Transient response of sandwich viscoelastic beams, plates, and shells under impulse loading

The transient response of sandwich beams, plates, and shells with viscoelastic layers under impulse loading is studied using the finite element method. The viscoelastic material behavior is represented by a complex modulus model. An efficient method using the fast Fourier transform is proposed. This method is based on the trigonometric representation of the input signals and the matrix of the transfer functions. The present approach makes it possible to preserve exactly the frequency dependence of the storage and loss moduli of viscoelastic materials. The logarithmic decrements are determined using the steady state vibrations of sandwich structures to characterize their damping properties. Test problems and numerical examples are given to demonstrate the validity and application of the approach suggested in this paper. Submitted to the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 367–378, March–April, 2000.     

A finite difference analysis of a streamline diffusion method on a Shishkin mesh

We consider streamline diffusion finite element methods applied to a singularly perturbed convection–diffusion two‐point boundary value problem whose solution has a single boundary layer. To analyse the convergence of these methods, we rewrite them as finite difference schemes. We first consider arbitrary meshes, then, in analysing the scheme on a Shishkin mesh, we consider two formulations on the fine part of the mesh: the usual streamline diffusion upwinding and the standard Galerkin method. The error estimates are given in the discrete L _∞ norm; in particular we give the first analysis that shows precisely how the error depends on the user-chosen parameter _τ0 specifying the mesh. When _τ0 is too small, the error becomes O(1), but for _τ0 above a certain threshold value, the error is small and increases either linearly or quadratically as a function of . Numerical tests support our theoretical results. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

On the stability of the $L_2$ projection in fractional Sobolev spaces

Summary.   In this paper we prove the stability of the projection onto the finite element trial space of piecewise polynomial, in particular, piecewise linear basis functions in for . We formulate explicit and computable local mesh conditions to be satisfied which depend on the Sobolev index s. In conclusion we prove a stability condition needed in the numerical analysis of mixed and hybrid boundary element methods as well as in the construction of efficient preconditioners in adaptive boundary and finite element methods. Received October 14, 1999 / Revised version received March 24, 2000 / Published online October 16, 2000     

A local boundary condition coupled to a finite element method to compute guided modes of optical fibres under the weak guidance assumptions

An efficient method coupling a local boundary condition to a finite element technique is proposed to compute guided modes of optical fibres under the weak guidance assumptions. This method is designed to provide accurate solutions for optical fibres with no restriction on their shape as well as on their refractive index profile. Several numerical experiments are performed to demonstrate this point. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element error estimates for 3D exterior incompressible flow with nonzero velocity at infinity

We consider a stationary incompressible Navier–Stokes flow in a 3D exterior domain, with nonzero velocity at infinity. In order to approximate this flow, we use the stabilized P1–P1 finite element method proposed by Rebollo (Numer Math 79:283–319, 1998). Following an approach by Guirguis and Gunzburger (Model Math Anal Numer 21:445–464, 1987), we apply this method to the Navier–Stokes system with Oseen term in a truncated exterior domain, under a pointwise boundary condition on the artificial boundary. This leads to a discrete problem whose solution approximates the exterior flow, as is shown by error estimates.     

Second order modified method of characteristics mixed defect-correction finite element method for time dependent Navier–Stokes problems

In this paper, a second order modified method of characteristics defect-correction (SOMMOCDC) mixed finite element method for the time dependent Navier–Stokes problems is presented. In this method, the hyperbolic part (the temporal and advection term) are treated by a second order characteristics tracking scheme, and the non-linear term is linearized at the same time. Then, we solve the equations with an added artificial viscosity term and correct this solution by using the defect-correction technique. The error analysis shows that this method has a good convergence property. In order to show the efficiency of the SOMMOCDC mixed finite element method, we first present some numerical results of an analytical solution problem, which agrees very well with our theoretical results. Then, we give some numerical results of lid-driven cavity flow with the Reynolds number Re = 5,000, 7,500 and 10,000. From these numerical results, we can see that the schemes can result in good accuracy, which shows that this method is highly efficient.     

