Network optimality conditions

Optimality conditions for optimal control problems arising in network modeling are discussed. We confine ourselves to the steady state network models. Therefore, we consider only control systems described by ordinary differential equations. First, we derive optimality conditions for the nonlinear problem for a single beam. These conditions are formulated in terms of the local Pontryagin maximum principle and the matrix Riccati equation. Then, the optimality conditions for the control problem for networks posed on an arbitrary planar graph are discussed. This problem has a set of independent variables x_i varying within their intervals [0, l_i], associated with the corresponding beams at network edges. The lengths l_i of intervals are not specified and must be determined. So, the optimization problem is non-standard, it is a combination of control and design of networks. However, using a linear change of the independent variables, it can be reduced to a standard one, and we show this. Two simple numerical examples for the single-beam problem are considered.