Questions tagged [finite-element]
A means of solving ordinary and partial differential equations. The domain of the problem is broken up into elements, and the solution in each element is expanded in a basis of functions. The Finite Element Method lends itself well to adaptive refinement, irregular geometry, and good error estimates.
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What are the conceptual differences between the finite element and finite volume method?
There is an obvious difference between finite difference and the finite volume method (moving from point definition of the equations to integral averages over cells). But I find FEM and FVM to be very ...
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What are criteria to choose between finite-differences and finite-elements
I am used to thinking of finite-differences as a special case of finite-elements, on a very constrained grid. So what are the conditions on how to choose between Finite Difference Method (FDM) and ...
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Modern resources for learning FEM
I need to get started using Finite Element Methods. I am about to start reading Numerical solutions of partial differential equations by the finite element method by Claes Johnson, but it's dated 1987....
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What is a good way to run parameter studies in C++
The problem
I'm currently working on a Finite Element Navier Stokes simulation and I would like to investigate the effects of a variety of parameters. Some parameters are specified in an input file ...
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What is the purpose of using integration by parts in deriving a weak form for FEM discretization?
When going from the strong form of a PDE to the FEM form it seems one should always do this by first stating the variational form. To do this you multiply the strong form by an element in some (...
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How to incorporate the boundary conditions with the Galerkin method?
I've been reading some resources on the web about Galerkin methods to solve PDEs, but I'm not clear about something. The following is my own account of what I have understood.
Consider the following ...
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answer
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What are differences between 'a priori' and 'posteriori' error estimate in numerical analysis?
I have learnt about Finite Element Method (also a little on other numerical methods) but I don't know what are exactly definition of these two errors and differences between them?
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What is the general idea of Nitsche's method in numerical analysis?
I know that the Nitsche's method is a very attractive methods since it allows to take into account Dirichlet type boundary conditions or contact with friction boundary conditions in a weak way without ...
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Basic explanation of shape function
I just started studying FEM in a more structured basis compared to what I used to do during my undergraduate courses. I am doing this because, despite the fact that I can use the "FEM" in commercial (...
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How to derive the Weak Formulation of a Partial Differential Equation for Finite Element Method?
I have taken a basic introduction to Finite Element Method, which did not emphasize a sophisticated understanding of a 'weak formulation'. I understand that with the galerkin method, we multiply both ...
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In FEM, why is the stiffness matrix positive definite?
In FEM classes, it's usually taken for granted that the stiffness matrix is positive definite, but I just can't understand why. Could anyone give some explanation?
For instance, we can consider the ...
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How to formulate lumped mass matrix in FEM
When solving time dependent PDE's using the finite element method, for example say the heat equation, if we use explicit time stepping then we have to solve a linear system because of the mass matrix. ...
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What is the purpose of the test function in Finite Element Analysis?
In the wave equation:
$$c^2 \nabla \cdot \nabla u(x,t) - \frac{\partial^2 u(x,t)}{\partial t^2} = f(x,t)$$
Why do we first multiply by a test function $v(x,t)$ before integrating?
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Finding which triangles points are in
Suppose I have a 2D mesh consisting of nonoverlapping triangles $\{T_k\}_{k=1}^N$, and a set of points $\{p_i\}_{i=1}^M \subset \cup_{k=1}^N T_K$. What is the best way to determine which triangle each ...
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FeniCS: Visualizing high order elements
I've just started messing around with FEniCS. I am solving Poisson with 3rd order elements and would like to visualize the results. However, when I use plot(u), the visualization is just a linear ...
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Role of the numerical flux in DG-FEM
I am learning the theory behind DG-FEM methods using the Hesthaven/Warburton book and I am a bit confused about the role of the 'numerical flux.' I apologize if this is a basic question, but I have ...
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Visualizing discontinuous Galerkin/finite element data
I would like to visualize simulation results, obtained using the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) approach, within ParaView. Similarly to finite volume methods, the problem domain is divided into cube-...
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Alternatives to Comsol Multiphysics
This might be a question better suited for the Software Recommendations side of S.E., however I do believe that people who frequent this part of S.E. are more likely to be able to answer this question....
