An h-p Petrov-Galerkin finite element method for linear Volterra integro-differential equations

We analyze an h-p version Petrov-Galerkin finite element method for linear Volterra integrodifferential equations. We prove optimal a priori error bounds in the L ²- and H ¹-norm that are explicit in the time steps, the approximation orders and in the regularity of the exact solution. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results. Moreover, we observe that the numerical scheme superconverges at the nodal points of the time partition.     

A mixed finite element method for thin film epitaxy

We present a mixed finite element method for the thin film epitaxy problem. Comparing to the primal formulation which requires $C^2$ elements in the discretization, the mixed formulation only needs to use $C^1$ elements, by introducing proper dual variables. The dual variable in our method is defined naturally from the nonlinear term in the equation, and its accurate approximation will be essential for understanding the long-time effect of the nonlinear term. For time-discretization, we use a backward-Euler semi-implicit scheme, which involves a convex–concave decomposition of the nonlinear term. The scheme is proved to be unconditionally stable and its convergence rate is analyzed.     

A mixed finite element method for the Stokes equations

A new mixed finite element for the Stokes equations is considered. This new finite element is based on a mixed formulation of the Stokes problem in which the gradient of the velocity is introduced and the velocity is approximated by the Raviart-Thomas element [1]. Optimal error estimates are derived. The number of degrees of freedom, for this element, is the lowest possible, and the local conservation of the mass is assured. A hybrid version of the mixed method is also considered. Finally, some numerical results for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are presented. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the mixed finite element method with Lagrange multipliers

In this note we analyze a modified mixed finite element method for second‐order elliptic equations in divergence form. As a model we consider the Poisson problem with mixed boundary conditions in a polygonal domain of R ². The Neumann (essential) condition is imposed here in a weak sense, which yields the introduction of a Lagrange multiplier given by the trace of the solution on the corresponding boundary. This approach allows to handle nonhomogeneous Neumann boundary conditions, theoretically and computationally, in an alternative and usually easier way. Then we utilize the classical Babu?ka‐Brezzi theory to show that the resulting mixed variational formulation is well posed. In addition, we use Raviart‐Thomas spaces to define the associated finite element method and, applying some elliptic regularity results, we prove the stability, unique solvability, and convergence of this discrete scheme, under appropriate assumptions on the mesh sizes. Finally, we provide numerical results illustrating the performance of the algorithm for smooth and singular problems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 192–210, 2003     

A wavelet-based stabilization of the mixed finite element method with Lagrange multipliers

We present a new stabilized mixed finite element method for second order elliptic equations in divergence form with Neumann boundary conditions. The approach introduces first the trace of the solution on the boundary as a Lagrange multiplier, which yields a corresponding residual term that is expressed in the Sobolev norm of order 1/2 by means of wavelet bases. The stabilization procedure is then completed with the residuals arising from the constitutive and equilibrium equations. We show that the resulting mixed variational formulation and the associated Galerkin scheme are well posed. In addition, we provide a residual-based reliable and efficient a posteriori error estimate.     

A mixed multiscale finite element method for elliptic problems with oscillating coefficients

The recently introduced multiscale finite element method for solving elliptic equations with oscillating coefficients is designed to capture the large-scale structure of the solutions without resolving all the fine-scale structures. Motivated by the numerical simulation of flow transport in highly heterogeneous porous media, we propose a mixed multiscale finite element method with an over-sampling technique for solving second order elliptic equations with rapidly oscillating coefficients. The multiscale finite element bases are constructed by locally solving Neumann boundary value problems. We provide a detailed convergence analysis of the method under the assumption that the oscillating coefficients are locally periodic. While such a simplifying assumption is not required by our method, it allows us to use homogenization theory to obtain the asymptotic structure of the solutions. Numerical experiments are carried out for flow transport in a porous medium with a random log-normal relative permeability to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method.     

A mixed finite element method close to the equilibrium model

Summary A new variational formulation of the Dirichlet problem for one elliptic partial differential equation of the second order is established and justified, starting from a non-classical decomposition of the differential operator and the Friedrichs transformation. The variational problem has a unique solution which depends continuously on the right hand side of the given equation and enables to construct mixed finite element models. The Galerkin approximations are vector-functions converging to the cogradient of the solution of the original problem, except one component which tends to the solution itself.     

A mixed finite element method for a nonlinear Dirichlet problem

We study a mixed finite element approximation of a nonlinearDirichlet problem in both two and three dimensions. This studyis a first step towards the treatment of Ladyzhenskaya flowsor quasi-Newtonian flows obeying the power law by mixed finiteelement methods. We give existence and uniqueness results forthe continuous problem and its approximation and we prove anerror bound.     

A posteriori error estimate for the mixed finite element method

A computable error bound for mixed finite element methods is established in the model case of the Poisson-problem to control the error in the H(div,) -norm. The reliable and efficient a posteriori error estimate applies, e.g., to Raviart-Thomas, Brezzi-Douglas-Marini, and Brezzi-Douglas-Fortin-Marini elements.

     

A mixed finite element method for the heat flow problem

A semidiscrete finite element scheme for the approximation of the spatial temperature change field is presented. The method yields a better order of convergence than the conventional use of linear elements.     

