Numerical Computation of Rank-One Convex Envelopes

We describe an algorithm for the numerical computation of the rank-one convex envelope of a function f:\MM^{m\times n}\rightarrow\RR. We prove its convergence and an error estimate in L∞

Better Answers to Real Questions

We consider existential problems over the reals. Extended quantifier elimination generalizes the concept of regular quantifier elimination by providing in addition answers, which are descriptions of possible assignments for the quantified variables. Implementations of extended quantifier elimination via virtual substitution have been successfully applied to various problems in science and engineering. So far, the answers produced by these implementations included infinitesimal and infinite numbers, which are hard to interpret in practice. We introduce here a post-processing procedure to convert, for fixed parameters, all answers into standard real numbers. The relevance of our procedure is demonstrated by application of our implementation to various examples from the literature, where it significantly improves the quality of the results

Regularity of Minimizers in Nonlinear Elasticity – the Case of a One-Well Problem in Nonlinear Elasticity

In this note sufficient conditions for bounds on the deformation gradient of a minimizer of a variational problem in nonlinear elasticity are reviewed. As a specific model class, energy densities which are the relaxation of the squared distance function to compact sets are considered and estimates in the space of functions with bounded oscillation are presented. An explicit example related to a one-well problem shows that assumptions of convexity are essential for uniform bounds on the deformation gradient. As an application of the relaxation of the energy in this special case it is indicated how general relaxation formulas for energies with p-growth can be obtained if the relaxation with quadratic growth satisfies natural assumptions

Stress-modulated growth in the presence of nutrients -- existence and uniqueness in one spatial dimension

Existence and uniqueness of solutions for a class of models for stress-modulated growth is proven in one spatial dimension. The model features the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient $F$ into an elastic part $F_e$ and a growth-related part $G$. After the transformation due to the growth process, governed by $G$, an elastic deformation described by $F_e$ is applied in order to restore the Dirichlet boundary conditions and therefore the current configuration might be stressed with a stress tensor $S$. The growth of the material at each point in the reference configuration is given by an ordinary differential equation for which the right-hand side may depend on the stress $S$ and the pull-back of a nutrient concentration in the current configuration, leading to a coupled system of ordinary differential equations

Adapting Real Quantifier Elimination Methods for Conflict Set Computation

The satisfiability problem in real closed fields is decidable. In the context of satisfiability modulo theories, the problem restricted to conjunctive sets of literals, that is, sets of polynomial constraints, is of particular importance. One of the central problems is the computation of good explanations of the unsatisfiability of such sets, i.e.\ obtaining a small subset of the input constraints whose conjunction is already unsatisfiable. We adapt two commonly used real quantifier elimination methods, cylindrical algebraic decomposition and virtual substitution, to provide such conflict sets and demonstrate the performance of our method in practice

Algorithmic strategies for applicable real quantifier elimination

One of the most important algorithms for real quantifier elimination is the quantifier elimination by virtual substitution introduced by Weispfenning in 1988. In this thesis we present numerous algorithmic approaches for optimizing this quantifier elimination algorithm. Optimization goals are the actual running time of the implementation of the algorithm and the size of the output formula. Strategies for obtaining these goals include simplification of first-order formulas,reduction of the size of the computed elimination set, and condensing a new replacement for the virtual substitution. Local quantifier elimination computes formulas that are equivalent to the input formula only nearby a given point. We can make use of this restriction for further optimizing the quantifier elimination by virtual substitution. Finally we discuss how to solve a large class of scheduling problems by real quantifier elimination. To optimize our algorithm for solving scheduling problems we make use of the special form of the input formula and of additional information given by the description of the scheduling problemEines der bedeutendsten Verfahren zur reellen Quantorenelimination ist die Quantorenelimination mittels virtueller Substitution, die von Weispfenning 1988 eingeführt wurde. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden zahlreiche algorithmische Strategien zur Optimierung dieses Verfahrens präsentiert. Optimierungsziele der Arbeit waren dabei die tatsächliche Laufzeit der Implementierung des Algorithmus sowie die Größe der Ausgabeformel. Zur Optimierung werden dabei die Simplifikation vonFormeln erster Stufe, die Reduktion der Größe der Eliminationsmenge sowie das Condensing, ein Ersatz für die virtuelle Substitution,untersucht. Lokale Quantorenelimination berechnet Formeln, die nur inder Nähe eines gegebenen Punktes äquivalent zur Eingabeformel ist. Diese Einschränkung erlaubt es, das Verfahren weiter zu verbessern.Als Anwendung des Eliminationsverfahren diskutieren wir abschließend, wie man eine große Klasse von Schedulingproblemen mittels reeller Quantorenelimination lösen kann. In diesem Fall benutzen wir die spezielle Struktur der Eingabeformel und zusätzliche Informationen über das Schedulingproblem, um die Quantorenelimination mittels virtueller Substitution problemspezifisch zu optimieren