On the Structure of the Moving Finite-element Equations

Address from 1st April 1985, School of Mathematics, Universityof Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TW. The morning finite-element method for evolutionary partial differentialequations leads to a coupled non-linear system of ordinary differentialequations in time, with a coefficien matrix A, say, for thetime derivaties, We show for linear elements in any number ofdimensions, A can be written in the form M^TCM, where the matrixC depends solely on the mesh geometry and the matrix M on thegradient of the section, As a simple consequence we show thatA is singular only in the cases (i) element degeneracy () and (ii) collinearity of nodes (M not out of fullrank). We give constructions for the inversion of A in all cases. In one dimension, if A is non-singular, it has a simple explicitinverse. If A is singular we replace it by reduced matrix A^*.It can be shown that every case the spectral radius of the Jacobiiteration matrix ia ?and that A or A^* can be efficiently invertedby conjugate gradient methods. Finally, we discuss the applicability of these arguments tosystem of equations in any number of dimensions.