The aim of the present book is to give a systematic treatment of the inverse problem of the calculus of variations, i.e. how to recognize whether a system of differential equations can be treated as a system for extremals of a variational functional (the Euler-Lagrange equations), using contemporary geometric methods. Selected applications in geometry, physics, optimal control, and general relativity are also considered. The book includes the following chapters: - Helmholtz conditions and the method of controlled Lagrangians (Bloch, Krupka, Zenkov) - The Sonin-Douglas's problem (Krupka) - Inverse variational problem and symmetry in action: The Ostrogradskyj relativistic third order dynamics (Matsyuk.) - Source forms and their variational completion (Voicu) - First-order variational sequences and the inverse problem of the calculus of variations (Urban, Volna) - The inverse problem of the calculus of variations on Grassmann fibrations (Urban).

Suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of mathematics, physics, or engineering, this introduction to the calculus of variations focuses on variational problems involving one independent variable. It also discusses more advanced topics such as the inverse problem, eigenvalue problems, and Noether’s theorem. The text includes numerous examples along with problems to help students consolidate the material.

This comprehensive text provides all information necessary for an introductory course on the calculus of variations and optimal control theory. Following a thorough discussion of the basic problem, including sufficient conditions for optimality, the theory and techniques are extended to problems with a free end point, a free boundary, auxiliary and inequality constraints, leading to a study of optimal control theory.

The purpose of the calculus of variations is to find optimal solutions to engineering problems whose optimum may be a certain quantity, shape, or function. Applied Calculus of Variations for Engineers addresses this important mathematical area applicable to many engineering disciplines. Its unique, application-oriented approach sets it apart from the theoretical treatises of most texts, as it is aimed at enhancing the engineer’s understanding of the topic. This Second Edition text: Contains new chapters discussing analytic solutions of variational problems and Lagrange-Hamilton equations of motion in depth Provides new sections detailing the boundary integral and finite element methods and their calculation techniques Includes enlightening new examples, such as the compression of a beam, the optimal cross section of beam under bending force, the solution of Laplace’s equation, and Poisson’s equation with various methods Applied Calculus of Variations for Engineers, Second Edition extends the collection of techniques aiding the engineer in the application of the concepts of the calculus of variations.

This book, based on a selection of talks given at a dedicated meeting in Cortona, Italy, in June 2013, shows the high degree of interaction between a number of fields related to applied sciences. Applied sciences consider situations in which the evolution of a given system over time is observed, and the related models can be formulated in terms of evolution equations (EEs). These equations have been studied intensively in theoretical research and are the source of an enormous number of applications. In this volume, particular attention is given to direct, inverse and control problems for EEs. The book provides an updated overview of the field, revealing its richness and vitality.

When the Tyrian princess Dido landed on the North African shore of the Mediterranean sea she was welcomed by a local chieftain. He offered her all the land that she could enclose between the shoreline and a rope of knotted cowhide. While the legend does not tell us, we may assume that Princess Dido arrived at the correct solution by stretching the rope into the shape of a circular arc and thereby maximized the area of the land upon which she was to found Carthage. This story of the founding of Carthage is apocryphal. Nonetheless it is probably the first account of a problem of the kind that inspired an entire mathematical discipline, the calculus of variations and its extensions such as the theory of optimal control. This book is intended to present an introductory treatment of the calculus of variations in Part I and of optimal control theory in Part II. The discussion in Part I is restricted to the simplest problem of the calculus of variations. The topic is entirely classical; all of the basic theory had been developed before the turn of the century. Consequently the material comes from many sources; however, those most useful to me have been the books of Oskar Bolza and of George M. Ewing. Part II is devoted to the elementary aspects of the modern extension of the calculus of variations, the theory of optimal control of dynamical systems.

This invaluable book provides a broad introduction to the fascinating and beautiful subject of Fractional Calculus of Variations (FCV). In 1996, FVC evolved in order to better describe non-conservative systems in mechanics. The inclusion of non-conservatism is extremely important from the point of view of applications. Forces that do not store energy are always present in real systems. They remove energy from the systems and, as a consequence, Noether's conservation laws cease to be valid. However, it is still possible to obtain the validity of Noether's principle using FCV. The new theory provides a more realistic approach to physics, allowing us to consider non-conservative systems in a natural way. The authors prove the necessary Euler-Lagrange conditions and corresponding Noether theorems for several types of fractional variational problems, with and without constraints, using Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms. Sufficient optimality conditions are also obtained under convexity, and Leitmann's direct method is discussed within the framework of FCV.The book is self-contained and unified in presentation. It may be used as an advanced textbook by graduate students and ambitious undergraduates in mathematics and mechanics. It provides an opportunity for an introduction to FCV for experienced researchers. The explanations in the book are detailed, in order to capture the interest of the curious reader, and the book provides the necessary background material required to go further into the subject and explore the rich research literature./a