Characterization theorem for best polynomial spline approximation with   free knots
  In this paper, we derive a necessary condition for a best approximation by piecewise polynomial functions. We apply nonsmooth nonconvex analysis to obtain this result, which is also a necessary and sufficient condition for inf-stationarity in the sense of Demyanov-Rubinov. We start from identifying a special property of the knots. Then, using this property, we construct a characterization theorem for best free knots polynomial spline approximation, which is stronger than the existing characterisation results when only continuity is required. 
Nadezda Sukhorukova and Julien Ugon
math.OC math.NA