A new method of fundamental solutions applied to nonhomogeneous elliptic problems

The classical method of fundamental solutions (MFS) has only been used to approximate the solution of homogeneous PDE problems. Coupled with other numerical schemes such as domain integration, dual reciprocity method (with polynomial or radial basis functions interpolation), the MFS can be extended to solve the nonhomogeneous problems. This paper presents an extension of the MFS for the direct approximation of Poisson and nonhomogeneous Helmholtz problems. This can be done by using the fundamental solutions of the associated eigenvalue equations as a basis to approximate the nonhomogeneous term. The particular solution of the PDE can then be evaluated. An advantage of this mesh-free method is that the resolution of both homogeneous and nonhomogeneous equations can be combined in a unified way and it can be used for multiscale problems. Numerical simulations are presented and show the quality of the approximations for several test examples. AMS subject classification 35J25, 65N38, 65R20, 74J20     

A matrix decomposition MFS algorithm for axisymmetric biharmonic problems

We consider the approximate solution of axisymmetric biharmonic problems using a boundary-type meshless method, the Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS) with fixed singularities and boundary collocation. For such problems, the coefficient matrix of the linear system defining the approximate solution has a block circulant structure. This structure is exploited to formulate a matrix decomposition method employing fast Fourier transforms for the efficient solution of the system. The results of several numerical examples are presented. AMS subject classification 65N38, 65F30, 65T50, 65Y99     

Study on connections of the MFS, Trefftz method, indirect BIEM and invariant MFS in the three-dimensional Laplace problems containing spherical boundaries

Following the success of a study on the method of fundamental solutions using an image concept [13], we extend to solve the three-dimensional Laplace problems containing spherical boundaries by using the three approaches. The case of eccentric sphere for the Laplace problem is considered. The optimal locations for the source distribution to include the foci in the MFS are also examined by using the image concept in the 3D problems. Whether a free constant is required or not in the MFS is also studied. The error distribution is discussed after comparing with the analytical solution derived by using the bispherical coordinates. Besides, the relationship between the Trefftz bases and the singularity in the MFS for the three-dimensional Laplace problems is also addressed. It is found that one source of the MFS contains several interior and exterior Trefftz sets through a degenerate kernel. On the contrary, one single Trefftz base can be superimposed by some lumped sources in the MFS through an indirect BIEM. Based on this finding, the relationship between the fictitious boundary densities of the indirect BIEM and the singularity strength in the MFS can be constructed due to the fact that the MFS is a lumped version of an indirect BIEM.     

The Trefftz method using fundamental solutions for biharmonic equations

In this paper, the Trefftz method of fundamental solution (FS), called the method of fundamental solution (MFS), is used for biharmonic equations. The bounds of errors are derived for the MFS with Almansi’s fundamental solutions (denoted as the MAFS) in bounded simply connected domains. The exponential and polynomial convergence rates are obtained from highly and finitely smooth solutions, respectively. The stability analysis of the MAFS is also made for circular domains. Numerical experiments are carried out for both smooth and singularity problems. The numerical results coincide with the theoretical analysis made. When the particular solutions satisfying the biharmonic equation can be found, the method of particular solutions (MPS) is always superior to the MFS and the MAFS, based on numerical examples. However, if such singular particular solutions near the singular points do not exist, the local refinement of collocation nodes and the greedy adaptive techniques can be used for seeking better source points. Based on the computed results, the MFS using the greedy adaptive techniques may provide more accurate solutions for singularity problems. Moreover, the numerical solutions by the MAFS with Almansi’s FS are slightly better in accuracy and stability than those by the traditional MFS. Hence, the MAFS with the AFS is recommended for biharmonic equations due to its simplicity.     

Numerical analysis of the method of fundamental solution for harmonic problems in annular domains

In this study, we investigate the application of the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) to the Dirichlet problem for Laplace's equation in an annular domain. We examine the properties of the resulting coefficient matrix and its eigenvalues. The convergence of the method is proved for analytic boundary data. An efficient matrix decomposition algorithm using fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) is developed for the computation of the MFS approximation. We also tested the algorithm numerically on several problems confirming the theoretical predictions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2005     

Combining MFS and PGD methods to solve transient heat equation

We propose in this article a numerical algorithm based on the combination of the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) and the proper generalized decomposition technique (PGD) to solve time‐dependent heat equation. The MFS is considered as a truly meshless technique well adapted for a wide range of physical problems and the PGD approach can be considered as a reduction technique based on the separated representation of the variable functions. The proposed study relates to a separation between the spatial and temporal coordinates. To show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, several examples are presented and compared to the reference results.     

