Variational Problems in Materials Science [Hardcover]

This volume contains the proceedings of the international workshop Variational Problems in Materials Science. Coverage includes the study of BV vector fields, path functionals over Wasserstein spaces, variational approaches to quasi-static evolution, free-discontinuity problems with applications to fracture and plasticity, systems with hysteresis or with interfacial energies, evolution of interfaces, multi-scale analysis in ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity, and much more.

Remarks on a Multiscale Approach to Grain Growth in Polycrystals.- Another Brick in the Wall.- Variational Problems for Functionals Involving the Value Distribution.- Bi-Modal Cohesive Energies.- Criterion for Tricritical Points in Liquid Crystal Phases.- Asymptotics of Boundary Value Problems for Supercritical Ginzburg-Landau Energies.- An Introduction to H-measures and Their Applications.- A Singular Perturbation Result with a Fractional Norm.- Smooth and Creased Equilibria for Elastic-plastic Plates and Beams.- On Concentrated Contact Interactions.- Discontinuous Hysteresis and P.D.E.s.

This volume contains the proceedings of the international workshop Variational Problems in Materials Science, which was jointly organized by the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) of Trieste and by the Dipartimento di Matematica
``Francesco Brioschi'' of the Politecnico di Milano. The conference took place at SISSA from September 6 to 10, 2004.

The study of variational problems in materials science has a long history, and it has contributed a lot in shaping our understanding on how materials work and perform. There is, however, a recent renewed interest in this subject as a consequence of the fruitful interaction between mathematical analysis and the modelling of new, technologically advanced materials. On one hand, a sizable group of analysts has found in materials science a valuable source of inspiration for newl“'