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What is a common file/data format for a mesh (for FEM)?
I'm developing an FEM simulation. For early testing, I will use simple self-written mesher and visualisation of the mesh graph. But I want to prepare my program to use data generated by an existing ...
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What spatial discretizations work for incompressible flow with anisotropic boundary meshes?
High Reynolds number flows produce very thin boundary layers. If wall resolution is used in Large Eddy Simulation, the aspect ratio may be on the order of $10^6$. Many methods become unstable in this ...
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Impose the compatibility conditions for mixed finite elements method in Stokes equation
$\newcommand{\v}[1]{\boldsymbol{#1}}$
Suppose we have following Stokes flow model equation:
$$
\tag{1}
\left\{
\begin{aligned}
-\mathrm{div}(\nu \nabla \v{u}) + \nabla p &= \v{f}
\\
\mathrm{div} \...
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What are the relative benefits of using Adams-Moulton over Adams-Bashforth algorithm?
I am solving a system of two coupled PDE's in two spatial dimensions and in time computationally. Since the function evaluations are expensive, I would like to use a multistep method (initialised ...
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Sequential approach to solving coupled PDEs
I'm dealing with a coupled system of three transient, non-linear convection-diffusion equations. Let's just say to simplify the problem that they take the following form:
$$
-\nabla\cdot(D_{1}(u_{2},...
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Mathematically, why does mass matrix / load vector lumping work?
I know that people often replace consistent mass matrices with lumped diagonal matrices. In the past, I've also implemented a code where the load vector is assembled in a lumped fashion rather than ...
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Which preconditioners (and solver) in PETSc for indefinite symmetric systems should I use?
My system is a symmetric FE problem with lagrange multipliers (e.g. incompressible Stokes' flow):
\begin{pmatrix}A & B^T \\ B & C\end{pmatrix}
where $C = 0$ is the typical case (I have even ...
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3
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Finite elements on manifold
I'd like to solve some PDEs on manifolds, say for example an elliptic equation on a sphere.
Where do I start? I'd like to find something that use preexisting code/libraries in 2d , nothing so fancy (...
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Calculation of the sparsity structure for finite element matrices
Question: What methods are available to accurately and efficiently calculate the sparsity structure of a finite element matrix?
Info: I'm working on a Poisson Pressure Equation solver, using Galerkin'...
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What are possible methods to solve compressible Euler equations
I would like to write my own solver for compressible Euler equations, and most importantly I want it to work robustly in all situations. I would like it to be FE based (DG is ok). What are the ...
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Oscillations in singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problems with finite elements
When FEM-discretizing and solving a reaction-diffusion problem, e.g.,
$$
- \varepsilon \Delta u + u = 1 \text{ on } \Omega\\
u = 0 \text{ on } \partial\Omega
$$
with $0 < \varepsilon \ll 1$ (...
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votes
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How to write integration tests for numeric simulation software?
Just to be more precise, I'll put a worthy example of my typical use case.
Let's say I'm developing a FEM software that produces several temporal solutions and inserts them in an HDF5 file, along with ...
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What is a "hanging node" in the finite element meshing?
When reading literatures about finite element method, the term "hanging nodes" can often be encountered. Could anyone tell me what indeed is a hanging node?
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How to integrate polynomial expression over 3D 4-node element?
I want to integrate a polynomial expression over a 4-node element in 3D. Several books on FEA cover the case where integrating is performed over an arbitrary flat 4-noned element.
The usual procedure ...
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Verification in Eigenvalue problems
Let us start with a problem of the form
$$(\mathcal{L} + k^2) u=0$$
with a set of given boundary conditions (Dirichlet, Neumann, Robin, Periodic, Bloch-Periodic). This corresponds with finding the ...
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DG local equation, how to interpret mean-averaged test function
In the paper http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045782509003521, an HDG element-local equation is described on page 584 equation (4), with one of the equations taking the following ...
