Higher Order Rigidity and Energy

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Gortler, Steven J., Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda, Theran, Louis
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Gortler, Steven J.
Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda
Theran, Louis
author_facet Gortler, Steven J.
Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda
Theran, Louis
contents In this paper, we revisit the notion of higher-order rigidity of a bar-and-joint framework. In particular, we provide a link between the rigidity properties of a framework, and the growth order of an energy function defined on that framework. Using our approach, we propose a general definition for the rigidity order of a framework, and we show that this definition does not depend on the details of the chosen energy function. Then we show how this order can be studied using higher order derivative tests. Doing so, we obtain a new proof that the lack of a second order flex implies rigidity. Our proof relies on our construction of a fourth derivative test, which may be applied to a critical point when the second derivative test fails. We also obtain a new proof that when the dimension of non-trivial first-order flexes equals $1$, then the lack of a $k$th order flex for some $k$ implies a framework is rigid. The higher order derivative tests that we study here may have applications beyond rigidity theory.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_03108
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Higher Order Rigidity and Energy
Gortler, Steven J.
Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda
Theran, Louis
Metric Geometry
Optimization and Control
In this paper, we revisit the notion of higher-order rigidity of a bar-and-joint framework. In particular, we provide a link between the rigidity properties of a framework, and the growth order of an energy function defined on that framework. Using our approach, we propose a general definition for the rigidity order of a framework, and we show that this definition does not depend on the details of the chosen energy function. Then we show how this order can be studied using higher order derivative tests. Doing so, we obtain a new proof that the lack of a second order flex implies rigidity. Our proof relies on our construction of a fourth derivative test, which may be applied to a critical point when the second derivative test fails. We also obtain a new proof that when the dimension of non-trivial first-order flexes equals $1$, then the lack of a $k$th order flex for some $k$ implies a framework is rigid. The higher order derivative tests that we study here may have applications beyond rigidity theory.
title Higher Order Rigidity and Energy
topic Metric Geometry
Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.03108