Continuous-discontinuous finite element method for convection-diffusion problems with characteristic layers

We study convergence properties of a numerical method for convection-diffusion problems with characteristic layers on a layer-adapted mesh. The method couples standard Galerkin with an h-version of the nonsymmetric discontinuous Galerkin finite element method with bilinear elements. In an associated norm, we derive the error estimate as well as the supercloseness result that are uniform in the perturbation parameter. Applying a post-processing operator for the discontinuous Galerkin method, we construct a new numerical solution with enhanced convergence properties.     

A two-grid method for finite volume element approximations of second-order nonlinear hyperbolic equations

The two-grid method is studied for solving a two-dimensional second-order nonlinear hyperbolic equation using finite volume element method. The method is based on two different finite element spaces defined on one coarse grid with grid size H and one fine grid with grid size h, respectively. The nonsymmetric and nonlinear iterations are only executed on the coarse grid and the fine grid solution can be obtained in a single symmetric and linear step. It is proved that the coarse grid can be much coarser than the fine grid. A prior error estimate in the H¹-norm is proved to be O(h+H³|lnH|) for the two-grid semidiscrete finite volume element method. With these proposed techniques, solving such a large class of second-order nonlinear hyperbolic equations will not be much more difficult than solving one single linearized equation. Finally, a numerical example is presented to validate the usefulness and efficiency of the method.     

The finite element method for a boundary value problem with strong singularity

The existence and uniqueness of the R_ν-generalized solution for the third-boundary-value problem and the non-self-adjoint second-order elliptic equation with strong singularity are established. We construct a finite element method with a basis containing singular functions. The rate of convergence of the approximate solution to the R_ν-generalized solution in the norm of the Sobolev weighted space is established and, finally, results of numerical experiments are presented.     

A posteriori error estimation of residual type for anisotropic diffusion-convection-reaction problems

This paper presents a robust a posteriori residual error estimator for diffusion-convection-reaction problems with anisotropic diffusion, approximated by a SUPG finite element method on isotropic or anisotropic meshes in R^d, d=2 or 3. The equivalence between the energy norm of the error and the residual error estimator is proved. Numerical tests confirm the theoretical results.     

Finite element methods with numerical quadrature for elliptic problems with smooth interfaces

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the numerical quadrature on the finite element approximation to the exact solution of elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients. Due to low global regularity of the solution, it seems difficult to achieve optimal order of convergence with classical finite element methods [Z. Chen, J. Zou, Finite element methods and their convergence for elliptic and parabolic interface problems, Numer. Math. 79 (1998) 175-202]. We derive error estimates in finite element method with quadrature for elliptic interface problems in a two-dimensional convex polygonal domain. Optimal order error estimates in L² and H¹ norms are shown to hold even if the regularity of the solution is low on the whole domain. Finally, numerical experiment for two dimensional test problem is presented in support of our theoretical findings.     

A characteristics-mixed covolume method for a convection-dominated transport problem

In this paper, we propose a characteristics-mixed covolume method for approximating the solution to a convection dominated transport problem. The method is a combination of characteristic approximation to handle the convection term in time and mixed covolume method spatial approximation to deal with the diffusion term. The velocity and press are approximated by the lowest order Raviart-Thomas mixed finite element space on rectangles. The projection of a mixed covolume element is introduced. We prove its first order optimal rate of convergence for the approximate velocities in the L² norm as well as for the approximate pressures in the L² norm.     

Stabilized discontinuous finite element approximations for Stokes equations

In this paper, we derive two stabilized discontinuous finite element formulations, symmetric and nonsymmetric, for the Stokes equations and the equations of the linear elasticity for almost incompressible materials. These methods are derived via stabilization of a saddle point system where the continuity of the normal and tangential components of the velocity/displacements are imposed in a weak sense via Lagrange multipliers. For both methods, almost all reasonable pair of discontinuous finite element spaces can be used to approximate the velocity and the pressure. Optimal error estimate for the approximation of both the velocity of the symmetric formulation and pressure in L²$L^2$ norm are obtained, as well as one in a mesh-dependent norm for the velocity in both symmetric and nonsymmetric formulations.     

