Finite element solution of nonlinear elliptic problems

Summary The study of the finite element approximation to nonlinear second order elliptic boundary value problems with mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions is presented. In the discretization variational crimes are commited (approximation of the given domain by a polygonal one, numerical integration). With the assumption that the corresponding operator is strongly monotone and Lipschitz-continuous and that the exact solutionuH ¹(), the convergence of the method is proved; under the additional assumptionuH ²(), the rate of convergenceO(h) is derived without the use of Green's theorem.     

Numerical methods for reaction-diffusion problems with non-differentiable kinetics

Summary We consider a class of steady-state semilinear reaction-diffusion problems with non-differentiable kinetics. The analytical properties of these problems have received considerable attention in the literature. We take a first step in analyzing their numerical approximation. We present a finite element method and establish error bounds which are optimal for some of the problems. In addition, we also discuss a finite difference approach. Numerical experiments for one- and two-dimensional problems are reported.Dedicated to Ivo Babuka on his sixtieth birthdayResearch partially supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Systems Command, USAF under Grant Number AFOSR 85-0322     

A multi-grid algorithm for mixed problems with penalty

Summary In this paper we describe a multi-grid algorithm for the finite element approximation of mixed problems with penalty by the MINI-element. It is proved that the convergence rate of the algorithm is bounded away from 1 independently of the meshsize and of the penalty parameter. For convenience, we only discuss Jacobi relaxation as smoothing operator in detail.The paper was written during the author's stay at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and revised by D. Braess after the author's return to China     

On the boundary element method for some nonlinear boundary value problems

Summary Here we analyse the boundary element Galerkin method for two-dimensional nonlinear boundary value problems governed by the Laplacian in an interior (or exterior) domain and by highly nonlinear boundary conditions. The underlying boundary integral operator here can be decomposed into the sum of a monotoneous Hammerstein operator and a compact mapping. We show stability and convergence by using Leray-Schauder fixed-point arguments due to Petryshyn and Neas.Using properties of the linearised equations, we can also prove quasioptimal convergence of the spline Galerkin approximations.This work was carried out while the first author was visiting the University of Stuttgart     

Numerical computation of least constants for the Sobolev inequality

Summary Least constantsc for the well-known Sobolev inequality fcf _{m, G} ,fH ^m (G) are obtained in closed form by a reproducing kernel technique, where the Sobolev spaceH ^m (G) for a domainG in ⁿ is defined as the completion ofC ^m (G) with respect to the Sobolev norm given by , where is the norm ofL ₂ (G) and is the supremum norm onG. Numerical values for the case whereG is the ⁿ are given.     

Mixed finite elements for second order elliptic problems in three variables

Summary Two families of mixed finite elements, one based on simplices and the other on cubes, are introduced as alternatives to the usual Raviart-Thomas-Nedelec spaces. These spaces are analogues of those introduced by Brezzi, Douglas, and Marini in two space variables. Error estimates inL ² andH ^–s are derived.     

An asymptotic finite element method for improvement of solutions of boundary layer problems

Summary A scheme that uses singular perturbation theory to improve the performance of existing finite element methods is presented. The proposed scheme improves the error bounds of the standard Galerkin finite element scheme by a factor of O(ⁿ⁺¹) (where is the small parameter andn is the order of the asymptotic approximation). Numerical results for linear second order O.D.E.'s are given and are compared with several other schemes.     

A finite element lumped mass scheme for solving eigenvalue problems of circular arches

Summary This study is a continuation of a previous paper [4] in which the numerical results are given by using single precision arithmetic. In this paper, we show the numerical results which experess the sharper convergence properties than those of [4], by using double precision arithmetic.Dedicated to Prof. Masaya Yamaguti on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

A numerical method for detecting singular minimizers of multidimensional problems in nonlinear elasticity

Summary In this paper we describe and analyse a numerical method that detects singular minimizers and avoids the Lavrentiev phenomenon for three dimensional problems in nonlinear elasticity. This method extends to three dimensions the corresponding one dimensional method of Ball and Knowles.     

Regularity theorems and optimal error estimates for linear parabolic Cauchy problems

Summary We prove some regularity results for the solution of a linear abstract Cauchy problem of parabolic type. As an application, we study the approximation of the solution by means of an implicit-Euler discretization in time, which is stable with respect to a wide class of Galerkin approximation methods in space. The error is evaluated in norms of typeL ²(0, ,L ²) andL ²(0, ,V)(H ₀₀ ^1/2 (0, ,H)+H ¹(0, ,V)), whereVHV are Hilbert spaces (the embeddings are supposed to be dense and continuous). We prove error estimates which are optimal with respect to the regularity assumptions on the right-hand side of the equation.The author was supported by G.N.A.F.A. and I.A.N. of C.N.R. and by M.P.I.     

AnL 2-error estimate for an approximation of the solution of a parabolic variational inequality

Summary We estimate the order of the difference between the numerical approximation and the solution of a parabolic variational inequality. The numerical approximation is obtained using a finite element discretization in space and a finite difference discretization in time which is more general than is used in the literature. We obtain better error estimates than those given in the literature. The error estimates are compared with numerical experiments.     

Numerical analysis of cavitational flow-theory

Summary We present theoretical results on the numerical approximation of ideal two dimensional flows of jets and cavities.     

