High-Dimensional Finite Elements for Elliptic Problems with Multiple Scales

A sparse tensor product finite element (FE) method is developed for the high-dimensional limiting problem obtained by applying the multiscale convergence to a multiscale nonlinear monotone problem in $\mathbb{R}^d$. The limiting problem is posed in a product space, so tensor product FE spaces are used for discretization. This sparse FE method requires essentially the same number of degrees of freedom to achieve essentially equal accuracy to that of a standard FE scheme for a partial differential equation in $\mathbb{R}^d$. It is proved that for the Euler–Lagrange equation of a two scale convex variational problem in a smooth and convex domain the solution to the high-dimensional limiting equation is smooth. An analytic homogenization error is then established, which together with the FE error provides an explicit error estimate for an approximation to the solution of the original multiscale problem. Without this regularity, such an approximation always exists when the meshsize and the microscale converge to 0 but without a rate of convergence.

The handling and control of towed cable and body systems onboard surface ships and submarines presents a significant technical challenge to design engineers in the defense and ocean industries. The current approaches rely heavily on the empirical methods and the time-consuming and costly prototype testing. Computer simulation provides a cost effective way to reduce the high risks associated with the towed cable/body system. However, the current dynamic analysis of towed cables is mostly done by the finite difference (FD) method in stead of the finite element (FE) method that is widely used in almost all engineering fields. This paper presents an alternative FE method to simulate the dynamics of towed cable and body system, in which the large rigid body motion is coupled with small elastic deformation. The newly derived FE method is formulated in terms of element nodal positions, which is different from the existing FE methods that use displacements. The alternative FE method solves for the cable position directly in order to eliminate accumulated numerical errors arising from existing FE methods that solve for displacements first in order to obtain the cable position over very long period of time. The alternative FE formulation is implemented and applied to real applications to demonstrate its robustness by comparing simulation results with the experimental and sea trial data.

This paper presents two immersed finite element (IFE) methods for solving the elliptic interface problem arising from electric field simulation in composite materials. The meshes used in these IFE methods can be independent of the interface geometry and position; therefore, if desired, a structured mesh such as a Cartesian mesh can be used in an IFE method to simulate 3‐D electric field in a domain with non‐trivial interfaces separating different materials. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate that the accuracies of these IFE methods are comparable to the standard linear finite element method with unstructured body‐fit mesh. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This paper deals with the homogenization of a class of nonlinear elliptic problems with quadratic growth in a periodically perforated domain. The authors prescribe a Dirichlet condition on the exterior boundary and a nonhomogeneous nonlinear Robin condition on the boundary of the holes. The main difficulty, when passing to the limit, is that the solution of the problems converges neither strongly in L2(Ω) nor almost everywhere in Ω. A new convergence result involving nonlinear functions provides suitable weak convergence results which permit passing to the limit without using any extension operator. Consequently, using a corrector result proved in [Chourabi, I. and Donato, P., Homogenization and correctors of a class of elliptic problems in perforated domains, Asymptotic Analysis, 92(1), 2015, 1–43, DOI: 10.3233/ASY-151288], the authors describe the limit problem, presenting a limit nonlinearity which is different for the two cases, that of a Neumann datum with a nonzero average and with a zero average.

Real-world groundwater modeling deals with heterogeneous and anisotropic aquifer systems. Numerical models, particularly the finite difference and finite element methods, are extensively used for modeling such a complex aquifer system. The finite difference method is an age-old straightforward approach, whereas the finite element method is more idealistic, relatively new, and has emerged as a popular approach. The unique advantages with the finite element method are (i) an irregular-shaped domain can be discretized into elements with a matching boundary, (ii) a node can be connected with the neighboring nodes in any direction. Thus, the finite element analysis allows water/solute to flow more freely toward the surrounding nodes along nodal links. On the other hand, the mathematical formulation of the finite element technique follows a set of rules step by step. Conventionally, this idealistic approach uses shape functions and integration techniques to develop element matrices, which, in turn, are assembled to form the global matrix. This conventional global matrix was found to be inconsistent with the basic partial differential equation representing the mass balance in a nodal domain as a control volume. As a result, the matrix solution, particularly for nonlinear problems (e.g., vadose zone flow, density dependent flow, and so forth) becomes unstable and computationally burdensome. To overcome the limitations of the conventional finite element method for real-world groundwater modeling, a new approach, called the direct-formulation finite element (DFFE) method, has been developed. In this approach, a two-dimensional model domain is discretized into triangular elements. Element matrices are formed directly based on flow principles and material properties of elements without using shape functions and integration process. The DFFE method is robust. The global matrix is consistent, and the solution is stable and efficient. The results obtained from this approach were found in a good agreement with that obtained from analytical and other widely used models.

Highly accurate finite element method for one-dimensional elliptic interface problems

Error estimates for finite element solutions of elliptic boundary value problems

A comprehensive analysis is presented for the heterogeneous multiscale method (HMM for short) applied to various elliptic homogenization problems. These problems can be either linear or nonlinear, with deterministic or random coefficients. In most cases considered, optimal estimates are proved for the error between the HMM solutions and the homogenized solutions. Strategies for retrieving the microstructural information from the HMM solutions are discussed and analyzed.

