Sharp energy estimates for nonlinearly locally damped PDEs via observability for the associated undamped system

We consider the problem of sharp energy decay rates for nonlinearly damped abstract infinitedimensional systems. Direct methods for nonlinear stabilization generally rely on multiplier techniques, and thus are valid under restrictive geometric conditions compared to the optimal geometric optics condition of Bardos et al. (1992) [10]. We prove sharp, simple and quasi-optimal energy decay rates through an indirect method, namely an observability estimate for the corresponding undamped system. One of the main advantage of these results is that they allow to combine optimal geometric conditions, as for instance that of Bardos et al. (1992) [10] and the optimal-weight convexity method of the first author (Alabau- Boussouira, 2010 [6], Alabau-Boussouira, 2005 [2]) to deduce very simple and quasi-optimal energy decay rates for nonlinearly locally damped systems.We also show that using arguments based on Russell’s principle (Russell, 1978 [24]), one can deduce sharp energy decay rates from the exponential stabilization of the linearly damped system. Our results extend to nonlinearly damped systems, those of Haraux (1989) [14] and Ammari and Tucsnak (2001) [9] which concern linearly damped systems. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved