Error estimates for the finite element approximation of linear elastic equations in an unbounded domain

In this paper we present error estimates for the finite element approximation of linear elastic equations in an unbounded domain. The finite element approximation is formulated on a bounded computational domain using a nonlocal approximate artificial boundary condition or a local one. In fact there are a family of nonlocal approximate boundary conditions with increasing accuracy (and computational cost) and a family of local ones for a given artificial boundary. Our error estimates show how the errors of the finite element approximations depend on the mesh size, the terms used in the approximate artificial boundary condition, and the location of the artificial boundary. A numerical example for Navier equations outside a circle in the plane is presented. Numerical results demonstrate the performance of our error estimates.

     

Error bounds for the finite element approximation of an incompressible material in an unbounded domain

Summary. In this paper we design high-order local artificial boundary conditions and present error bounds for the finite element approximation of an incompressible elastic material in an unbounded domain. The finite element approximation is formulated in a bounded computational domain using a nonlocal approximate artificial boundary condition or a local one. In fact there are a family of nonlocal approximate artificial boundary conditions with increasing accuracy (and computational cost) and a family of local ones for a given artificial boundary. Our error bounds indicate how the errors of the finite element approximations depend on the mesh size, the terms used in the approximate artificial boundary condition and the location of the artificial boundary. Numerical examples of an incompressible elastic material outside a circle in the plane is presented. Numerical results demonstrate the performance of our error bounds. Received August 31, 1998 / Revised version received November 6, 2001 / Published online March 8, 2002     

A fully discrete stabilized finite-element method for the time-dependent Navier-Stokes problem

A fully discrete stabilized finite-element method is presentedfor the two-dimensional time-dependent Navier–Stokes problem.The spatial discretization is based on a finite-element spacepair (X_h, M_h) for the approximation of the velocity and thepressure, constructed by using the Q₁ – P₀ quadrilateralelement or the P₁ – P₀ triangular element; the time discretizationis based on the Euler semi-implicit scheme. It is shown thatthe proposed fully discrete stabilized finite-element methodresults in the optimal order error bounds for the velocity andthe pressure.     

Optimal error estimates for the hp-version interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin finite element method

We consider the hp-version interior penalty discontinuous Galerkinfinite-element method (hp-DGFEM) for second-order linear reaction–diffusionequations. To the best of our knowledge, the sharpest knownerror bounds for the hp-DGFEM are due to Rivière et al.(1999,Comput. Geosci., 3, 337–360) and Houston et al.(2002,SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 99, 2133–2163). These are optimalwith respect to the meshsize h but suboptimal with respect tothe polynomial degree p by half an order of p. We present improvederror bounds in the energy norm, by introducing a new functionspace framework. More specifically, assuming that the solutionsbelong element-wise to an augmented Sobolev space, we deducefully hp-optimal error bounds.     

Asymptotic expansions of the generalized Epstein-Hubbell integral

The generalized Epstein–Hubbell integral recently introducedby Kalla & Tuan (Comput. Math. Applic. 32, 1996) is consideredfor values of the variable k close to its upper limit k = 1.Distributional approach is used for deriving two convergentexpansions of this integral in increasing powers of 1 –k². For certain values of the parameters, one of these expansionsinvolves also a logarithmic term in the asymptotic variable1 – k². Coefficients of these expansions are given interms of the Appell function and its derivative. All the expansionsare accompanied by an error bound at any order of the approximation.Numerical experiments show that this bound is considerably accurate.     

A note on least-squares mixed finite elements in relation to standard and mixed finite elements

^** Email: brandts{at}science.uva.nl The least-squares mixed finite-element method for second-orderelliptic problems yields an approximation u_h V_h H₀¹() of thepotential u together with an approximation p_{h h} H(div ; )of the vector field p = – Au. Comparing u_h with the standardfinite-element approximation of u in V_h, and p_h with the mixedfinite-element approximation of p, it turns out that they arehigher-order perturbations of each other. In other words, theyare ‘superclose’. Refined a priori bounds and superconvergenceresults can now be proved. Also, the local mass conservationerror is of higher order than could be concluded from the standarda priori analysis.     

Semidiscrete finite element Galerkin approximations to the equations of motion arising in the Oldroyd model

In this paper, a semidiscrete finite element Galerkin methodfor the equations of motion arising in the 2D Oldroyd modelof viscoelastic fluids with zero forcing function is analysed.Some new a priori bounds for the exact solutions are derivedunder realistically assumed conditions on the data. Moreover,the long-time behaviour of the solution is established. By introducinga Stokes–Volterra projection, optimal error bounds forthe velocity in the L(L²) as well as in the L(H¹)-norms andfor the pressure in the L(L²)-norm are derived which are validuniformly in time t > 0.     

