To model cohesionless granular flow using continuum theory, the usual approach is to assume the cohesionless Coulomb-Mohr yield condition. However, this yield condition assumes that the angle of internal friction is constant, when according to experimental evidence for most powders the angle of internal friction is not constant along the yield locus, but decreases for decreasing normal stress component σ from a maximum value of π/2. For this reason, we consider here the more general yield function which applies for shear-index granular materials, where the angle of internal friction varies with σ. In this case, failure due to frictional slip between particles occurs when the shear and normal components of stress τ and σ satisfy the so-called Warren Spring equation (|τ|/c)n = 1 − (σ/t), where c, t and n are positive constants which are referred to as the cohesion, tensile strength and shear-index respectively, and experimental evidence indicates for many materials that the value of the shear-index n lies between 1 and 2. For many materials, the cohesion is close to zero and therefore the notion of a cohesionless shear-index granular material arises. For such materials, a continuum theory applying for shear-index cohesionless granular materials is physically plausible as a limiting ideal theory, and any analytical solutions might provide important benchmarks for numerical schemes. Here, we examine the cohesionless shearindex theory for the problem of gravity flow of granular materials through two-dimensional wedge-shaped hoppers, and we attempt to determine analytical solutions. Although some analytical solutions are found, these do not correspond to the actual hopper problem, but may serve as benchmarks for purely numerical schemes. The special analytical solutions obtained are illustrated graphically, assuming only a symmetrical stress distribution.

In this paper we define two types of proper efficient solutions in the Borwein sense for vector optimisation problems and we compare them with the notions of local Borwein, Ishizuka-Tuan, Kuhn-Tucker and strict efficiency. A sufficient condition for a proper solution is also proved.

The monotone iterative technique is applied to a system of ordinary differential equations with a singular matrix. The existence of extremal solutions is proved.

Carlson has shown that if the predicted price in the linear cobweb model is taken as the average of all previous actual prices, then stability results independently of parameter values provided only that the demand–curve gradient is less than that of the supply curve. This result has subsequently been generalised by Manning and by Holmes and Manning. We investigate the robustness of their results.

By using the continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory, a sufficient condition is obtained for the existence of a positive periodic solution of a predator-prey diffusion system.

This paper describes a SQP-type algorithm for solving a constrained maximum likelihood estimation problem that incorporates a number of novel features. We call it MLESOL. MLESOL maintains the use of an estimate of the Fisher information matrix to the Hessian of the negative log-likelihood but also encompasses a secant approximation S to the second-order part of the augmented Lagrangian function along with tests for when to use this information. The local quadratic model used has a form something like that of Tapia's SQP augmented scale BFGS secant method but explores the additional structure of the objective function. The step choice algorithm is based on minimising a local quadratic model subject to the linearised constraints and an elliptical trust region centred at the current approximate minimiser. This is accomplished using the Byrd and Omojokun trust region approach, together with a special module for assessing the quality of the step thus computed. The numerical performance of MLESOL is studied by means of an example involving the estimation of a mixture density.

By using fixed point index theory, we present the existence of positive solutions for a Sturm-Liouville singular boundary value problem with at least one positive solution. Our results significantly extend and improve many known results even for non-singular cases.

An analysis is made of the Daley-Kendall and Maki-Thompson rumour models starting from general initial proportions of ignorants, spreaders and stiflers in the population. We investigate as a function of the initial conditions the composition of the final population when the rumour has run its course.

Often in oil reservoirs a layer of water lies under the layer of oil. The suction pressure due to a distribution of oil wells will cause the oil-water interface to rise up towards the wells. Given a particular distribution of oil wells, we are interested in finding the flow rates of each well that maximise the total flow rate without the interface breaking through to the wells. A method for finding optimal flow rates is developed using the Muskat model to approximate the interface height, and a version of the Nelder-Mead simplex method for optimisation. A variety of results are presented, including the perhaps nonintuitive result that it is better to turn off some oil wells when they are sufficiently close to one another.

The finite element method can be used to provide network models of distribution problems. In the present work ‘flow ratio design’ is applied to such models to obtain approximate minima and maxima for both the primal and dual FEM models. The resulting primal MIN and dual MAX solutions are equal to or close to the exact solutions but, intriguingly, the primal MAX and dual MIN solutions are approximately equal to an intermediate saddle point solution.

Optimal control problems governed by semilinear elliptic partial differential equations are considered. No Cesari-type conditions are assumed. By proving an existence theorem and the Pontryagin maximum principle of optimal “state-control” pairs for the corresponding relaxed problems, we establish an existence theorem of optimal pairs for the original problem.

We carry out a study of the peristaltic motion of an incompressible micropolar fluid in a two-dimensional channel. The effects of viscoelastic wall properties and micropolar fluid parameters on the flow are investigated using the equations of the fluid as well as of the deformable boundaries. A perturbation technique is used to determine flow characteristics. The velocity profile is presented and discussed briefly. We find the critical values of the parameters involving wall characteristics, which cause mean flow reversal.

Singular perturbation methods are applied to an analysis of the operation of an isothermal gas step slider bearing of narrow geometry and operating at moderate bearing numbers. Approximate expressions are obtained for the pressure field in the lubricating gap, as well as the load-carrying capacity of the bearing; and the influence of the nature of the bearing step on those quantities is investigated. Comparisons are made with results obtained using a standard numerical package.

We study the structure of solutions of an initial value problem arising in the study of steadily rotating spiral waves in the kinematic theory of excitable media. In particular, we prove that under certain conditions there is a unique global positive monotone increasing solution.

The fractal kinetics curve derived by Savageau is analysed to show that its parameters are not uniquely determined given four appropriately situated data points. Comparison is made with an alternate fractal Michaelis-Menten equation derived by Lopez-Quintela and Casado.

A simple formulation of a 9 df cubic Hermitian finite element for potential flow problems is given, using the interpolation of the BCIZ element and after Argyris, defining natural velocities parallel to the element sides. Consistent loads for body forces are also derived and it is shown that these are necessary to obtain accurate results when body forces are significant. Example problems include those of infinite domains for which simple conditions at infinity are used.

In several recent papers, a one-sided iterative process for computing positive definite solutions of the nonlinear matrix equation X + A* X−1A = Q, where Q is positive definite, has been studied. In this paper, a two-sided iterative process for the same equation is investigated. The novel idea here is that the two sequences obtained by starting at two different values provide (a) an interval in which the solution is located, that is, Xk ≤ X ≤ Yk for all k and (b) a better stopping criterion. Some properties of solutions are discussed. Sufficient solvability conditions on a matrix A are derived. Moreover, when the matrix A is normal and satisfies an additional condition, the matrix equation has smallest and largest positive definite solutions. Finally, some numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.

This paper is concerned with the oscillation of first-order delay differential equations

where p(t) and τ(t) are piecewise continuous and nonnegative functions and τ(t) is non-decreasing. A new oscillation criterion is obtained.

A multispecies harvesting model with interference is proposed. The model is based on Lotka-Volterra dynamics with two competing species which are affected not only by harvesting but also by the presence of a predator, the third species. In order to understand the dynamics of this complicated system, we choose to model the simplest possible predator response function in which the feeding rate of the predator increases linearly with prey density. We derive the conditions for global stability of the system using a Lyapunov function. The possibility of existence of a bioeconomic equilibrium is discussed. The optimal harvest policy is studied and the solution is derived in the equilibrium case using Pontryagin's maximal principle. Finally, some numerical examples are discussed.

In this paper, we study the global attractivity of the zero solution of a particular impulsive delay differential equation. Some sufficient conditions that guarantee every solution of the equation converges to zero are obtained.