Multigrid algorithms for a vertex–centered covolume method for elliptic problems

Summary. We analyze V–cycle multigrid algorithms for a class of perturbed problems whose perturbation in the bilinear form preserves the convergence properties of the multigrid algorithm of the original problem. As an application, we study the convergence of multigrid algorithms for a covolume method or a vertex–centered finite volume element method for variable coefficient elliptic problems on polygonal domains. As in standard finite element methods, the V–cycle algorithm with one pre-smoothing converges with a rate independent of the number of levels. Various types of smoothers including point or line Jacobi, and Gauss-Seidel relaxation are considered. Received August 19, 1999 / Revised version received July 10, 2000 / Published online June 7, 2001     

Influence of the gravity on interface shape during crystal growth of LICAF

A Galerkin finite element method, together with the boundary conformal mapping technique, is used to investigate the change of melWcrystal interface under low gravity during the growth of LEAF system. Results have shown that strong convection can cause a deeply concave interface toward the crystal, and significantly increase radial thermal gradients near the interface. The flow intensity and the change of the gravity have a linear relationship under low gravity (g _o u = 10⁻²-10⁻⁶). At smallMa number, the maximum acceleration for keeping a planar growth interface is g_max = 1 × 10⁻³ g under our given conditions. In addition, the growth velocity may have some influence on the growth interface shape even atpg gravity level, indicating that the growth velocity cannot be too fast even when convection is very weak.     

Robust multigrid method for the planar linear elasticity problems

We consider the solution of the system of equations that arise from the higher order conforming finite element (Scott–Vogelius element) discretizations of the boundary value problems associated with the differential operator −ρ ² Δ − κ ²∇div, where ρ and κ are nonzero parameters. Robust multigrid method is constructed, i.e., the convergence rate of multigrid method is optimal with respect to the mesh size, the number of levels, and weights on the two terms in the aforementioned differential operator.

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Recognition of finite simple groupsL 3(2 m ) ANDU 3(2 m ) by their element orders

It is proved that a finite group isomorphic to a simple non-Abelian group L₃(2^m) or U₃(2^m) is, up to isomorphism, recognizable by a set of its element orders. On the other hand, for every simple group S=S₄(2^m), there exist infinitely many pairwise non-isomorphic groups G with w(G)=w(S). As a consequence, we present a list of all recognizable finite simple groups G, for which 4t ∉ ω(G) with t>1. Supported by RFFR grant No. 99-01-00550, by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 19871066), and by the State Education Ministry of China (grant No. 98083). Translated fromAlgebra i Logika, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 567–585, September–October, 2000.     

A note on the Poisson boundary of lamplighter random walks

The main goal of this paper is to determine the Poisson boundary of lamplighter random walks over a general class of discrete groups Γ endowed with a “rich” boundary. The starting point is the Strip Criterion of identification of the Poisson boundary for random walks on discrete groups due to Kaimanovich (Ann. Math. 152:659–692, 2000). A geometrical method for constructing the strip as a subset of the lamplighter group \mathbb Z₂\wr G{\mathbb {Z}_{2}\wr \Gamma} starting with a “smaller” strip in the group Γ is developed. Then, this method is applied to several classes of base groups Γ: groups with infinitely many ends, hyperbolic groups in the sense of Gromov, and Euclidean lattices. We show that under suitable hypothesis the Poisson boundary for a class of random walks on lamplighter groups is the space of infinite limit configurations.     

The universal Lachlan semilattice without the greatest element

We deal with some upper semilattices of m-degrees and of numberings of finite families. It is proved that the semilattice of all c.e. m-degrees, from which the greatest element is removed, is isomorphic to the semilattice of simple m-degrees, the semilattice of hypersimple m-degrees, and the semilattice of Σ ₂ ⁰ -computable numberings of a finite family of Σ ₂ ⁰ -sets, which contains more than one element and does not contain elements that are comparable w.r.t. inclusion. Supported by the Grant Council (under RF President) for Young Russian Scientists via project MK-1820.2005.1. __________ Translated from Algebra i Logika, Vol. 46, No. 3, pp. 299–345, May–June, 2007.     

Stability of a finite element method for 3D exterior stationary Navier-Stokes flows

We consider numerical approximations of stationary incompressible Navier-Stokes flows in 3D exterior domains, with nonzero velocity at infinity. It is shown that a P1-P1 stabilized finite element method proposed by C. Rebollo: A term by term stabilization algorithm for finite element solution of incompressible flow problems, Numer. Math. 79 (1998), 283–319, is stable when applied to a Navier-Stokes flow in a truncated exterior domain with a pointwise boundary condition on the artificial boundary.     

