A spline-based parameter estimation technique for static models of elastic structures

The problem of identifying the spatially varying coefficient of elasticity using an observed solution to the forward problem is considered. Under appropriate conditions this problem can be treated as a first order hyperbolic equation in the unknown coefficient. Some continuous dependence results are developed for this problem and a spline-based technique is proposed for approximating the unknown coefficient, based on these results. The convergence of the numerical scheme is established and error estimates obtained

Multigrid solutions to quasi-elliptic schemes

Quasi-elliptic schemes arise from central differencing or finite element discretization of elliptic systems with odd order derivatives on non-staggered grids. They are somewhat unstable and less accurate then corresponding staggered-grid schemes. When usual multigrid solvers are applied to them, the asymptotic algebraic convergence is necessarily slow. Nevertheless, it is shown by mode analyses and numerical experiments that the usual FMG algorithm is very efficient in solving quasi-elliptic equations to the level of truncation errors. Also, a new type of multigrid algorithm is presented, mode analyzed and tested, for which even the asymptotic algebraic convergence is fast. The essence of that algorithm is applicable to other kinds of problems, including highly indefinite ones

Parameter estimation problems for distributed systems using a multigrid method

The problem of estimating spatially varying coefficients of partial differential equations is considered from observation of the solution and of the right hand side of the equation. It is assumed that the observations are distributed in the domain and that enough observations are given. A method of discretization and an efficient multigrid method for solving the resulting discrete systems are described. Numerical results are presented for estimation of coefficients in an elliptic and a parabolic partial differential equation

Multigrid method for nearly singular and slightly indefinite problems

This paper deals with nearly singular, possibly indefinite problems for which the usual multigrid solvers converge very slowly or even diverge. The main difficulty is related to some badly approximated smooth functions which correspond to eigenfunctions with nearly zero eigenvalues. A correction to the usual coarse-grid equations is derived, both in the correction scheme and in the full approximation scheme. The performance of the new algorithm using this correction is essentially as that of usual multigrid for definite problems

Multigrid method for a vortex breakdown simulation

An inviscid model for a steady axisymmetric flow with swirl was studied. The governing equation is a nonlinear elliptic equation which has more than one solution for a certain range of the swirl parameter. The physically interesting solutions have closed streamlines that look like vortex breakdown (bubble-like solutions). A multigrid method is used to find these solutions. Using an FMG algorithm (nested iteration), the problem is solved in just a few multigrid cycles