A new mixed finite element method for Burgers’ equation

In this paper, anH ¹-Galerkin mixed finite element method is used to approximate the solution as well as the flux of Burgers’ equation. Error estimates have been derived. The results of the numerical experiment show the efficacy of the mixed method and justifies the theoretical results obtained in the paper.     

A mixed finite element method for fourth order eigenvalue problems

A mixed finite element method for approximating eigenpairs of IV order elliptic eigenvalue problems with Dirichlet boundary conditions has been given. The method can be applied to the vibration analysis of anisotropic/orthotropic/isotropic/biharmonic plates. Computer implementation procedures for this mixed method are given along with the results of numerical experiments.     

A new mixed finite element method for the Stokes problem

We propose a new mixed formulation of the Stokes problem where the extra stress tensor is considered. Based on such a formulation, a mixed finite element is constructed and analyzed. This new finite element has properties analogous to the finite volume methods, namely, the local conservation of the momentum and the mass. Optimal error estimates are derived. For the numerical implementation of this finite element, a hybrid form is presented. This work is a first step towards the treatment of viscoelastic fluid flows by mixed finite element methods.     

A new family of stable elements for nearly incompressible elasticity based on a mixed Petrov-Galerkin finite element formulation

Summary Adding to the classical Hellinger Reissner formulation another residual form of the equilibrium equation, a new Petrov-Galerkin finite element method is derived. It fits within the framework of a mixed finite element method and is proved to be stable for rather general combinations of stress and displacement interpolations, including equal-order discontinuous stress and continuous displacement interpolations which are unstable within the Galerkin approach. Error estimates are presented using the Babuka-Brezzi theory and numerical results confirm these estimates as well as the good accuracy and stability of the method.Dedicated to Professor Ivo Babuka on the occasion of his sixtieth birthdayPrepared for the conference on: The Impact of Mathematical Analysis on the Solution of Engineering Problems. University of Maryland, September 1986.     

A posteriori error estimates for the mixed finite element method with Lagrange multipliers

We consider the mixed finite element method with Lagrange multipliers as applied to second‐order elliptic equations in divergence form with mixed boundary conditions. The corresponding Galerkin scheme is defined by using Raviart‐Thomas spaces. We develop a posteriori error analyses yielding a reliable and efficient estimate based on residuals, and a reliable and quasi‐efficient estimate based on local problems, respectively. Several numerical results illustrate the suitability of these a posteriori estimates for the adaptive computation of the discrete solutions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2005     

A mixed finite element method with Lagrange multipliers for nonlinear exterior transmission problems

Summary. We apply a mixed finite element method to numerically solve a class of nonlinear exterior transmission problems in R ² with inhomogeneous interface conditions. Besides the usual unknowns required for the dual-mixed method, which include the gradient of the temperature in this nonlinear case, our approach makes use of the trace of the outer solution on the transmission boundary as a suitable Lagrange multiplier. In addition, we use a boundary integral operator to reduce the original transmission problem on the unbounded region into a nonlocal one on a bounded domain. In this way, we are lead to a two-fold saddle point operator equation as the resulting variational formulation. We prove that the continuous formulation and the associated Galerkin scheme defined with Raviart-Thomas spaces are well posed, and derive the a-priori estimates and the corresponding rate of convergence. Then, we introduce suitable local problems and deduce first an implicit reliable and quasi-efficient a-posteriori error estimate, and then a fully explicit reliable one. Finally, several numerical results illustrate the effectivity of the explicit estimate for the adaptive computation of the discrete solutions. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 65N30, 65N38, 65N22, 65F10This research was partially supported by CONICYT-Chile through the FONDAP Program in Applied Mathematics, and by the Dirección de Investigación of the Universidad de Concepción through the Advanced Research Groups Program.     

Limit analysis decomposition and finite element mixed method

This paper proposes an original decomposition approach to the upper bound method of limit analysis. It is based on a mixed finite element approach and on a convex interior point solver, using linear or quadratic discontinuous velocity fields. Presented in plane strain, this method appears to be rapidly convergent, as verified in the Tresca compressed bar problem in the linear velocity case. Then, using discontinuous quadratic velocity fields, the method is applied to the celebrated problem of the stability factor of a Tresca vertical slope: the upper bound is lowered to 3.7776-value to be compared to the best published lower bound 3.7752-by succeeding in solving a nonlinear optimization problem with millions of variables and constraints.     

An optimally convergent adaptive mixed finite element method

We prove convergence and optimal complexity of an adaptive mixed finite element algorithm, based on the lowest-order Raviart–Thomas finite element space. In each step of the algorithm, the local refinement is either performed using simple edge residuals or a data oscillation term, depending on an adaptive marking strategy. The inexact solution of the discrete system is controlled by an adaptive stopping criterion related to the estimator.     

A nonstandard mixed finite element family

We show that standard mixed finite element methods, of second or higher degree, for second order elliptic equations can be modified by imposing additional continuity conditions for the flux, which reduces the dimension of the space. This reduced space still gives a stable method with an optimal order of convergence. We recall our postprocessing method and the a posteriori error estimator based on this.