec 2004. / Published through the Information Bridge: DOE Scientific and Technical Information. "LBNL--56842" Barber IV, John Letherman. USDOE Director. Office of Science. Advanced Scientific Computing Research (US) 12/01/2004. Report is also available in paper and microfiche from NTIS.

The goal of this thesis is two-fold. On the one hand, it pursues to provide a contribution to the conjugate duality by proposing a new duality concept, which can be understood as an umbrella for different meaningful perturbation methods. On the other hand, this thesis aims to investigate minimax location problems by means of the duality concept introduced in the first part of this work, followed by a numerical approach using epigraphical splitting methods. After summarizing some elements of the convex analysis as well as introducing important results needed later, we consider an optimization problem with geometric and cone constraints, whose objective function is a composition of n+1 functions. For this problem we propose a conjugate dual problem, where the functions involved in the objective function of the primal problem are decomposed. Furthermore, we formulate generalized interior point regularity conditions for strong duality and give necessary and sufficient optimality conditions. As applications of this approach we determine the formulae of the conjugate as well as the biconjugate of the objective function of the primal problem and analyze an optimization problem having as objective function the sum of reciprocals of concave functions. In the second part of this thesis we discuss in the sense of the introduced duality concept three classes of minimax location problems. The first one consists of nonlinear and linear single minimax location problems with geometric constraints, where the maximum of nonlinear or linear functions composed with gauges between pairs of a new and existing points will be minimized. The version of the nonlinear location problem is additionally considered with set-up costs. The second class of minimax location problems deals with multifacility location problems as suggested by Drezner (1991), where for each given point the sum of weighted distances to all facilities plus set-up costs is determined and the maximal value of these sums is to be minimized. As the last and third class the classical multifacility location problem with geometrical constraints is considered in a generalized form where the maximum of gauges between pairs of new facilities and the maximum of gauges between pairs of new and existing facilities will be minimized. To each of these location problems associated dual problems will be formulated as well as corresponding duality statements and necessary and sufficient optimality conditions. To illustrate the results of the duality approach and to give a more detailed characterization of the relations between the location problems and their corresponding duals, we consider examples in the Euclidean space. This thesis ends with a numerical approach for solving minimax location problems by epigraphical splitting methods. In this framework, we give formulae for the projections onto the epigraphs of several sums of powers of weighted norms as well as formulae for the projection onto the epigraphs of gauges. Numerical experiments document the usefulness of our approach for the discussed location problems.

The goal of this thesis is two-fold. On the one hand, it pursues to provide a contribution to the conjugate duality by proposing a new duality concept, which can be understood as an umbrella for different meaningful perturbation methods. On the other hand, this thesis aims to investigate minimax location problems by means of the duality concept introduced in the first part of this work, followed by a numerical approach using epigraphical splitting methods. After summarizing some elements of the convex analysis as well as introducing important results needed later, we consider an optimization problem with geometric and cone constraints, whose objective function is a composition of n+1 functions. For this problem we propose a conjugate dual problem, where the functions involved in the objective function of the primal problem are decomposed. Furthermore, we formulate generalized interior point regularity conditions for strong duality and give necessary and sufficient optimality conditions. As applications of this approach we determine the formulae of the conjugate as well as the biconjugate of the objective function of the primal problem and analyze an optimization problem having as objective function the sum of reciprocals of concave functions. In the second part of this thesis we discuss in the sense of the introduced duality concept three classes of minimax location problems. The first one consists of nonlinear and linear single minimax location problems with geometric constraints, where the maximum of nonlinear or linear functions composed with gauges between pairs of a new and existing points will be minimized. The version of the nonlinear location problem is additionally considered with set-up costs. The second class of minimax location problems deals with multifacility location problems as suggested by Drezner (1991), where for each given point the sum of weighted distances to all facilities plus set-up costs is determined and the maximal value of these sums is to be minimized. As the last and third class the classical multifacility location problem with geometrical constraints is considered in a generalized form where the maximum of gauges between pairs of new facilities and the maximum of gauges between pairs of new and existing facilities will be minimized. To each of these location problems associated dual problems will be formulated as well as corresponding duality statements and necessary and sufficient optimality conditions. To illustrate the results of the duality approach and to give a more detailed characterization of the relations between the location problems and their corresponding duals, we consider examples in the Euclidean space. This thesis ends with a numerical approach for solving minimax location problems by epigraphical splitting methods. In this framework, we give formulae for the projections onto the epigraphs of several sums of powers of weighted norms as well as formulae for the projection onto the epigraphs of gauges. Numerical experiments document the usefulness of our approach for the discussed location problems.

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta aplicações da técnica de otimização topológica para problemas de escoamento com fluidos não Newtonianos, usando o método dos elementos virtuais (VEM) em domínios bidimensionais arbitrários. O objetivo é projetar a trajetória ótima, a partir da minimização da energia dissipativa, de um escoamento governado pelas equações de Navier-Stokes-Brinkman e do modelo não Newtoniano de Carreau-Yasuda. A abordagem de porosidade proposta por (Borrvall e Petersson, 2003) [1] é usada na formulação do problema de otimização topológica. Para resolver este problema numericamente é usado o método VEM, recentemente proposto. A principal característica que diferencia o VEM do método dos elementos finitos (FEM) é que as funções de interpolação no interior dos elementos não precisam ser computadas explicitamente. Isso ocorre porque a integração é feita em funções polinomiais e bases de ordem inferior, permitindo assim uma grande flexibilidade no que diz respeito ao uso de elementos não convexos. Portanto, o cálculo das matrizes e vetores elementares se reduz à avaliação de grandezas geométricas nos contornos desses elementos. Finalmente, são apresentados exemplos numéricos representativos para demonstrar a eficiência do VEM em comparação com o FEM e a aplicabilidade da otimização topológica para esta classe de problemas de escoamento. / [en] This work presents selected applications of topology optimization for non-Newtonian fluid flow problems using the virtual element method (VEM) in arbitrary two-dimensional domains. The objective is to design an optimal layout into a fluid flow domain to minimize dissipative energy governed by the Navier-Stokes-Brinkman and non-Newtonian Carreau-Yasuda model equations. The porosity approach proposed by (Borrvall and Petersson, 2003) [1] is used in the topology optimization formulation. To solve this problem numerically, the recently proposed VEM method is used. The key feature that distinguishes VEM from the standard finite element method (FEM) is that the interpolation functions in the interior of the elements do not need to be computed explicitly. This is because the integration is on lower-order polynomial and basis functions, and there is great flexibility by using a non-convex element. Therefore, the computation of the main element matrices and vectors are reduced to the evaluation of geometric quantities on the boundary of the elements. Finally, several numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the efficiency of the VEM compared to FEM and the applicability of the topology optimization to fluid flow problems.