21 research outputs found

    Superconvergence Using Pointwise Interpolation in Convection-Diffusion Problems

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    Considering a singularly perturbed convection-diffusion problem, we present an analysis for a superconvergence result using pointwise interpolation of Gau{\ss}-Lobatto type for higher-order streamline diffusion FEM. We show a useful connection between two different types of interpolation, namely a vertex-edge-cell interpolant and a pointwise interpolant. Moreover, different postprocessing operators are analysed and applied to model problems.Comment: 19 page

    Mini-Workshop: Finite Elements and Layer Adapted Meshes

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    Error analysis of the Galerkin FEM in L 2 -based norms for problems with layers: On the importance, conception and realization of balancing

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    In the present thesis it is shown that the most natural choice for a norm for the analysis of the Galerkin FEM, namely the energy norm, fails to capture the boundary layer functions arising in certain reaction-diffusion problems. In view of a formal Definition such reaction-diffusion problems are not singularly perturbed with respect to the energy norm. This observation raises two questions: 1. Does the Galerkin finite element method on standard meshes yield satisfactory approximations for the reaction-diffusion problem with respect to the energy norm? 2. Is it possible to strengthen the energy norm in such a way that the boundary layers are captured and that it can be reconciled with a robust finite element method, i.e.~robust with respect to this strong norm? In Chapter 2 we answer the first question. We show that the Galerkin finite element approximation converges uniformly in the energy norm to the solution of the reaction-diffusion problem on standard shape regular meshes. These results are completely new in two dimensions and are confirmed by numerical experiments. We also study certain convection-diffusion problems with characterisitc layers in which some layers are not well represented in the energy norm. These theoretical findings, validated by numerical experiments, have interesting implications for adaptive methods. Moreover, they lead to a re-evaluation of other results and methods in the literature. In 2011 Lin and Stynes were the first to devise a method for a reaction-diffusion problem posed in the unit square allowing for uniform a priori error estimates in an adequate so-called balanced norm. Thus, the aforementioned second question is answered in the affirmative. Obtaining a non-standard weak formulation by testing also with derivatives of the test function is the key idea which is related to the H^1-Galerkin methods developed in the early 70s. Unfortunately, this direct approach requires excessive smoothness of the finite element space considered. Lin and Stynes circumvent this problem by rewriting their problem into a first order system and applying a mixed method. Now the norm captures the layers. Therefore, they need to be resolved by some layer-adapted mesh. Lin and Stynes obtain optimal error estimates with respect to the balanced norm on Shishkin meshes. However, their method is unable to preserve the symmetry of the problem and they rely on the Raviart-Thomas element for H^div-conformity. In Chapter 4 of the thesis a new continuous interior penalty (CIP) method is present, embracing the approach of Lin and Stynes in the context of a broken Sobolev space. The resulting method induces a balanced norm in which uniform error estimates are proven. In contrast to the mixed method the CIP method uses standard Q_2-elements on the Shishkin meshes. Both methods feature improved stability properties in comparison with the Galerkin FEM. Nevertheless, the latter also yields approximations which can be shown to converge to the true solution in a balanced norm uniformly with respect to diffusion parameter. Again, numerical experiments are conducted that agree with the theoretical findings. In every finite element analysis the approximation error comes into play, eventually. If one seeks to prove any of the results mentioned on an anisotropic family of Shishkin meshes, one will need to take advantage of the different element sizes close to the boundary. While these are ideally suited to reflect the solution behavior, the error analysis is more involved and depends on anisotropic interpolation error estimates. In Chapter 3 the beautiful theory of Apel and Dobrowolski is extended in order to obtain anisotropic interpolation error estimates for macro-element interpolation. This also sheds light on fundamental construction principles for such operators. The thesis introduces a non-standard finite element space that consists of biquadratic C^1-finite elements on macro-elements over tensor product grids, which can be viewed as a rectangular version of the C^1-Powell-Sabin element. As an application of the general theory developed, several interpolation operators mapping into this FE space are analyzed. The insight gained can also be used to prove anisotropic error estimates for the interpolation operator induced by the well-known C^1-Bogner-Fox-Schmidt element. A special modification of Scott-Zhang type and a certain anisotropic interpolation operator are also discussed in detail. The results of this chapter are used to approximate the solution to a recation-diffusion-problem on a Shishkin mesh that features highly anisotropic elements. The obtained approximation features continuous normal derivatives across certain edges of the mesh, enabling the analysis of the aforementioned CIP method.:Notation 1 Introduction 2 Galerkin FEM error estimation in weak norms 2.1 Reaction-diffusion problems 2.2 A convection-diffusion problem with weak characteristic layers and a Neumann outflow condition 2.3 A mesh that resolves only part of the exponential layer and neglects the weaker characteristic layers 2.3.1 Weakly imposed characteristic boundary conditions 2.4 Numerical experiments 2.4.1 A reaction-diffusion problem with boundary layers 2.4.2 A reaction-diffusion problem with an interior layer 2.4.3 A convection-diffusion problem with characteristic layers and a Neumann outflow condition 2.4.4 A mesh that resolves only part of the exponential layer and neglects the weaker characteristic layers 3 Macro-interpolation on tensor product meshes 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Univariate C1-P2 macro-element interpolation 3.3 C1-Q2 macro-element interpolation on tensor product meshes 3.4 A theory on anisotropic macro-element interpolation 3.5 C1 macro-interpolation on anisotropic tensor product meshes 3.5.1 A reduced macro-element interpolation operator 3.5.2 The full C1-Q2 interpolation operator 3.5.3 A C1-Q2 macro-element quasi-interpolation operator of Scott-Zhang type on tensor product meshes 3.5.4 Summary: anisotropic C1 (quasi-)interpolation error estimates 3.6 An anisotropic macro-element of tensor product type 3.7 Application of macro-element interpolation on a tensor product Shishkin mesh 4 Balanced norm results for reaction-diffusion 4.1 The balanced finite element method of Lin and Stynes 4.2 A C0 interior penalty method 4.3 Galerkin finite element method 4.3.1 L2-norm error bounds and supercloseness 4.3.2 Maximum-norm error bounds 4.4 Numerical verification 4.5 Further developments and summary Reference

