Ellipsoidal Approximation of the Set of Solutions of Interval Systems of Linear Algebraic Equations

The article presents the results of the approximation of the set of solutions of interval systems of linear algebraic equations. These systems are used in the problems of modeling linear deterministic processes. It is assumed that the modeled process is described by an output variable and a set of input variables, the measurement errors of which are assumed to be set by known intervals symmetric with respect to the zero value. Traditionally, the sets of solutions of interval systems of linear algebraic equations in applied problems are approximated by a hyper-rectangular whose sides are parallel to the axes of the selected coordinate system. In this paper, we propose to use an ellipsoidal approximation of these sets, which is more efficient. The main results of the work include the substantiation of assumptions about the properties of the modeled process, the choice of a mathematical method for constructing an approximating ellipsoid, the proposed method for forming boundary points, and a numerical method for solving the problem. A computer simulation of the problem of estimating the parameters of a linear process is performed in Excel, which is used for a comparative study of approximations of solutions of interval systems of linear algebraic equations by a hyper-rectangular and an ellipse.

Large-Scale Shape Transformations of a Sphere Made of a Magnetoactive Elastomer

Magnetostriction effect, i.e., deformation under the action of a uniform applied field, is analyzed to detail for a spherical sample of a magnetoactive elastomer (MAE). A close analogy with the field-induced elongation of spherical ferrofluid droplets implies that similar characteristic effects viz. hysteresis stretching and transfiguration into a distinctively nonellipsoidal bodies, should be inherent to MAE objects as well. The absence until now of such studies seems to be due to very unfavorable conclusions which follow from the theoretical estimates, all of which are based on the assumption that a deformed sphere always retains the geometry of ellipsoid of revolution just changing its aspect ratio under field. Building up an adequate numerical modelling tool, we show that the ‘ellipsoidal’ approximation is misleading beginning right from the case of infinitesimal field strengths and strain increments. The results obtained show that the above-mentioned magnetodeformational effect should distinctively manifest itself in the objects made of quite ordinary MAEs, e.g., composites on the base of silicone cautchouc filled with micron-size carbonyl iron powder.