A regularization for discontinuous differential equations with application to state-dependent delay differential equations of neutral type (Q630588)

Motivated by neutral delay differential equations with state depended delays, the authors deal with the regularization of solutions of an initial problem involving a discontinuous differential equation. Such problems arise also in control theory and in the theory of non-smooth dynamical systems. The possible discontinuity in the derivative of the solutions of such problems at the initial point, may propagate along the integration interval giving rise to so-called ``breaking points'', where the solution derivative is again discontinuous. Consequently, the problem of continuing the solution in a right neighborhood of a breaking point is equivalent to a Cauchy problem for an ODE with a discontinuous right hand side. Therefore, a classical solution may cease to exist. So, in order to obtain a regularized solution, the authors associate with the considered problem an approximated problem by replacing the right hand side of the differential equation by its average in the time interval \([t-\varepsilon, t]\). Then, it is proved that the obtained solution of the approximated problem converges as \(\varepsilon\to 0\) to a classical Filippov solution. Properties of the solutions corresponding to small \(\varepsilon>0\) are presented and illustrating remarks and examples are also given throughout the paper.