A posteriori error analysis of a quadratic finite volume method for nonlinear elliptic problems

In this article, we construct and analyze a residual-based a posteriori error estimator for a quadratic finite volume method (FVM) for solving nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. We shall prove that the a posteriori error estimator yields the global upper and local lower bounds for the norm error of the FVM. So that the a posteriori error estimator is equivalent to the true error in a certain sense. Numerical experiments are performed to illustrate the theoretical results.     

Numerical solutions of the shallow water equations with discontinuous bed topography

A simple scheme is developed for treatment of vertical bed topography in shallow water flows. The effect of the vertical step on flows is modelled with the shallow water equations including local energy loss terms. The bed elevation is denoted with z_b^‐ for the left and z_b⁺ for the right values at each grid point, hence exactly representing a discontinuity in the bed topography. The surface gradient method (SGM) is generalized to reconstruct water depths at cell interfaces involving a vertical step so that the fluxes at the cell interfaces can accurately be calculated with a Riemann solver. The scheme is verified by predicting a surge crossing a step, a tidal flow over a step and dam‐break flows on wet/dry beds. The results have shown good agreements compared with analytical solutions and available experimental data. The scheme is efficient, robust, and may be used for practical flow calculations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical solution of the three‐dimensional parabolic equation with an integral condition

Developement of numerical methods for obtaining approximate solutions to the three dimensional diffusion equation with an integral condition will be carried out. The numerical techniques discussed are based on the fully explicit (1,7) finite difference technique and the fully implicit (7,1) finite difference method and the (7,7) Crank‐Nicolson type finite difference formula. The new developed methods are tested on a problem. Truncation error analysis and numerical examples are used to illustrate the accuracy of the new algorithms. The results of numerical testing show that the numerical methods based on the finite difference techniques discussed in the present article produce good results. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 18: 193–202, 2002; DOI 10.1002/num.1040     

Simulation of viscous water column collapse using adapting hierarchical grids

An adaptive hierarchical grid‐based method for predicting complex free surface flows is used to simulate collapse of a water column. Adapting quadtree grids are combined with a high‐resolution interface‐capturing approach and pressure‐based coupling of the Navier–Stokes equations. The Navier–Stokes flow solution scheme is verified for simulation of flow in a lid‐driven cavity at Re=1000. Two approaches to the coupling of the Navier–Stokes equations are investigated as are alternative face velocity and hanging node interpolations. Collapse of a water column as well as collapse of a water column and its subsequent interaction with an obstacle are simulated. The calculations are made on uniform and adapting quadtree grids, and the accuracy of the quadtree calculations is shown to be the same as those made on the equivalent uniform grids. Results are in excellent agreement with experimental and other numerical data. A sharp interface is maintained at the free surface. The new adapting quadtree‐based method achieves a considerable saving in the size of the computational grid and CPU time in comparison with calculations made on equivalent uniform grids. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Absorbing boundary conditions for reaction-diffusion equations

We treat here of the question of absorbing boundary conditionsfor nonlinear diffusion equations. We use the conditions designedfor the linear equation, we prove them to be well posed forthe nonlinear problem, and through numerical experiments thatthey are well suited for reaction–diffusion equations.     

A test problem for molecular dynamics integrators

We derive a test problem for evaluating the ability of time-steppingmethods to preserve the statistical properties of systems inmolecular dynamics. We consider a family of deterministic systemsconsisting of a finite number of particles interacting on acompact interval. The particles are given random initial conditionsand interact through instantaneous energy- and momentum-conservingcollisions. As the number of particles, the particle density,and the mean particle speed go to infinity, the trajectory ofa tracer particle is shown to converge to a stationary Gaussianstochastic process. We approximate this system by one describedby a system of ordinary differential equations and provide numericalevidence that it converges to the same stochastic process. Wesimulate the latter system with a variety of numerical integrators,including the symplectic Euler method, a fourth-order Runge-Kuttamethod, and an energyconserving step-and-project method. Weassess the methods' ability to recapture the system's limitingstatistics and observe that symplectic Euler performs significantlybetter than the others for comparable computational expense.     

Reference values for drag and lift of a two‐dimensional time‐dependent flow around a cylinder

This paper presents a numerical study of a two‐dimensional time‐dependent flow around a cylinder. Its main objective is to provide accurate reference values for the maximal drag and lift coefficient at the cylinder and for the pressure difference between the front and the back of the cylinder at the final time. In addition, the accuracy of these values obtained with different time stepping schemes and different finite element methods is studied. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reversible nonlinear conduction in high‐density polyethylene/acetylene carbon black composites at various ambient temperatures

The reversible nonlinear conduction (RNC) in of high‐density polyethylene/acetylene carbon black composites with different degrees of crosslinking was studied above room temperature and below the melting point of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). The experimental current density‐electric field strength curves can be overlapped onto a master curve, suggesting that the microscopic mechanisms for the appearance of RNC exist regardless of the ambient temperature and the crosslinking degree of the HDPE matrix. The relationship between the crossover current density and the linear conductivity can be explained in the framework of the dynamic random‐resistor‐network model. According to these results, two electron‐tunneling models are suggested to interpret the microscopic conduction behavior. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1212–1217, 2004     

A note on the necessary conditions for the algebraic Riccati equation

We derive some useful and easily computable necessary conditionsfor the existence of a positive semi-definite solution to thealgebraic Ricatti equation (ARE). A motivating example is givento highlight the usefulness of the conditions for controllerand observer designs for nonlinear systems. Further, an upperbound on the trace of the solution to the ARE is also derived.