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Motivation behind Galerkin method
I have a question about Galerkin method. I don't understand why the Galerkin method weights the residual by the shape functions and sets it equal to zero. I want to know what is reason of this. Why we ...
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Poisson equation: Impose full gradient as boundary condition via Lagrange multipliers
I have a physical problem governed by the Poisson equation in two dimensions
$$
-\nabla^2 u = f(x,y), \; in \; \Omega
$$
I have measurements of the two gradient components $\partial{u}/\partial{x}$ ...
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FEM: singularity of the stiffness matrix
I'm solving the differential equation
$$
\left( \sigma^{2}(x) u ''(x) \right)'' = f(x), \;\;\; 0 \leqslant x \leqslant 1
$$
with initial conditions $u(0) = u(1) = 0$, $u''(...
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Raviart-Thomas elements on reference square
I'd like to learn how the Raviart-Thomas (RT) element works. To that end I'd like to analytically describe how the basis functions look on the reference square. The goal here is not to implement it ...
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How to properly apply non-homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions with FEM?
In general, Dirichlet boundary conditions won't be satisfied exactly for FEM for non-homogeneous boundary conditions. The FEM codes I've seen set the degrees of freedom to interpolate the Dirichlet ...
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Best Methodologies for Managing a Mesh in Parallel Finite Element Computation?
I am currently developing a domain decomposition method for the solution of the scattering problem. Basically I am solving a system of Helmholtz BVPs iteratively. I discretize the equations using ...
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Discontinuous Galerkin / Poisson / Fenics
I am trying to solve the 2D Poisson equation using
the Discontinuous Galerkin method (DG) and the following
discretization (I have a png file but I am not allowed
to upload it, sorry):
Equation :
$$\...
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Space-time finite element discretization for time-dependent PDEs
In FEM literature, semi-variational methods are typically used in the solution of time-dependent PDEs. I have not seen a fully-variational approach i.e. where space and time are discretised by FEM, ...
stephn28
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What are the possible numerical schemes for a diffusion equation with a nonlinear reaction term?
For some simple convex domain $\Omega$ in 2D, we have some $u(x)$ satisfying the following equation:
$$
-\mathrm{div}(A\nabla u)+cu^n = f
$$
with certain Dirichlet and/or Neumann boundary conditions....
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The real myth of GPU (specifically CUDA) really speed up FEM/CFD
Now I have been believing that FEM/CFD is supposed to be faster on a GPU unit - here I am using CUDA as solid example. However, I have not been able to find a convincing paper where the benchmark ...
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What is the difference between implicit FEM and explicit FEM?
What is the difference between explicit FEM and implicit FEM exactly? According to the post here, it seems that the only difference is whether implicit or explicit time integration is used.
As I ...
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Are there any "light-weight" FEM packages around?
Basically, FEM seems to be a problem that is pretty much "solved". There are numerous powerful frameworks existing, like Trilinos, PETSc, FEniCS, Libmesh or MOOSE.
One thing they have in common: They ...
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Finite elements $W^{1,\infty}$ error estimates
Are there finite element method setups that provide error estimates in the $W^{1,\infty}$ norm (i.e., bounds on $\|u'_h - u'\|_\infty$)? Which families of elements can be used for implementing them?
(...
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$L^2$-convergence of finite element method when right hand side is only in $H^{-1}$ (Poisson eqn)
I know that the piecewise linear finite element approximation $u_h$ of
$$
\Delta u(x)=f(x)\quad\text{in }U\\
u(x)=0\quad\text{on }\partial U
$$
satisfies
$$
\|u-u_h\|_{H^1_0(U)}\leq Ch\|f\|_{L^2(U)}
$...
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How to efficiently implement Dirichlet boundary conditions in global sparse finite element stiffnes matrices
I am wondering how Dirichlet boundary conditions in global sparse finite element matrices are actually implemented efficiently. For example lets say that our global finite element matrix was:
$$K =
\...
- 1,879
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votes
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Why do the shape of finite elements matter?
I have used FEA for a couple of years now, but using it and using it correctly are two different things, safety factor is not the solution to everything. I have the feeling I won't be using it right ...
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