Numerische Quadratur bei Projektionsverfahren

Summary In this paper we investigate the influence of the numerical quadrature in projection methods. In particular we derive conditions for the order of the quadrature formulas in finite element methods under which the order of convergence is not perturbed. It seems that this question has been discussed only for the Ritz method. There is an essential difference between this method on one side and the Galerkin and least squares methods on the other side. The methods using numerical integration are only in the latter case still projection methods. The resulting conditions for the quadrature formulas are often much weaker than those for the Ritz method. Numerical examples using cubic splines and polynomials show that the conditions derived are realistic. These examples also allow the comparison of some projection methods.

     

Lösung von gewöhnlichen Differentialgleichungen mit nichtlinearen Splines

Zusammenfassung In dieser Arbeit werden nichtlineare Splines zur Lösung von Anfangswertaufgaben bei gewöhnlichen Differentialgleichungen herangezogen. In der Nähe von Singularitäten besitzen z.B. verallgemeinerte rationale Splines mit variablen Exponenten gute Approximationseigenschaften. Bei Polynomsplines können Konvergenzaussagen hergeleitet werden, indem Äquivalenz dieser Verfahren mit gewissen linearen Mehrschrittverfahren gezeigt wird. In dieser Arbeit behandeln wir den nichtlinearen Fall, indem wir die lokalen Fehler in den Knoten direkt verfolgen. Einige numerische Beispiele zeigen die Güte dieser Verfahren insbesondere bei solchen Lösungen, die sehr steil anwachsen oder sogar im betrachteten Intervall singulär werden.

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Solution of ordinary differential equations with nonlinear splines

Summary We consider the technique of using nonlinear splines to solve the initial value problem of ordinary differential equations. It is known, for example, that generalized rational splines with variable exponents yield good approximations to the exact solution in the neighborhood of a singularity. In the case of polynomial splines, convergence results may be derived by demonstrating the equivalence of the method to linear multistep methods. This sort of analysis has been done by many authors. In this paper we treat the nonlinear case and are able to prove convergence by directly estimating the local errors at interior knots. Some computational examples are given which illustrate the power of the method near a singularity.

     

Superconvergence phenomenon in the finite element method arising from averaging gradients

Summary We study a superconvergence phenomenon which can be obtained when solving a 2^nd order elliptic problem by the usual linear elements. The averaged gradient is a piecewise linear continuous vector field, the value of which at any nodal point is an average of gradients of linear elements on triangles incident with this nodal point. The convergence rate of the averaged gradient to an exact gradient in theL ²-norm can locally be higher even by one than that of the original piecewise constant discrete gradient.     

A note onC o Galerkin methods for two-point boundary problems

Summary As is known [4]. theC ^o Galerkin solution of a two-point boundary problem using piecewise polynomial functions, hasO(h ^2k ) convergence at the knots, wherek is the degree of the finite element space. Also, it can be proved [5] that at specific interior points, the Gauss-Legendre points the gradient hasO(h ^k+1) convergence, instead ofO(h ^k ). In this note, it is proved that on any segment there arek–1 interior points where the Galerkin solution is ofO(h ^k+2), one order better than the global order of convergence. These points are the Lobatto points.     

Die mehrstellenformeln für den Laplaceoperator

Summary Difference methods for the numerical solution of linear partial differential equations may often be improved by using a weighted right hand side instead of the original right hand side of the differential equation. Difference formulas, for which that is possible, are called Mehrstellenformeln or Hermitian formulas. In this paper the Hermitian formulas for the approximation of Laplace's operator are characterized by a very simple condition. We prove, that in two-dimensional case for a Hermitian formula of ordern at leastn+3 discretization points are necessary. We give examples of such optimal formulas of arbitrary high-order.

     

Numerische Behandlung von Verzweigungsproblemen bei gewöhnlichen Differentialgleichungen

Summary We present a new method for the numerical solution of bifurcation problems for ordinary differential equations. It is based on a modification of the classical Ljapunov-Schmidt-theory. We transform the problem of determining the nontrivial branch bifurcating from the trivial solution into the problem of solving regular nonlinear boundary value problems, which can be treated numerically by standard methods (multiple shooting, difference methods).

     

Discretization by finite elements of a model parameter dependent problem

The discretization by finite elements of a model variational problem for a clamped loaded beam is studied with emphasis on the effect of the beam thickness, which appears as a parameter in the problem, on the accuracy. It is shown that the approximation achieved by a standard finite element method degenerates for thin beams. In contrast a large family of mixed finite element methods are shown to yield quasioptimal approximation independent of the thickness parameter. The most useful of these methods may be realized by replacing the integrals appearing in the stiffness matrix of the standard method by Gauss quadratures.     

Convergence of a penalty-finite element approximation for an obstacle problem

Summary This study establishes an error estimate for a penalty-finite element approximation of the variational inequality obtained by a class of obstacle problems. By special identification of the penalty term, we first show that the penalty solution converges to the solution of a mixed formulation of the variational inequality. The rate of convergence of the penalization is where is the penalty parameter. To obtain the error of finite element approximation, we apply the results obtained by Brezzi, Hager and Raviart for the mixed finite element method to the variational inequality.     