The method of fundamental solutions with eigenfunction expansion method for nonhomogeneous diffusion equation

In this article we describe a numerical method to solve a nonhomogeneous diffusion equation with arbitrary geometry by combining the method of fundamental solutions (MFS), the method of particular solutions (MPS), and the eigenfunction expansion method (EEM). This forms a meshless numerical scheme of the MFS‐MPS‐EEM model to solve nonhomogeneous diffusion equations with time‐independent source terms and boundary conditions for any time and any shape. Nonhomogeneous diffusion equation with complex domain can be separated into a Poisson equation and a homogeneous diffusion equation using this model. The Poisson equation is solved by the MFS‐MPS model, in which the compactly supported radial basis functions are adopted for the MPS. On the other hand, utilizing the EEM the diffusion equation is first translated to a Helmholtz equation, which is then solved by the MFS together with the technique of the singular value decomposition (SVD). Since the present meshless method does not need mesh generation, nodal connectivity, or numerical integration, the computational effort and memory storage required are minimal as compared with other numerical schemes. Test results for two 2D diffusion problems show good comparability with the analytical solutions. The proposed algorithm is then extended to solve a problem with irregular domain and the results compare very well with solutions of a finite element scheme. Therefore, the present scheme has been proved to be very promising as a meshfree numerical method to solve nonhomogeneous diffusion equations with time‐independent source terms of any time frame, and for any arbitrary geometry. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2006     

Efficient numerical methods for boundary data and right‐hand side reconstructions in elliptic partial differential equations

In this article, we discuss the application of two important numerical methods, Ritz–Galerkin and Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS), for solving some inverse problems, arising in the context of two‐dimensional elliptic equations. The main incentive for studying the considered problems is their wide applications in engineering fields. In the previous literature, the use of these methods, particularly MFS for right hand side reconstruction has been limited, partly due to stability concerns. We demonstrate that these diculties may be surmounted if the aforementioned methods are combined with techniques such as dual reciprocity method(DRM). Moreover, we incorporate some iterative regularization techniques. This fact is especially veried by taking into account the noisy data with boundary conditions. In addition, parts of this article are dedicated to the problem of boundary data approximation and the issue of numerical stability, ending with a general discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of various methods. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 31: 1995–2026, 2015     

The method of fundamental solutions for Signorini problems

We investigate the use of method of fundamental solutions (MFS)for the numerical solution of Signorini boundary value problems.The MFS is an ideal candidate for solving such problems becauseinequality conditions alternating at unknown points of the boundarycan be incorporated naturally into the least-squares minimizationscheme associated with the MFS. To demonstrate its efficiency,we apply the method to two Signorini problems. The first isa groundwater flow problem related to percolation in gentlysloping beaches, and the second is an electropainting application.For both problems, the results are in close agreement with previouslyreported numerical solutions.     

Efficient implementation of the MFS: The three scenarios

In this study we investigate the approximation of the solutions of harmonic problems subject to Dirichlet boundary conditions by the Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS). In particular, we study the application of the MFS to Dirichlet problems in a disk. The MFS discretization yields systems which possess special features which can be exploited by using Fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based techniques. We describe three possible formulations related to the ratio of boundary points to sources, namely, when the number of boundary points is equal, larger and smaller than the number of sources. We also present some numerical experiments and provide an efficient MATLAB implementation of the resulting algorithms.     

A Linear Least-Squares MFS for Certain Elliptic Problems

The Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS) is a boundary-type meshless method for the solution of certain elliptic boundary value problems. In this work, we propose an efficient algorithm for the linear least-squares version of the MFS, when applied to the Dirichlet problem for certain second order elliptic equations in a disk. Various aspects of the method are discussed and a comparison with the standard MFS is carried out. Numerical results are presented.     

A meshless method for nonhomogeneous polyharmonic problems using method of fundamental solution coupled with quasi-interpolation technique

This paper proposes a meshless method based on coupling the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) with quasi-interpolation for the solution of nonhomogeneous polyharmonic problems. The original problems are transformed to homogeneous problems by subtracting a particular solution of the governing differential equation. The particular solution is approximated by quasi-interpolation and the corresponding homogeneous problem is solved using the MFS. By applying quasi-interpolation, problems connected with interpolation can be avoided. The error analysis and convergence study of this meshless method are given for solving the boundary value problems of nonhomogeneous harmonic and biharmonic equations. Numerical examples are also presented to show the efficiency of the method.     

Treatment of singularities in the method of fundamental solutions for two-dimensional Helmholtz-type equations

We investigate a meshless method for the accurate and non-oscillatory solution of problems associated with two-dimensional Helmholtz-type equations in the presence of boundary singularities. The governing equation and boundary conditions are approximated by the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). It is well known that the existence of boundary singularities affects adversely the accuracy and convergence of standard numerical methods. The solutions to such problems and/or their corresponding derivatives may have unbounded values in the vicinity of the singularity. This difficulty is overcome by subtracting from the original MFS solution the corresponding singular functions, without an appreciable increase in the computational effort and at the same time keeping the same MFS approximation. Four examples for both the Helmholtz and the modified Helmholtz equations are carefully investigated and the numerical results presented show an excellent performance of the approach developed.     

