Singular solutions of contact problems and block elements

In this work, we consider mixed problems of elasticity theory, in particular, contact problems for cases that are nontraditional. They include mixed problems with discontinuous boundary conditions in which the singularities in the behavior of contact stresses are not studied or the energy of the singularities is unbounded. An example of such mixed problems is contact problems for two rigid stamps approaching each other by rectilinear boundaries up to contact but not merging into one stamp. It has been shown that such problems, which appear in seismology, failure theory, and civil engineering, have singular components with unbounded energy and can be solved by topological methods with pointwise convergence, in particular, by the block element method. Numerical methods that are based on using the energy integral are not applicable to such problems in view of its divergence.     

A kernel-free boundary integral method for elliptic boundary value problems

This paper presents a class of kernel-free boundary integral (KFBI) methods for general elliptic boundary value problems (BVPs). The boundary integral equations reformulated from the BVPs are solved iteratively with the GMRES method. During the iteration, the boundary and volume integrals involving Green’s functions are approximated by structured grid-based numerical solutions, which avoids the need to know the analytical expressions of Green’s functions. The KFBI method assumes that the larger regular domain, which embeds the original complex domain, can be easily partitioned into a hierarchy of structured grids so that fast elliptic solvers such as the fast Fourier transform (FFT) based Poisson/Helmholtz solvers or those based on geometric multigrid iterations are applicable. The structured grid-based solutions are obtained with standard finite difference method (FDM) or finite element method (FEM), where the right hand side of the resulting linear system is appropriately modified at irregular grid nodes to recover the formal accuracy of the underlying numerical scheme. Numerical results demonstrating the efficiency and accuracy of the KFBI methods are presented. It is observed that the number of GMRES iterations used by the method for solving isotropic and moderately anisotropic BVPs is independent of the sizes of the grids that are employed to approximate the boundary and volume integrals. With the standard second-order FEMs and FDMs, the KFBI method shows a second-order convergence rate in accuracy for all of the tested Dirichlet/Neumann BVPs when the anisotropy of the diffusion tensor is not too strong.     

A kernel-free boundary integral method for elliptic boundary value problems

This paper presents a class of kernel-free boundary integral (KFBI) methods for general elliptic boundary value problems (BVPs). The boundary integral equations reformulated from the BVPs are solved iteratively with the GMRES method. During the iteration, the boundary and volume integrals involving Green’s functions are approximated by structured grid-based numerical solutions, which avoids the need to know the analytical expressions of Green’s functions. The KFBI method assumes that the larger regular domain, which embeds the original complex domain, can be easily partitioned into a hierarchy of structured grids so that fast elliptic solvers such as the fast Fourier transform (FFT) based Poisson/Helmholtz solvers or those based on geometric multigrid iterations are applicable. The structured grid-based solutions are obtained with standard finite difference method (FDM) or finite element method (FEM), where the right hand side of the resulting linear system is appropriately modified at irregular grid nodes to recover the formal accuracy of the underlying numerical scheme. Numerical results demonstrating the efficiency and accuracy of the KFBI methods are presented. It is observed that the number of GMRES iterations used by the method for solving isotropic and moderately anisotropic BVPs is independent of the sizes of the grids that are employed to approximate the boundary and volume integrals. With the standard second-order FEMs and FDMs, the KFBI method shows a second-order convergence rate in accuracy for all of the tested Dirichlet/Neumann BVPs when the anisotropy of the diffusion tensor is not too strong.     

Extremal points for fractional boundary value problems

This article is concerned with characterizing the first extremal point, b₀, for a Riemann–Liouville fractional boundary value problem, D^α₀₊y + p(t)y = 0, 0 < t < b, y(0) = y′(0) = y″(b) = 0, 2 < α ≤ 3, by applying the theory of u₀-positive operators with respect to a suitable cone in a Banach space. The key argument is that a mapping, which maps a linear, compact operator, depending on b to its spectral radius, is continuous and strictly increasing as a function of b. Furthermore, an application to a nonlinear case is given.     

Green function solution of generalised boundary value problems

We construct an expression for the Green function of a differential operator satisfying nonlocal, homogeneous boundary conditions starting from the fundamental solution of the differential operator. This also provides the solution to the boundary value problem of an inhomogeneous partial differential equation with inhomogeneous, nonlocal boundary conditions. The construction applies for a broad class of linear partial differential equations and linear boundary conditions.     