Influence of rapid changes in a channel bottom on free-surface flows

Two-dimensional non-linear free-surface flows in a channel boundedbelow by an uneven bottom with rapid changes are considered.Numerical solutions are computed by a boundary integral equationmethod similar to that first introduced by King & Bloor(1987, J. Fluid Mech., 182, 193–208). Free-surface flowspast localized disturbances, steps and sluice gates are calculated.In addition, weakly non-linear solutions are discussed.     

A time discretization scheme for a non-linear degenerate eddy current model for ferromagnetic materials

^** Email: marian.slodicka{at}ugent.be This paper is devoted to the study of a non-linear degeneratetransient eddy current model of the type [graphic: see PDF] for some 0 < < 1 subject to homogeneous Dirichlet boundarycondition H x = 0. Here, the magnetic properties of a softferromagnet are linked by a power material law. The well-posednessof the problem is proved and a non-linear time-discrete numericalscheme for the approximation in suitable function spaces isdesigned. Convergence of the approximation to a weak solutionis proved and error estimates are derived.     

Finite element analysis of a current density-electric field formulation of Bean's model for superconductivity

We study a current density–electric field formulationof Bean's model for the experimental set-up of an infinitelylong cylindrical superconductor subject to a transverse magneticfield. We introduce a fully practical finite-element approximationof the model and prove an error between the exact solution andthe approximate solution for the current density of order (h+ t)^1/2. Numerical simulations for a variety of given sourcecurrents are presented.     

On the global stability of a temporal discretization scheme for the Navier-Stokes equations

The time discretization by a linear backward Euler scheme forthe non-stationary viscous incompressible Navier–Stokesequations with a non-zero external force in a bounded 2D domainwith no-slip boundary condition or periodic boundary conditionis studied. Improved global stability results are obtained. The boundedness of the solution sequence in V and D(A) normsuniform with respect to &t for t [0, ) is proved. A similarresult in the V norm was previously obtained by (Geveci, 1989Math. Comp., 53, 43–53) for the non-forced system. A differentapproach is used here. As a corollary, the global attractorfor the approximation scheme is proved to exist, which is boundedin both V and D(A) spaces, thus compact in both H and V spaces.Applying the same techniques developed here, we are able toimprove the main result of (Hill and Süli 2000 IMA J. Numer.Anal., 20, 633–667) by showing that besides the existenceof a global attractor, the whole solution sequence is uniformlybounded in V as well, which is of significance from the pointof view of computing. As a corollary of local convergence results,upper semi-continuity of the attractor with respect to the numericalperturbation induced by the linear scheme is also establishedin both H and V spaces. Finally, some preliminary estimates,which are to our knowledge the first of their kind, on the dimensionsof the attractors in H and V spaces are also obtained.     

One Cubic Diophantine Inequality

Suppose that G(x) is a form, or homogeneous polynomial, of odddegree d in s variables, with real coefficients. Schmidt [15]has shown that there exists a positive integer s₀(d), whichdepends only on the degree d, so that if s s₀(d), then thereis an x Z^s\{0} satisfying the inequality |G(x)|<1. (1) In other words, if there are enough variables, in terms of thedegree only, then there is a nontrivial solution to (1). Lets₀(d) be the minimum integer with the above property. In thecourse of proving this important result, Schmidt did not explicitlygive upper bounds for s₀(d). His methods do indicate how todo so, although not very efficiently. However, in fact muchearlier, Pitman [13] provided explicit bounds in the case whenG is a cubic. We consider a general cubic form F(x) with realcoefficients, in s variables, and look at the inequality |F(x)|<1. (2) Specifically, Pitman showed that if s(1314)²⁵⁶–1, (3) then inequality (2) is non-trivially soluble in integers. Wepresent the following improvement of this bound.     

Non-variational approximation of discrete eigenvalues of self-adjoint operators

^** Email: L.Boulton{at}ma.hw.ac.uk We establish sufficient conditions for approximation of discreteeigenvalues of self-adjoint operators in the second-order projectionmethod suggested recently in Levitin & Shargorodsky (2004,Spectral pollution and second order relative spectra for self-adjointoperators. IMA J. Numer. Anal., 24, 393–416). We findfairly explicit estimates for the eigenvalue error and studyin detail two concrete model examples. Our results show thatsecond-order projection strategies not only are universallypollution free but also achieve approximation under naturalconditions on the discretising basis.     