    Analytical investigations and numerical experiments for singularly perturbed convection-diffusion problems with layers and singularities using a newly developed FE-software

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    In the field of singularly perturbed reaction- or convection-diffusion boundary value problems the research area of a priori error analysis for the finite element method, has already been thoroughly investigated. In particular, for mesh adapted methods and/or various stabilization techniques, works have been done that prove optimal rates of convergence or supercloseness uniformly in the perturbation parameter epsilon. Commonly, however, it is assumed that the exact solution behaves nicely in that it obeys certain regularity assumptions although in general, e.g. due to corner singularities, these regularity requirements are not satisfied. So far, insufficient regularity has been met by assuming compatibility conditions on the data. The present thesis originated from the question: What can be shown if these rather unrealistic additional assumptions are dropped? We are interested in epsilon-uniform a priori estimates for convergence and superconvergence that include some regularity parameter that is adjustable to the smoothness of the exact solution. A major difficulty that occurs when seeking the numerical error decay is that the exact solution is not known. Since we strive for reliable rates of convergence we want to avoid the standard approach of the "double-mesh principle". Our choice is to use reference solutions as a substitute for the exact solution. Numerical experiments are intended to confirm the theoretical results and to bring further insights into the interplay between layers and singularities. To computationally realize the thereby arising demanding practical aspects of the finite element method, a new software is developed that turns out to be particularly suited for the needs of the numerical analyst. Its design, features and implementation is described in detail in the second part of the thesis

    Layer-adapted meshes for convection-diffusion problems

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    This is a book on numerical methods for singular perturbation problems - in particular stationary convection-dominated convection-diffusion problems. More precisely it is devoted to the construction and analysis of layer-adapted meshes underlying these numerical methods. An early important contribution towards the optimization of numerical methods by means of special meshes was made by N.S. Bakhvalov in 1969. His paper spawned a lively discussion in the literature with a number of further meshes being proposed and applied to various singular perturbation problems. However, in the mid 1980s this development stalled, but was enlivend again by G.I. Shishkin's proposal of piecewise- equidistant meshes in the early 1990s. Because of their very simple structure they are often much easier to analyse than other meshes, although they give numerical approximations that are inferior to solutions on competing meshes. Shishkin meshes for numerous problems and numerical methods have been studied since and they are still very much in vogue. With this contribution we try to counter this development and lay the emphasis on more general meshes that - apart from performing better than piecewise-uniform meshes - provide a much deeper insight in the course of their analysis. In this monograph a classification and a survey are given of layer-adapted meshes for convection-diffusion problems. It tries to give a comprehensive review of state-of-the art techniques used in the convergence analysis for various numerical methods: finite differences, finite elements and finite volumes. While for finite difference schemes applied to one-dimensional problems a rather complete convergence theory for arbitrary meshes is developed, the theory is more fragmentary for other methods and problems and still requires the restriction to certain classes of meshes
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