Optimal control of quasilinear parabolic equations

Abstract

This paper deals with optimal control problems governed by quasilinear parabolic equations in divergence form, whose cost functional is of Lagrangian type. Our aim is to prove the existence of solutions and derive some optimality conditions. To attain this second objective, we accomplish the sensitivity analysis of the state equation with respect to the control, proving that, under some assumptions, this relation is Gâteaux differentiable. Finally, a regularising procedure along with Ekeland's variational principle allow us to treat some other problems for which this differentiability property cannot be stated.