Multiscale stabilization for convection-dominated diffusion in heterogeneous media

We develop a Petrov-Galerkin stabilization method for multiscale convection-diffusion transport systems. Existing stabilization techniques add a limited number of degrees of freedom in the form of bubble functions or a modified diffusion, which may not be sufficient to stabilize multiscale systems. We seek a local reduced-order model for this kind of multiscale transport problems and thus, develop a systematic approach for finding reduced-order approximations of the solution. We start from a Petrov-Galerkin framework using optimal weighting functions. We introduce an auxiliary variable to a mixed formulation of the problem. The auxiliary variable stands for the optimal weighting function. The problem reduces to finding a test space (a dimensionally reduced space for this auxiliary variable), which guarantees that the error in the primal variable (representing the solution) is close to the projection error of the full solution on the dimensionally reduced space that approximates the solution. To find the test space, we reformulate some recent mixed Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Methods. We introduce snapshots and local spectral problems that appropriately define local weight and trial spaces. In particular, we use energy minimizing snapshots and local spectral decompositions in the natural norm associated with the auxiliary variable. The resulting spectral decomposition adaptively identifies and builds the optimal multiscale space to stabilize the system. We discuss the stability and its relation to the approximation property of the test space. We design online basis functions, which accelerate convergence in the test space, and consequently, improve stability. We present several numerical examples and show that one needs a few test functions to achieve an error similar to the projection error in the primal variable irrespective of the Peclet number

Numerical Analysis of a Variational Multiscale Method for Turbulence

This thesis is concerned with one of the most promising approaches to the numerical simulation of turbulent flows, the subgrid eddy viscosity models. We analyze both continuous and discontinuous finite element approximation of the new subgrid eddy viscosity model introduced in [43], [45], [44].First, we present a new subgrid eddy viscosity model introduced in a variationally consistent manner and acting only on the small scales of the fluid flow. We give complete convergence of themethod. We show convergence of the semi-discrete finite element approximation of the model and give error estimates of the velocity and pressure. In order to establish robustness of themethod with respect to Reynolds number, we consider the Oseen problem. We present the error is uniformly bounded with respect to the Reynolds number.Second, we establish the connection of the new eddy viscosity model with another stabilization technique, called VariationalMultiscale Method (VMM) of Hughes et.al. [35]. We then show the advantages of the method over VMM. The new approach defines mean by elliptic projection and this definition leads to nonzerofluctuations across element interfaces.Third, we provide a careful numerical assessment of a new VMM. We present how this model can be implemented in finite element procedures. We focus on herein error estimates of the model andcomparison to classical approaches. We then establish that the numerical experiments support the theoretical expectations.Finally, we present a discontinuous finite element approximation of subgrid eddy viscosity model. We derive semi-discrete and fullydiscrete error estimations for the velocity

Entropy Stable Summation-by-Parts Methods for Hyperbolic Conservation Laws on h/p Non-Conforming Meshes

In this work we present high-order primary conservative and entropy stable schemes for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws with geometric (h) and algebraic (p) non-conforming rectangular meshes. Throughout we rely on summation-by-parts (SBP) operators which discretely mimic the integration-by-parts rule to construct stable approximations. Thus, the discrete proofs of primary conservation and entropy stability can be done in a one-to-one fashion to the continuous analysis. Here, we consider different SBP operators based on finite difference as well as discontinuous Galerkin approaches. We derive non-conforming schemes by extending ideas of high-order primary conservative and entropy stable SBP methods on conforming meshes. Here, special attention is given to the coupling between non-conforming elements. The coupling is instructed to entropy stable projection operators. However, these projection operators suffer from a suboptimal degree. Therefore, we develop degree preserving SBP operators where the norm matrix has a higher degree compared to classical SBP operators. With these operators it is possible to construct entropy stable projection operators which have the same degree as the SBP differentiationmatrix. Typically, high-order primary conservative and entropy stable schemes are semi-discrete methods with a discretized spatial domain and assuming continuity in time. Therefore, temporal errors are introduced when integrating the conservation laws in time with standard methods, e.g. Runge-Kutta schemes, for which the entropy can have an unpredictable temporal behaviour. Thus, we extend high-order primary conservative and entropy stable semi-discrete methods to fully-discrete schemes on conforming and non-conforming meshes. This results in an implicit space-time method. We introduce a simple mesh generation strategy to obtain quadrilateral meshes surrounding two dimensional complex geometries. Finally, with the generated meshes we simulate a flow around a NACA0012 airfoil to demonstrate the benefits of considering non-conforming elements for a practical simulation

An entropy stable discontinuous Galerkin method for the spherical thermal shallow water equations

We present a novel discontinuous Galerkin finite element method for numerical simulations of the rotating thermal shallow water equations in complex geometries using curvilinear meshes, with arbitrary accuracy. We derive an entropy functional which is convex, and which must be preserved in order to preserve model stability at the discrete level. The numerical method is provably entropy stable and conserves mass, buoyancy, vorticity, and energy. This is achieved by using novel entropy stable numerical fluxes, summation-by-parts principle, and splitting the pressure and convection operators so that we can circumvent the use of chain rule at the discrete level. Numerical simulations on a cubed sphere mesh are presented to verify the theoretical results. The numerical experiments demonstrate the robustness of the method for a regime of well developed turbulence, where it can be run stably without any dissipation. The entropy stable fluxes are sufficient to control the grid scale noise generated by geostrophic turbulence, eliminating the need for artificial stabilisation

On the divergence constraint in mixed finite element methods for incompressible flows

The divergence constraint of the incompressible Navier--Stokes equations is revisited in the mixed finite element framework. While many stable and convergent mixed elements have been developed throughout the past four decades, most classical methods relax the divergence constraint and only enforce the condition discretely. As a result, these methods introduce a pressure-dependent consistency error which can potentially pollute the computed velocity. These methods are not robust in the sense that a contribution from the right-hand side, which influences only the pressure in the continuous equations, impacts both velocity and pressure in the discrete equations. This paper reviews the theory and practical implications of relaxing the divergence constraint. Several approaches for improving the discrete mass balance or even for computing divergence-free solutions will be discussed: grad-div stabilization, higher order mixed methods derived on the basis of an exact de Rham complex, \bH(\mathrm{div})-conforming finite elements, and mixed methods with an appropriate reconstruction of the test functions. Numerical examples illustrate both the potential effects of using non-robust discretizations and the improvements obtained by utilizing pressure-robust discretizations

On the divergence constraint in mixed finite element methods for incompressible flows

The divergence constraint of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations is revisited in the mixed finite element framework. While many stable and convergent mixed elements have been developed throughout the past four decades, most classical methods relax the divergence constraint and only enforce the condition discretely. As a result, these methods introduce a pressure-dependent consistency error which can potentially pollute the computed velocity. These methods are not robust in the sense that a contribution from the right-hand side, which in fluences only the pressure in the continuous equations, impacts both velocity and pressure in the discrete equations. This paper reviews the theory and practical implications of relaxing the divergence constraint. Several approaches for improving the discrete mass balance or even for computing divergence-free solutions will be discussed: grad-div stabilization, higher order mixed methods derived on the basis of an exact de Rham complex, H(div)-conforming finite elements, and mixed methods with an appropriate reconstruction of the test functions. Numerical examples illustrate both the potential effects of using non-robust discretizations and the improvements obtained by utilizing pressure-robust discretizations