\(\Gamma\)-limit of periodic obstacles (Q5945976)

The paper deals with the asymptotic behaviour, as \(k\to\infty\), of the solutions of the obstacle problems \[ m_k=\min\bigg\{\int_\Omega |Du|^2 dx +\langle f,u\rangle : u\geq\psi_k\text{ q.e. in }B,\;u\in H^1_0(\Omega\bigg\}, \] q.e. means quasi-everywhere, where \(\Omega\) is a bounded open subset of \({\mathbb R}^n\), \(n\geq 3\), \(f\in H^{-1}(\Omega)\), and \(B\) is a relatively compact subset of \(\Omega\) with \(|\partial B|=0\). The obstacles \(\psi_k\) are \(]0,1,k[^n\)-periodic functions whose restrictions to \(]0,1/k[^n\) are obtained as \(\psi_k(x)=\psi(k^{n\over n-1}x)\), where \(\psi\colon {\mathbb R}^n\to\overline{\mathbb R}\) is assumed to be quasi-upper semicontinuous, bounded from above, and such that \(\psi=-\infty\) out of the closed ball centred in 0 with radius 1. It is proved that, if for every \(t\in{\mathbb R}\) \[ g(t)=\min\bigg\{\int_{{\mathbb R}^n}|Dv|^2 dx : v-t\in{\mathcal D}^{1,2}({\mathbb R}^n),\;v\geq\psi\text{ q.e. in }{\mathbb R}^n\bigg\}, \] where \({\mathcal D}^{1,2}({\mathbb R}^n)=\{w\in L^{2^*}({\mathbb R}^n) : Dw\in L^2({\mathbb R}^n)\}\), and if for every \(k\) \(u_k\) is the solution of \(m_k\), then \(\{u_k\}\) converges to the solution \(u_\infty\) of \[ \min\bigg\{\int_\Omega |Du|^2 dx +\langle f,u\rangle +\int_B g(u) dx : u\in H^1_0(\Omega\bigg\}, \] and \[ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |Du_k|^2 dx=\int_\Omega |Du_\infty|^2 dx+\int_B g(u) dx. \] The result is proved by using \(\Gamma\)-convergence theory. An example is also discussed showing that the knowledge of the capacity of \(\{\psi\geq t\}\) for every \(t\) is not sufficient to determine \(g\).