Analysis of finite element methods for second order boundary value problems using mesh dependent norms

This paper presents a new approach to the analysis of finite element methods based onC ⁰-finite elements for the approximate solution of 2nd order boundary value problems in which error estimates are derived directly in terms of two mesh dependent norms that are closely ralated to theL ₂ norm and to the 2nd order Sobolev norm, respectively, and in which there is no assumption of quasi-uniformity on the mesh family. This is in contrast to the usual analysis in which error estimates are first derived in the 1st order Sobolev norm and subsequently are derived in theL ₂ norm and in the 2nd order Sobolev norm — the 2nd order Sobolev norm estimates being obtained under the assumption that the functions in the underlying approximating subspaces lie in the 2nd order Sobolev space and that the mesh family is quasi-uniform.     

Some equilibrium finite element methods for two-dimensional elasticity problems

Summary We consider some equilibrium finite element methods for two-dimensional elasticity problems. The stresses and the displacements are approximated by using piecewise linear functions. We establishL ₂-estimates of orderO(h ²) for both stresses and displacements.     

On patched variational principles with application to elliptic and mixed elliptic-hyperbolic problems

Summary Variational principles are important tools for the approximate solution of boundary-value problems. There are many types of variational principles, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. In this paper we show how to use a combination of variational principles, each for a given subregion of the underlying region of space, so as to best utilize the chief benefits of the individual principles. Such a patched principle is particularly useful in solving transonic flow problems, where we use different principles in the elliptic and hyperbolic regions. We present the results of some numerical experiments for the Tricomi problem. These seem to indicate that our patched principle, when used in conjunction with the finite element method, leads to accuracy which is second-order in the mesh spacing, as compared to the standard numerical methods of solving this problem, which are only first-order.     

On the mixed finite element approximation for the buckling of plates

We consider the mixed finite element method for the buckling problem of the thin plate by using piecewise linear polynomials. We give error estimates for the approximate eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions.     

On the numerical analysis of the Von Karman equations: Mixed finite element approximation and continuation techniques

Summary The purpose of this paper is to study the approximation of the Von Karman equations by the mixed finite element scheme of Miyoshi and to follow the solutions arcs at a neighbourhood of the first eigenvalue of the linearized problem. This last problem is solved by a continuation method.     

Convergence of the nonconforming Wilson element for arbitrary quadrilateral meshes

Summary A modified variational formulation, recently introduced by Taylor, Beresford and Wilson for solving second order problems, using the nonconforming Wilson element is here analysed. It is shown that the Patch Test is satisfied and that stresses and displacements are respectively first and second order accurate for arbitrary quadrilateral meshes.     

On finite element approximation of the gradient for solution of Poisson equation

Summary A nonconforming mixed finite element method is presented for approximation of w with w=f,w| _r =0. Convergence of the order is proved, when linear finite elements are used. Only the standard regularity assumption on triangulations is needed.     

Error estimates for the finite element solution of variational inequalities

Summary We study the mixed finite element approximation of variational inequalities, taking as model problems the so called obstacle problem and unilateral problem. Optimal error bounds are obtained in both cases.Supported in part by National Science Foundation grant MCS 75-09457, and by Office of Naval Research grant N00014-76-C-0369     

Finite dimensional approximation of nonlinear problems

Summary In the first two papers of this series [4, 5], we have studied a general method of approximation of nonsingular solutions and simple limit points of nonlinear equations in a Banach space. We derive here general approximation results of the branches of solutions in the neighborhood of a simple bifurcation point. The abstract theory is applied to the Galerkin approximation of nonlinear variational problems and to a mixed finite element approximation of the von Kármán equations.The work of F. Brezzi has been completed during his stay at the Université P. et M. Curie and at the Ecole PolytechniqueThe work of J. Rappaz has been supported by the Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique     

On numerical asymptotic behavior of finite element solutions for parabolic equations

Summary In this paper, we investigate the numerical asymptotic behavior of the finite element solutions for linear parabolic equations under some appropriate conditions. We also give some results of numerical experiments in the two dimensional problems to indicate the effectiveness of our results.     

Éléments finis mixtes incompressibles pour l'équation de Stokes dans ℝ3

Summary We introduce some new families of finite element approximation for the stationary Stokes and Navier Stokes equations in a bounded domain in ³. These elements can used tetahedrons or cubes. The approximation satisfie exactly the incompressibility condition.

     

On a mixed finite element approximation of the Stokes problem (I)

Summary We study in this paper a new mixed finite element approximation of the Stokes' problem in the velocity pressure formulation. This approximation which is based on a new variational principle allows the use of low order Lagrange elements and leads to optimal order of convergence for the velocity and the pressure. Iterative and direct methods for the solution of the approximate problems will be discussed in a forthcoming paper.