Given a parametrised measure and a family of continuous functions (φn), we construct a sequence of functions (uk) such that, as k→∞, the functions φn(uk) converge to the corresponding moments of the measure,in the weak * topology. Using the sequence (uk) corresponding to a dense family of continuous functions, a proof of the fundamental theorem for Young measures is given.

We apply these techniques to an optimal design problem for plates with variable thickness. The relaxation of the compliance functional involves three continuous functions of the thickness. We characterise a set of admissible generalised thicknesses, on which the relaxed functional attains its minimum.

Let A be a strong independence algebra of infinite rank m. Let ℒ(A) be the inverse monoid of all local automorphisms of A. The Baer–Levi semigroup B over the algebra A is defined to be the subsemigroup of ℒ(A) consisting of all the elements α with dom α = A and corank im α = m. Let Km be the subsemigroup of ℒ(A) generated by B−1B. Then Km is inverse and it is generated (as a semigroup) by N2, the subset of ℒ(A) consisting of all nilpotent elements of index 2. The 2-nilpotent depth, Δ2(Km) of Km is defined to be the smallest positive integer t such that Km = N2∪…∪(N2)t. In fact, Δ2(Km) is either 2 or 3 and a criterion is found which distinguishes between the two cases.

If N denotes the set of all nilpotents in ℒ(A), then the subsemigroup generated by N is also Km. In fact, Km is proved to be exactly N2.

For scalar variational problems

subject to linear boundary values, we determine completely those integrands W: ℝn → ℝ for which the minimum is not attained, thereby completing previous efforts such as a recent nonexistence theorem of Chipot [9] and unifying a large number of examples and counterexamples in the literature.

As a corollary, we show that in case of nonattainment (and provided W grows superlinearly at infinity), every minimising sequence converges weakly but not strongly in W1,1(Ω) to a unique limit, namely the linear deformation prescribed at the boundary, and develops fine structure everywhere in Ω, that is to say every Young measure associated with the sequence of its gradients is almost-nowhere a Dirac mass.

Connections with solid–solid phase transformations are indicated.

We study the development of concentration profiles in a semi-infinite slab of semiconductor material after impurities have been implanted uniformly through the slab, under the assumption that, at the face of the slab, no impurities can pass and the vacancy concentration is kept at its equilibrium value. It is shown that profiles of self-similar form exist, and their qualitative shape, as well as their asymptotic properties far from the face of the slab, are determined.

We consider the bifurcation of positive solutions of the two-point boundary value problem

where λ> 0 is a real bifurcation parameter, and f ∊ C2 satisfies (fl) f(0) < 0, (f2) f′(s) > 0 for s > 0, (f3) f″(s) < 0 for s > 0 and (f4) limS→+∞f(s) = M where 0 < M ≦+∞. This problem has been studied by Casto and Shivaji under two additional hypotheses (f5) lims→+∞sf′(s) = 0, and (f6)f(θ)/θ < f′(θ), where θ is a positive number satisfying Assuming (fl)−(f6), Castro and Shivaji obtain some existence and nonexistence results and hence partial information on the bifurcation diagram, and they conjecture that this problem has at most two positive solutions. We prove this conjecture. Furthermore, we are able to generalise and improve their results under hypotheses (fl)−(f4). As a corollary, we show that there exists μ1 > 0 such that there exist no positive solutions for 0 <λ <μ1 and at most two positive solutions for μ1≦λ< + ∞, which improves a result of Brunovsky and Chow.

We consider the Cauchy problem for the quasilinear heat equation

where σ > 0 is a fixed constant, with the critical exponent in the source term β = βc = σ + 1 + 2/N. It is well-known that if β ∈(1,βc) then any non-negative weak solution u(x, t)≢0 blows up in a finite time. For the semilinear heat equation (HE) with σ = 0, the above result was proved by H. Fujita [4].

In the present paper we prove that u ≢ 0 blows up in the critical case β = σ + 1 + 2/N with σ > 0. A similar result is valid for the equation with gradient-dependent diffusivity

with σ > 0, and the critical exponent β = σ + 1 + (σ + 2)/N.

We obtain the Γ(L1(Ώ))-limit of the sequence

where Eε is the family of anisotropic perturbations

of the nonconvex functional of vector-valued functions

The proof relies on the blow-up argument introduced by Fonseca and Müller.

Nonautonomous parabolic equations of the form ut − Δu = f(u, t) on a symmetric domain are considered. Using the moving-hyperplane method, it is proved that any bounded nonnegative solution symmetrises as t → ∞. This is then used to show that for nonlinearities periodic in t, any non-negative bounded solution approaches a periodic solution.

We study the dynamical behaviour, as t → ∞, of admissible weak solutions of the scalar balance law

with x ∊ ≡ ℝ/Lℤ, L > 0, 0 < t < ∞, and f(·) ∊ C2, g(·) ∊ C1. We assume that f(·) is strictly convex, while g(·) is of at most linear growth, has finitely many zeros and changes sign across them. We show that, if u(·,t) stays bounded in L∞(S1), as t → ∞, then it either converges to a constant state or approaches asymptotically a rotating wave, i.e. an admissible weak solution of (1.1) of the form ũ(x − ct), c ∈ ℝ. Hence, the asymptotic state of every bounded solution of (1.1) consists precisely of either an equilibrium or one time-periodic solution. Furthermore, each one of these two alternatives is characterised by the Conley indices of the critical points of the ordinary differential equation .

A class of semilinear elliptic systems of two equations is considered. Sufficient conditions are given for the existence of different types of sign-definite solutions. These conditions relate the larger eigenvalues of certain 2 × 2 real matrices associated with the system to the first eigenvalue of − ∆ under the homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. A special case provides a complementary result to some of the recent works.