Long-time dynamics in plate models with strong nonlinear damping

Abstract: We study long-time dynamics of a class of abstract second order in time evolution equations in a Hilbert space with the damping term depending both on displacement and velocity. This damping represents the nonlinear strong dissipation phenomenon perturbed with relatively compact terms. Our main result states the existence of a compact finite dimensional attractor. We study properties of this attractor. We also establish the existence of a fractal exponential attractor and give the conditions that guarantee the existence of a finite number of determining functionals. In the case when the set of equilibria is finite and hyperbolic we show that every trajectory is attracted by some equilibrium with exponential rate. Our arguments involve a recently developed method based on the "compensated" compactness and quasi-stability estimates. As an application we consider the nonlinear Kirchhoff, Karman and Berger plate models with different types of boundary conditions and strong damping terms. Our results can be also applied to the nonlinear wave equations.