A pointwise estimate on the 1-order approximation of G{varepsilon}x0

On the basis of Avellaneda & Hua-Lin (1991, Commun. PureAppl. Math., 44 897–910), a pointwise error estimate onthe 1-order approximation of Green function G_x0 defined in R²is shown at first. Then based on this estimate and using asymptoticexpansion method, an improved approximation of G_x0 and its pointwiseerror estimate are obtained.     

A Petrov-Galerkin method with quadrature for elliptic boundary value problems

We propose and analyse a fully discrete Petrov–Galerkinmethod with quadrature, for solving second-order, variable coefficient,elliptic boundary value problems on rectangular domains. Inour scheme, the trial space consists of C² splines of degreer 3, the test space consists of C⁰ splines of degree r –2, and we use composite (r – 1)-point Gauss quadrature.We show existence and uniqueness of the approximate solutionand establish optimal order error bounds in H², H¹ and L² norms.     

Some Best-possible Error Bounds in Deformation Theory

In an approximate theory of deformation used in the linear theoryof elasticity, the exact strain and rotation matrices E, R arereplaced by quantities E{small tilde},R{small tilde}. This paperestablishes "best-possible" bounds, in terms of the local accuracyE——, for the errors associated with this approximation.     

Error estimates for stochastic differential games: the adverse stopping case

^** Email: frederic.bonnans{at}inria.fr^*** Email: stefania.maroso{at}inria.fr^**** Email: zidani{at}ensta.fr We obtain error bounds for monotone approximation schemes ofa particular Isaacs equation. This is an extension of the theoryfor estimating errors for the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellmanequation. To obtain the upper error bound, we consider the ‘Krylovregularization’ of the Isaacs equation to build an approximatesub-solution of the scheme. To get the lower error bound, weextend the method of Barles & Jakobsen (2005, SIAM J. Numer.Anal.) which consists in introducing a switching system whosesolutions are local super-solutions of the Isaacs equation.     

Error expansion for a first-order upwind difference scheme applied to a model convection-diffusion problem

A singularly perturbed convection–diffusion problem isconsidered. The problem is discretized using a simple first-orderupwind difference scheme on general meshes. We derive an expansionof the error of the scheme that enables uniform error boundswith respect to the perturbation parameter in the discrete maximumnorm for both a defect correction method and the Richardsonextrapolation technique. This generalizes and simplifies resultsobtained in earlier publications by Fröhner et al.(2001,Numer. Algorithms, 26, 281–299) and by Natividad &Stynes (2003, Appl. Numer. Math., 45, 315–329). Numericalexperiments complement our theoretical results.     

An orthogonal spline collocation alternating direction implicit method for second-order hyperbolic problems

On a rectangular region, we consider a linear second-order hyperbolicinitial-boundary value problem involving a mixed derivativeterm, continuous variable coefficients and non-homogeneous Dirichletboundary conditions. In comparison to the alternating directionimplicit Laplace-modified method of Fernandes (1997), we formulateand analyse a new parameter-free alternating direction implicitscheme in which the standard central difference formula is usedfor the time approximation and orthogonal spline collocationis used for the spatial discretization. We establish unconditionalstability of the scheme, and its optimal order in the discretemaximum norm in time and the H¹ norm in space. Numerical experimentsindicate that the new scheme, which has the same order as themethod of Fernandes (1997, Numer. Math., 77, 223–241),is more accurate. We also show that the new scheme is easilygeneralized to the second-order hyperbolic problems on rectangularpolygons. Extensions of the scheme to problems with discontinuouscoefficients, nonlinear problems, and problems with other boundaryconditions are also discussed.     

Bounds on the extensional strains in elastic homogeneous crystals under simple tension

Within the context of the linearized theory of elasticity, weconsider homogeneous crystals, which have orthorhombic, tetragonal,hexagonal symmetry or cubic symmetry (‘RTHC’ crystals).When such a crystal is subjected to a simple tension (or compression)of amount T in the direction n, there will be three, generallydifferent, extensional strains along the three mutually perpendiculardirections corresponding to the principal axes of strain. Thepurpose of this paper is to present a simple procedure to placebounds, upper and lower, on the possible extensional strainsin the crystal, both in the case when n is fixed in directionand in the case when n is arbitrary. The procedure allows usto determine whether the bounds are attained or not.