A locking-free nonconforming triangular element for planar elasticity with pure traction boundary condition

A new nonconforming triangular element for the equations of planar linear elasticity with pure traction boundary conditions is considered. By virtue of construction of the element, the discrete version of Korn’s second inequality is directly proved to be valid. Convergence rate of the finite element methods is uniformly optimal with respect to λ. Error estimates in the energy norm and L²-norm are O(h²) and O(h³), respectively.     

Well-posedness for two-dimensional steady supersonic Euler flows past a Lipschitz wedge

For a supersonic Euler flow past a straight-sided wedge whose vertex angle is less than the extreme angle, there exists a shock-front emanating from the wedge vertex, and the shock-front is usually strong especially when the vertex angle of the wedge is large. In this paper, we establish the L¹ well-posedness for two-dimensional steady supersonic Euler flows past a Lipschitz wedge whose boundary slope function has small total variation, when the total variation of the incoming flow is small. In this case, the Lipschitz wedge perturbs the flow, and the waves reflect after interacting with the strong shock-front and the wedge boundary. We first obtain the existence of solutions in BV when the incoming flow has small total variation by the wave front tracking method and then establish the L¹ stability of the solutions with respect to the incoming flows. In particular, we incorporate the nonlinear waves generated from the wedge boundary to develop a Lyapunov functional between two solutions containing strong shock-fronts, which is equivalent to the L¹ norm, and prove that the functional decreases in the flow direction. Then the L¹ stability is established, so is the uniqueness of the solutions by the wave front tracking method. Finally, the uniqueness of solutions in a broader class, the class of viscosity solutions, is also obtained.     

Parallel Galerkin domain decomposition procedures based on the streamline diffusion method for convection-diffusion problems

Based upon the streamline diffusion method, parallel Galerkin domain decomposition procedures for convection-diffusion problems are given. These procedures use implicit method in the sub-domains and simple explicit flux calculations on the inter-boundaries of sub-domains by integral mean method or extrapolation method to predict the inner-boundary conditions. Thus, the parallelism can be achieved by these procedures. The explicit nature of the flux calculations induces a time step limitation that is necessary to preserve stability. Artificial diffusion parameters δ are given. By analysis, optimal order error estimate is derived in a norm which is stronger than L²-norm for these procedures. This error estimate not only includes the optimal H¹-norm error estimate, but also includes the error estimate along the streamline direction ‖β⋅∇(u−U)‖, which cannot be achieved by standard finite element method. Experimental results are presented to confirm theoretical results.     

Asymptotic equipartition and long time behavior of solutions of a thin-film equation

We investigate the large-time behavior of classical solutions to the thin-film type equation ut=−x(uuxxx). It was shown in previous work of Carrillo and Toscani that for non-negative initial data u₀ that belongs to H¹(R) and also has a finite mass and second moment, the strong solutions relax in the L¹(R) norm at an explicit rate to the unique self-similar source type solution with the same mass. The equation itself is gradient flow for an energy functional that controls the H¹(R) norm, and so it is natural to expect that one should also have convergence in this norm. Carrillo and Toscani raised this question, but their methods, using a different Lyapunov functions that arises in the theory of the porous medium equation, do not directly address this since their Lyapunov functional does not involve derivatives of u. Here we show that the solutions do indeed converge in the H¹(R) norm at an explicit, but slow, rate. The key to establishing this convergence is an asymptotic equipartition of the excess energy. Roughly speaking, the energy functional whose dissipation drives the evolution through gradient flow consists of two parts: one involving derivatives of u, and one that does not. We show that these must decay at related rates—due to the asymptotic equipartition—and then use the results of Carrillo and Toscani to control the rate for the part that does not depend on derivatives. From this, one gets a rate on the dissipation for all of the excess energy.     

A non-local regularization of first order Hamilton-Jacobi equations

In this paper, we investigate the regularizing effect of a non-local operator on first-order Hamilton-Jacobi equations. We prove that there exists a unique solution that is C² in space and C¹ in time. In order to do so, we combine viscosity solution techniques and Green's function techniques. Viscosity solution theory provides the existence of a W^1,∞ solution as well as uniqueness and stability results. A Duhamel's integral representation of the equation involving the Green's function permits to prove further regularity. We also state the existence of C^∞ solutions (in space and time) under suitable assumptions on the Hamiltonian. We finally give an error estimate in L^∞ norm between the viscosity solution of the pure Hamilton-Jacobi equation and the solution of the integro-differential equation with a vanishing non-local part.     

