A priori error estimates for optimal control problems with pointwise constraints on the gradient of the state (Q634609)

The authors analyze a finite element approximation of the following elliptic optimal control problem with pointwise bounds on the gradient of the state variable: \[ \underset{Q\times V}{}{\text{Minimize}}\;J(q,u):{1\over 2}\| u- u^d\|^2_{L^2}+ R(q) \] such that \((u,q)\) satisfies the linear partial differential equation \[ -\Delta u= Bq\quad\text{in }Q\quad\text{and }u= 0\quad\text{on }\delta\Omega \] and such that \(|\nabla u|\leq 1\) on \(\overline\Omega\). Convergence rates are derived if the control space is discretized implicitly by the state equation. If the control space is discretized directly, the authors first prove a regularity result for the optimal control to control the approx mitation error, based on which analogous convergence rates are obtained. Numerical examples are not presented.