The principle of stationary action in the calculus of variations

We review some techniques from non-linear analysis in order to investigate critical paths for the action functional in the calculus of variations applied to physics. Previous attempts to analyse when these are minima ex- ist, but mainly based on physical reasoning and only for a restricted class of models. Our main intention in this regard is to develop precise mathematical conditions for critical paths to be minimum solutions in a variety of situations. Our claim is that, with a few techniques, a systematic analysis (including the domain for which critical points are genuine minima) of non-trivial models is possible. We present specific models arising in modern physical theories in order to make clear the ideas here exposed.