Error estimates of the lumped mass finite element method for semilinear elliptic problems

We are concerned with the semilinear elliptic problems. We first investigate the L²-error estimate for the lumped mass finite element method. We then use the cascadic multigrid method to solve the corresponding discrete problem. On the basis of the finite element error estimates, we prove the optimality of the proposed multigrid method. We also report some numerical results to support the theory.     

Global existence and asymptotic convergence of weak solutions for the one-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with capillarity and nonmonotonic pressure

We construct global weak solution of the Navier-Stokes equations with capillarity and nonmonotonic pressure. The volume variable v₀ is initially assumed to be in H¹ and the velocity variable u₀ to be in L² on a finite interval [0,1]. We show that both variables become smooth in positive time and that asymptotically in time u→0 strongly in L²([0,1]) and v approaches the set of stationary solutions in H¹([0,1]).     

A p-version finite element method for nonlinear elliptic variational inequalities in 2D

This article introduces and analyzes a p-version FEM for variational inequalities resulting from obstacle problems for some quasi-linear elliptic partial differential operators. We approximate the solution by controlling the obstacle condition in images of the Gauss–Lobatto points. We show existence and uniqueness for the discrete solution u _p from the p-version for the obstacle problem. We prove the convergence of u _p towards the solution with respect to the energy norm, and assuming some additional regularity for the solution we derive an a priori error estimate. In numerical experiments the p-version turns out to be superior to the h-version concerning the convergence rate and the number of unknowns needed to achieve a certain exactness of the approximation.     

Legendre spectral collocation method for volterra-hammerstein integral equation of the second kind

This paper is concerned with obtaining the approximate solution for VolterraHammerstein integral equation with a regular kernel. We choose the Gauss points associated with the Legendre weight function ω(x) = 1 as the collocation points. The Legendre collocation discretization is proposed for Volterra-Hammerstein integral equation. We provide an error analysis which justifies that the errors of approximate solution decay exponentially in L~2 norm and L~∞ norm. We give two numerical examples in order to illustrate the validity of the proposed Legendre spectral collocation method.     

Besov regularity and new error estimates for finite volume approximations of the p-laplacian

Summary. In [1], we have constructed a family of finite volume schemes on rectangular meshes for the p-laplacian and we proved error estimates in case the exact solution lies in W^2,p. Actually, W^2,p is not a natural space for solutions of the p-laplacian in the case p>2. Indeed, for general L^p data it can be shown that the solution only belongs to the Besov space In this paper, we prove Besov kind a priori estimates on the approximate solution for any data in L^p. We then obtain new error estimates for such solutions in the case of uniform meshes     

Nonconforming mixed finite element approximation to the stationary Navier-Stokes equations on anisotropic meshes

The main aim of this paper is to study the error estimates of a rectangular nonconforming finite element for the stationary Navier-Stokes equations under anisotropic meshes. That is, the nonconforming rectangular element is taken as approximation space for the velocity and the piecewise constant element for the pressure. The convergence analysis is presented and the optimal error estimates both in a broken H¹-norm for the velocity and in an L²-norm for the pressure are derived on anisotropic meshes.     

A new high accuracy locally one-dimensional scheme for the wave equation

In this paper, a new locally one-dimensional (LOD) scheme with error of O(Δt⁴+h⁴) for the two-dimensional wave equation is presented. The new scheme is four layer in time and three layer in space. One main advantage of the new method is that only tridiagonal systems of linear algebraic equations have to be solved at each time step. The stability and dispersion analysis of the new scheme are given. The computations of the initial and boundary conditions for the two intermediate time layers are explicitly constructed, which makes the scheme suitable for performing practical simulation in wave propagation modeling. Furthermore, a comparison of our new scheme and the traditional finite difference scheme is given, which shows the superiority of our new method.     

Biquadratic finite volume element methods based on optimal stress points for parabolic problems

In this paper, the semi-discrete and full discrete biquadratic finite volume element schemes based on optimal stress points for a class of parabolic problems are presented. Optimal order error estimates in H¹ and L² norms are derived. In addition, the superconvergences of numerical gradients at optimal stress points are also discussed. A numerical experiment confirms some results of theoretical analysis.