A study on the method of fundamental solutions using an image concept

In this paper, both analytical and semi-analytical solutions for Green’s functions are obtained by using the image method which can be seen as a special case of method of fundamental solutions (MFS). The image method is employed to solve the Green’s function for the annular, eccentric and half-plane Laplace problems. In addition, an analytical solution is derived for the fixed-free annular case. For the half-plane problem with a circular hole and an eccentric annulus, semi-analytical solutions are both obtained by using the image concept after determining the strengths of two frozen image points and a free constant by matching boundary conditions. It is found that two frozen images terminated at the two focuses in the bipolar coordinates for the problems with two circular boundaries. A boundary value problem of an eccentric annulus without sources is also considered. Error distribution is plotted after comparing with the analytical solution derived by Lebedev et al. using the bipolar coordinates. The optimal locations for the source distribution in the MFS are also examined by using the image concept. It is observed that we should locate singularities on the two focuses to obtain better results in the MFS. Besides, whether the free constant is required or not in the MFS is also studied. The results are compared well with the analytical solutions.     

Multipole fast algorithm for the least‐squares approach of the method of fundamental solutions for three‐dimensional harmonic problems

In this article we describe an improvement in the speed of computation for the least‐squares method of fundamental solutions (MFS) by means of Greengard and Rokhlin's FMA. Iterative solution of the linear system of equations is performed for the equations given by the least‐squares formulation of the MFS. The results of applying the method to test problems from potential theory with a number of boundary points in the order of 80,000 show that the method can achieve fast solutions for the potential and its directional derivatives. The results show little loss of accuracy and a major reduction in the memory requirements compared to the direct solution method of the least squares problem with storage of the full MFS matrix. The method can be extended to the solution of overdetermined systems of equations arising from boundary integral methods with a large number of boundary integration points. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 828–845, 2003.     

A relaxation method of an alternating iterative MFS algorithm for the Cauchy problem associated with the two‐dimensional modified Helmholtz equation

We propose two algorithms involving the relaxation of either the given Dirichlet data or the prescribed Neumann data on the over‐specified boundary in the case of the alternating iterative algorithm of Kozlov et al. (USSR Comput Math Math Phys 31 (1991), 45–52) applied to the Cauchy problem for the two‐dimensional modified Helmholtz equation. The two mixed, well‐posed and direct problems corresponding to every iteration of the numerical procedure are solved using the method of fundamental solutions (MFS), in conjunction with the Tikhonov regularization method. For each direct problem considered, the optimal value of the regularization parameter is selected according to the generalized cross‐validation criterion. The iterative MFS algorithms with relaxation are tested for Cauchy problems associated with the modified Helmholtz equation in two‐dimensional geometries to confirm the numerical convergence, stability, accuracy and computational efficiency of the method. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2011     

Localized method of fundamental solutions for large-scale modeling of two-dimensional elasticity problems

The traditional method of fundamental solutions (MFS) based on the “global” boundary discretization leads to dense and non-symmetric coefficient matrices that, although smaller in sizes, require huge computational cost to compute the system of equations using direct solvers. In this study, a localized version of the MFS (LMFS) is proposed for the large-scale modeling of two-dimensional (2D) elasticity problems. In the LMFS, the whole analyzed domain can be divided into small subdomains with a simple geometry. To each of the subdomain, the traditional MFS formulation is applied and the unknown coefficients on the local geometric boundary can be calculated by the moving least square method. The new method yields a sparse and banded matrix system which makes the method very attractive for large-scale simulations. Numerical examples with up to 200,000 unknowns are solved successfully using the developed LMFS code.     

Reducing the ill conditioning in the method of fundamental solutions

The method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is a meshless method for solving boundary value problems with some partial differential equations. It allows to obtain highly accurate approximations for the solutions assuming that they are smooth enough, even with small matrices. As a counterpart, the (dense) matrices involved are often ill-conditioned which is related to the well known uncertainty principle stating that it is impossible to have high accuracy and good conditioning at the same time. In this work, we propose a technique to reduce the ill conditioning in the MFS, assuming that the source points are placed on a circumference of radius R. The idea is to apply a suitable change of basis that provides new basis functions that span the same space as the MFS’s, but are much better conditioned. In the particular case of circular domains, the algorithm allows to obtain errors close to machine precision, with condition numbers of order O(1), independently of the number of points sources and R.     

Polynomial particular solutions for certain partial differential operators

In this article, we consider a variant of the Dual Reciprocity Method (DRM) for solving boundary value problems based on approximating source terms by polynomials other than the traditional basis functions. The use of pseudo‐spectral approximations and symbolic methods enables us to obtain highly accurate results without solving the often ill‐conditioned equations that occur when radial basis function approximations are used. When the given partial differential equation is either Poisson's equation or an inhomogeneous Helmholtz‐type equation, we are able to obtain either closed form particular solutions or efficient recursive algorithms. Using the particular solutions, we convert the inhomogeneous equations to homogeneous. The resulting homogeneous equations are then amenable to solution by boundary‐type methods such as the Boundary Element Method (BEM) or the Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS). Using the MFS, we provide numerical solutions to a variety of boundary value problems in R² and R³ . Using this approach, we can achieve high accuracy with a modest number of interpolation and collocation points. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 112–133, 2003     

A well-conditioned method of fundamental solutions for Laplace equation

Numerical Algorithms - The method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is a numerical method for solving boundary value problems involving linear partial differential equations. It is well-known that it...