Variational equations and inequalities

Abstract

In this chapter we review some standard results for boundary value and initial–boundary value problems, paying particular attention to weak or variational formulations. The first section will be concerned with elliptic variational equations, and this will be followed by a review of some material on elliptic variational inequalities. Because the variational form taken by elastoplastic problems resembles that of parabolic variational inequalities, we also include some material on this class of problems.