Methods of investigation of boundary value problems in viscoelasticity theory

The present paper is devoted to some classical and modern methods of solving boundary value problems of viscoelasticity theory, including the Volterra principle, Il’yushin’s approximation method, Pobedrya’s method of numerical realization of an elastic solution, the method of Laplace (Laplace-Carson) transform and Z-transform, the method of time steps, the usage of viscoelastic models with fractional time derivatives (fractal models), and methods using a new representation of constitutive relations of nonlinear viscoelasticity To Boris Efimovich Pobedria on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Determinants,finite-difference operators and boundary value problems

We relate the determinants of differential and difference operators to the boundary values of solutions of the operators. Previous proofs of related results have involved considering one-parameter families of such operators, showing the desired quantities are equal up to a constant, and then calculating the constant. We take a more direct approach. For a fixed operator, we prove immediately that the two sides of our formulas are equal by using the following simple observation (Proposition 1.3):Let USU(n,C).Write U in block form

Determinants of dirac boundary value problems over odd-dimensional manifolds

We present a canonical construction of the determinant of an elliptic selfadjoint boundary value problem for the Dirac operatorD over an odd-dimensional manifold. For 1-dimensional manifolds we prove that this coincides with the -function determinant. This is based on a result that elliptic self-adjoint boundary conditions forD are parameterized by a preferred class of unitary isomorphisms between the spaces of boundary chiral spinor fields. With respect to a decompositionS ¹=X ⁰X ¹, we explain how the determinant of a Dirac-type operator overS ¹ is related to the determinants of the corresponding boundary value problems overX ⁰ andX ¹.     

A variational principle for boundary value problems in kinetic theory

A variational principle which applies directly to the integrodifferential form of the linearized Boltzmann equation is introduced. Extremely general boundary conditions and collision terms are allowed. For a class of interesting problems, the value of the functional to be varied is shown to be closely related to quantities of great physical interest. The formalism is applied to the treatment of plane Couette flow for different forms of the collision term (BGK model, rigid spheres, Maxwell's molecules).Research sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under contract F 61(052)-68-C-0020, through the European Office of Aerospace Research, OAR, United States Air Force.     

Mapping physical problems on fractals onto boundary value problems within continuum framework

In this Letter, we emphasize that methods of fractal homogenization should take into account a loop structure of the fractal, as well as its connectivity and geodesic metric. The fractal attributes can be quantified by a set of dimension numbers. Accordingly, physical problems on fractals can be mapped onto the boundary values problems in the fractional-dimensional space with metric induced by the fractal topology. The solutions of these problems represent analytical envelopes of non-analytical functions defined on the fractal. Some examples are briefly discussed. The interplay between effects of fractal connectivity, loop structure, and mass distributions on electromagnetic fields in fractal media is highlighted. The effects of fractal connectivity, geodesic metric, and loop structure are outlined.     

Existence and uniqueness for nonlinear boundary value problems in kinetic theory

A boundary value problem for the stationary nonlinear Boltzmann equation in a slab has been examined in a weightedL space. It has been proved that the problem possesses a unique solution for boundary data small enough. The proof is based on the implicit function theorem. It has also been shown that for the linearized problem the Fredholm alternative applies.     

Helmholtz equation and non-singular boundary elements applied to multi-disciplinary physical problems

The famous scientist Hermann von Helmholtz was born 200 years ago. Many complex physical wave phenomena in engineering can effectively be described using one or a set of equations named after him: the Helmholtz equation. Although this has been known for a long time, from a theoretical point of view, the actual numerical implementation has often been hindered by divergence-free and/or curl-free constraints. There is further a need for a numerical method that is accurate, reliable and takes into account radiation conditions at infinity. The classical boundary element method satisfies the last condition, yet one has to deal with singularities in the implementation. We review here how a recently developed singularity-free three-dimensional boundary element framework with superior accuracy can be used to tackle such problems only using one or a few Helmholtz equations with higher order (quadratic) elements which can tackle complex curved shapes. Examples are given for acoustics (a Helmholtz resonator among others) and electromagnetic scattering.