A nonconforming combined method for solving Laplace's boundary value problems with singularities

Summary For solving Laplace's boundary value problems with singularities, a nonconforming combined approach of the Ritz-Galerkin method and the finite element method is presented. In this approach, singular functions are chosen to be admissible functions in the part of a solution domain where there exist singularities; and piecewise linear functions are chosen to be admissible functions in the rest of the solution domain. In addition, the admissible functions used here are constrained to be continuous only at the element nodes on the common boundary of both methods. This method is nonconforming; however, the nonconforming effect does not result in larger errors of numerical solutions as long as a suitable coupling strategy is used.In this paper, we will develop such an approach by using a new coupling strategy, which is described as follows: IfL+1=O(|lnh|), the average errors of numerical solutions and their generalized derivatives are stillO(h), whereh is the maximal boundary length of quasiuniform triangular elements in the finite element method, andL+1 is the total number of singular admissible functions in the Ritz-Galerkin method. The coupling relation,L+1=O(|lnh|), is significant because only a few singular functions are required for a good approximation of solutions.This material is from Chapter 5 in my Ph.D. thesis: Numerical Methods for Elliptic Boundary Value Problems with Singularities. Part I: Boundary Methods for Solving Elliptic Problems with Singularities. Part II: Nonconforming Combinations for Solving Elliptic Problems with Singularities, the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Toronto, May 1986     

Numerical solutions for some coupled systems of nonlinear boundary value problems

Summary In the well-known Volterra-Lotka model concerning two competing species with diffusion, the densities of the species are governed by a coupled system of reaction diffusion equations. The aim of this paper is to present an iterative scheme for the steady state solutions of a finite difference system which corresponds to the coupled nonlinear boundary value problems. This iterative scheme is based on the method of upper-lower solutions which leads to two monotone sequences from some uncoupled linear systems. It is shown that each of the two sequences converges to a nontrivial solution of the discrete equations. The model under consideration may have one, two or three nonzero solutions and each of these solutions can be computed by a suitable choice of initial iteration. Numerical results are given for these solutions under both the Dirichlet boundary condition and the mixed type boundary condition.     

On the numerical approximation of finite speed diffusion problems

Summary Lagrangian formulations for the Cauchy problems for the generalized-heat and porous-media equations are introduced and equivalence and existence results discussed. Efficient interface tracking finite difference and finite element discretizations of the Lagrangian formulation are discussed. Mixed Euler-Lagrange formulations for mixed problems and the one phase Stefan problem are presented. Numerical experiments are discussed.Dedicated on the occasion of Prof. Ivo Babuka's 60th birthday     

Compactness method in the finite element theory of nonlinear elliptic problems

Summary Finite element approximation of a nonlinear elliptic pseudomonotone second-order boundary value problem in a bounded nonpolygonal domain with mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions is studied. In the discretization we approximate the domain by a polygonal one, use linear conforming triangular elements and evaluate integrals by numerical quadratures. We prove the solvability of the discrete problem and on the basis of compactness properties of the corresponding operator (which is not monotone in general) we prove the convergence of approximate solutions to an exact weak solutionuH ¹ ). No additional assumption on the regularity of the exact solution is needed.     

Fully discrete Galerkin approximations of parabolic boundary-value problems with nonsmooth boundary data

Summary In this paper we study the convergence properties of a fully discrete Galerkin approximation with a backwark Euler time discretization scheme. An approach based on semigroup theory is used to deal with the nonsmooth Dirichlet boundary data which cannot be handled by standard techniques. This approach gives rise to optimal rates of convergence inL _p[O,T;L ₂()] norms for boundary conditions inL _p[O,T;L ₂()], 1p.     

A primal hybrid finite element method for quasilinear second order elliptic problems

Summary The Robin problem for a nonlinear, second-order, elliptic equation is approximated by a primal hybrid method. Optimal order error estimates are established in various norms, with minimal regularity requirements in almost all cases.     

Numerical analysis of the equations of small strains quasistatic elastoviscoplasticity

Summary The present paper deals with the mathematical and the numerical analysis of small strains elastoviscoplasticity. By considering the problem as an evolution equation whose only unknown is the stress field, the quasistatic elastoviscoplastic evolution problem is proved to be well-posed, consistent mixed finite element approximations are introduced, and classical numerical algorithms are interpreted. In particular, augmented Lagrangian methods operating on the velocity appear as standard alternating-directions time-integrations of this stress evolution problem.     

A new class of variational problems arising in the modeling of elastic multi-structures

Summary It is shown howelastic multi-structures that comprise substructures of possibly different dimensions (three-dimensional structures, plates, rods) are modeled bycoupled, pluri-dimensional, variational problems of a new type. Following recent work by the author, H. LeDret, and R. Nzengwa, we describe here in detail one such problem, which is simultaneously posed over a threedimensional open set with a slit and a two-dimensional open set. The numerical analysis of such problems is also discussed and finally, some numerical results are presented.Dedicated to R. S. Varga on the occasion of his sixtieth birthdayInvited lecture,Conference on Approximation Theory and Numerical Linear Algebra, in honor of Richard S. Varga on the occasion of his 60th birthday, March 30–April 1, 1989, Kent State University, Kent, USALaboratoire du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique associé à l'Université Pierre et Marie Curie