On the adaptive coupling of FEM and BEM in 2–d–elasticity

Summary. This paper concerns the combination of the finite element method (FEM) and the boundary element method (BEM) using the symmetric coupling. As a model problem in two dimensions we consider the Hencky material (a certain nonlinear elastic material) in a bounded domain with Navier–Lamé differential equation in the unbounded complementary domain. Using some boundary integral operators the problem is rewritten such that the Galerkin procedure leads to a FEM/BEM coupling and quasi–optimally convergent discrete solutions. Beside this a priori information we derive an a posteriori error estimate which allows (up to a constant factor) the error control in the energy norm. Since information about the singularities of the solution is not available a priori in many situation and having in mind the goal of an automatic mesh–refinement we state adaptive algorithms for the –version of the FEM/BEM–coupling. Illustrating numerical results are included. Received April 15, 1994 / Revised version received January 8, 1996     

Infinite groups with Abelian centralizers of involutions

The article contains two characterizations of projective linear groups PGL₂(P) over a locally finite field P of characteristic 2: the first is defined in terms of permutation groups, and the second, in terms of a structure of involution centralizers. One of the two is used to prove the existence of infinite groups which are recognizable by the set of their element orders. In memory of Viktor A. Gorbunov Supported by RFFR grant No. 99-01-00550. Translated fromAlgebra i Logika, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 74–86, January–February, 2000.     

Finite element discretization of the Navier–Stokes equations with a free capillary surface

Summary. The instationary Navier–Stokes equations with a free capillary boundary are considered in 2 and 3 space dimensions. A stable finite element discretization is presented. The key idea is the treatment of the curvature terms by a variational formulation. In the context of a discontinuous in time space–time element discretization stability in (weak) energy norms can be proved. Numerical examples in 2 and 3 space dimensions are given. Received March 26, 1999 / Revised version received October 12, 1999 / Published online November 8, 2000     

Fully computable robust a posteriori error bounds for singularly perturbed reaction–diffusion problems

A procedure for the construction of robust, upper bounds for the error in the finite element approximation of singularly perturbed reaction–diffusion problems was presented in Ainsworth and Babuška (SIAM J Numer Anal 36(2):331–353, 1999) which entailed the solution of an infinite dimensional local boundary value problem. It is not possible to solve this problem exactly and this fact was recognised in the above work where it was indicated that the limitation would be addressed in a subsequent article. We view the present work as fulfilling that promise and as completing the investigation begun in Ainsworth and Babuška (SIAM J Numer Anal 36(2):331–353, 1999) by removing the obligation to solve a local problem exactly. The resulting new estimator is indeed fully computable and the first to provide fully computable, robust upper bounds in the setting of singularly perturbed problems discretised by the finite element method.     

An oscillation-free adaptive FEM for symmetric eigenvalue problems

A refined a posteriori error analysis for symmetric eigenvalue problems and the convergence of the first-order adaptive finite element method (AFEM) is presented. The H ¹ stability of the L ² projection provides reliability and efficiency of the edge-contribution of standard residual-based error estimators for P ₁ finite element methods. In fact, the volume contributions and even oscillations can be omitted for Courant finite element methods. This allows for a refined averaging scheme and so improves (Mao et al. in Adv Comput Math 25(1–3):135–160, 2006). The proposed AFEM monitors the edge-contributions in a bulk criterion and so enables a contraction property up to higher-order terms and global convergence. Numerical experiments exploit the remaining L ² error contributions and confirm our theoretical findings. The averaging schemes show a high accuracy and the AFEM leads to optimal empirical convergence rates.     

Interior estimates for a low order finite element method for the Reissner–Mindlin plate model

Interior error estimates are obtained for a low order finite element introduced by Arnold and Falk for the Reissner–Mindlin plates. It is proved that the approximation error of the finite element solution in the interior domain is bounded above by two parts: one measures the local approximability of the exact solution by the finite element space and the other the global approximability of the finite element method. As an application, we show that for the soft simply supported plate, the Arnold–Falk element still achieves an almost optimal convergence rate in the energy norm away from the boundary layer, even though optimal order convergence cannot hold globally due to the boundary layer. Numerical results are given which support our conclusion. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Runge-Kutta methods without order reduction for linear initial boundary value problems

Summary. It is well-known the loss of accuracy when a Runge–Kutta method is used together with the method of lines for the full discretization of an initial boundary value problem. We show that this phenomenon, called order reduction, is caused by wrong boundary values in intermediate stages. With a right choice, the order reduction can be avoided and the optimal order of convergence in time is achieved. We prove this fact for time discretizations of abstract initial boundary value problems based on implicit Runge–Kutta methods. Moreover, we apply these results to the full discretization of parabolic problems by means of Galerkin finite element techniques. We present some numerical examples in order to confirm that the optimal order is actually achieved. Received July 10, 2000 / Revised version received March 13, 2001 / Published online October 17, 2001