Optimality for Control Problem with PDEs of Second-Order as Constraints

Abstract

This paper deals with a class of second-order partial differential equation (in short, PDE) constrained optimal control problems. More specifically, by using appropriate variational techniques, we state necessary conditions of optimality associated with this class of optimization problems, defined by controlled curvilinear integral cost functionals involving partial derivatives of second-order. The importance of the considered problem is provided by its applications in mechanics and physics. Compared with other research works, here we develop a new mathematics context that extends the results obtained so far, both through the use of controlled curvilinear integrals and also by considering partial derivatives of second-order. In addition, to emphasize the usefulness of the main results, an illustrative example is provided.