Higher order meshless schemes applied to the finite element method in elliptic problems

The scientific basis of orthodontics is physics and Newtonian mechanics applied to the tooth-periodontal ligament-bone biologic system. The mechanical response of the periodontal ligament (PDL) to forces has a significant impact on bone remodelling and tooth movement. At the early stages, orthodontists mainly evaluated the PDL mechanical properties by in vitro experiments, which guided the use of forces in the orthodontic process. With the development of computers, finite element (FE) methods were increasingly used in the study of orthodontics. The phenomena and results of PDL mechanical tests are abstracted into constitutive equations. The identified constitutive equations are then implemented in finite element software. The finite element method could be used to simulate in vitro and in vivo experiments and predict the response of PDL under various complex working conditions. A visco-hyperelastic constitutive model is proposed and implemented in finite element technique based on prior static mechanical experiments of human PDL. Some complex experimental conditions are simulated to discuss the properties of the constitutive model.

It has been well known that exact closed-form solutions are not available for non-Levy-type plates. Thus, more accurate and efficient computational methods have been required for the plates subjected to arbitrary boundary conditions. This paper presents a frequency-domain spectral element model for the rectangular finite plate element. The spectral element model is developed by using two methods in combination: (1) the boundary splitting and (2) the super spectral element method in which the Kantorovich method-based finite strip element method and the frequency-domain waveguide method are utilized. The present spectral element model has nodes on four edges of the finite plate element, but no nodes inside. This can reduce the total number of degrees of freedom a lot to improve the computational efficiency significantly, when compared with the standard finite element method (FEM). The high solution accuracy and computational efficiency of the present spectral element model are evaluated by the comparison with exact solutions and the solutions by the standard FEM.

The workshop Nonstandard Finite Element Methods , organized by Susanne C. Brenner (Baton Rouge), Carsten Carstensen (Berlin) and Peter Monk (Newark) was held August 10 – 16, 2008. This meeting was well attended with over 40 participants with broad geographic representation. Although Courant is often credited with the discovery of finite elements [2, 3], the first practical use of such methods in engineering seems to date back to the work of Argyris and Clough et. al. (apparently Clough coined the name “finite elements”) in the 1950s [1, 4]. By the 1970s the finite element method was firmly established in engineering practice and the basic theory of conforming elements for elliptic problems was well understood [2]. Engineers and mathematicians have since expanded the use of finite elements to a wide variety of new applications and have improved the theoretical underpinnings of the method. In addition, efficient computational algorithms have been developed, such as the multigrid method, that allow for the application of finite elements to sophisticated three dimensional problems. Within current research, we can distinguish classical or standard finite element methods, and newer nonstandard finite elements The former include conforming elements applied to “standard” Galerkin discretizations of problems. Usually accuracy is obtained by mesh refinement. As the range of applications has increased, and to alleviate perceived shortcomings in standard conforming elements, numerical analysts and engineers have sought more general finite element methods based, for example, on mixed formulations, and non-conforming or even discontinuous Galerkin schemes. These methods may be superior to standard finite elements in particular applications because of enhancements to stability, robustness or conservation properties. We refer to them as non-standard finite element methods. This Oberwolfach workshop was devoted to non-standard finite element methods and their analyses. Inevitability such a snapshot of the subject is biased, but we have tried to include non-standard methods in the broadest sense including mixed, discontinuous Galerkin, generalized, partition of unity and mortar FEM methods. All these schemes have in common that stability and convergence is not obvious and requires mathematical analysis. This is even more true for developing fast solvers, a posteriori error estimation and adaptive mesh design. Through the week there were 29 presentations on various non-standard topics. These provided an overview of current research directions, new developments and open problems.

A numerical comparison of finite difference (FD) and finite element (FE) methods for a stochastic ordinary differential equation is made. The stochastic ordinary differential equation is turned into a set of ordinary differential equations by applying polynomial chaos, and the FD and FE methods are then implemented. The resulting numerical solutions are all non-negative. When orthogonal polynomials are used for either continuous or discrete processes, numerical experiments also show that the FE method is more accurate and efficient than the FD method.

On the combination of finite element and splitting-up methods in the solution of parabolic equations

The interaction between off-road tires and granular terrain has a great influence on the tractive performance of off-road vehicles. However, the finite element method or the discrete element method cannot effectively study the interaction between off-road tires and granular terrain. The three-dimensional combined finite element and discrete element method is applied to handle this problem. In this study, a calibrated finite element method–discrete element method model is established, in which the finite element model of off-road tire is validated by stiffness tests, while the discrete element model of gravel particles is validated by triaxial compression tests. The calibrated finite element method–discrete element method model can describe the structural mechanics of the off-road tire and the macroscopic mechanical properties of the gravel road. Tractive performance simulations of the off-road tire on gravel road under different slip conditions are performed with the commercial software LS-DYNA. The simulation results are basically corresponded with the soil-bin test results in terms of granular terrain deformation and tractive performance parameters versus the slip rates. Finally, the effects of tread pattern, wheel load, and tire inflation pressure on tractive performance of off-road tire on granular terrain are investigated. It indicates that the calibrated finite element method–discrete element method can be an effective tool for studying the tire–granular terrain interaction and predicting the tractive performance of off-road tire on granular terrain.