Variability of paths and differential equations with $BV$-coefficients

Abstract: We define compositions $\varphi(X)$ of H\"older paths $X$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$ and functions of bounded variation $\varphi$ under a relative condition involving the path and the gradient measure of $\varphi$. We show the existence and properties of generalized Lebesgue-Stieltjes integrals of compositions $\varphi(X)$ with respect to a given H\"older path $Y$. These results are then used, together with Doss' transform, to obtain existence and, in a certain sense, uniqueness results for differential equations in $\mathbb{R}^n$ driven by H\"older paths and involving coefficients of bounded variation. Examples include equations with discontinuous coefficients driven by paths of two-dimensional fractional Brownian motions.