This monograph presents a summary account of the subject of a posteriori error estimation for finite element approximations of problems in mechanics. The study primarily focuses on methods for linear elliptic boundary value problems. However, error estimation for unsymmetrical systems, nonlinear problems, including the Navier-Stokes equations, and indefinite problems, such as represented by the Stokes problem are included. The main thrust is to obtain error estimators for the error measured in the energy norm, but techniques for other norms are also discussed.

A Posteriori Error Estimation in Finite Element Analysis

This book is a tutorial written by researchers and developers behind the FEniCS Project and explores an advanced, expressive approach to the development of mathematical software. The presentation spans mathematical background, software design and the use of FEniCS in applications. Theoretical aspects are complemented with computer code which is available as free/open source software. The book begins with a special introductory tutorial for beginners. Followingare chapters in Part I addressing fundamental aspects of the approach to automating the creation of finite element solvers. Chapters in Part II address the design and implementation of the FEnicS software. Chapters in Part III present the application of FEniCS to a wide range of applications, including fluid flow, solid mechanics, electromagnetics and geophysics.

Automated Solution of Differential Equations by the Finite Element Method: The FEniCS Book

Surrogate-based Analysis and Optimization

This is the first of two papers concerning superconvergent recovery techniques and a posteriori error estimation. In this paper, a general recovery technique is developed for determining the derivatives (stresses) of the finite element solutions at nodes. The implementation of the recovery technique is simple and cost effective. The technique has been tested for a group of widely used linear, quadratic and cubic elements for both one and two dimensional problems. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the recovered nodal values of the derivatives with linear and cubic elements are superconvergent. One order higher accuracy is achieved by the procedure with linear and cubic elements but two order higher accuracy is achieved for the derivatives with quadratic elements. In particular, an O(h4) convergence of the nodal values of the derivatives for a quadratic triangular element is reported for the first time. The performance of the proposed technique is compared with the widely used smoothing procedure of global L2 projection and other methods. It is found that the derivatives recovered at interelement nodes, by using L2 projection, are also superconvergent for linear elements but not for quadratic elements. Numerical experiments on the convergence of the recovered solutions in the energy norm are also presented. Higher rates of convergence are again observed. The results presented in this part of the paper indicate clearly that a new, powerful and economical process is now available which should supersede the currently used post-processing procedures applied in most codes.

The superconvergent patch recovery and a posteriori error estimates. Part 1: The recovery technique

This review covers Verification, Validation, Confirmation and related subjects for computational fluid dynamics (CFD), including error taxonomies, error estimation and banding, convergence rates, surrogate estimators, nonlinear dynamics, and error estimation for grid adaptation vs Quantification of Uncertainty.

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Quantification of uncertainty in computational fluid dynamics

A new error estimator is presented which is not only reasonably accurate but whose evaluation is computationally so simple that it can be readily implemented in existing finite element codes.

The estimator allows the global energy norm error to be well estmated and alos gives a good evaluation of local errors. It can thus be combined with a full adaptive process of refinement or, more simply, provide guidance for mesh redesign which allows the user to obtain a desired accuracy with one or two trials.

When combined with an automatic mesh generator a very efficient guidance process to analysis is avaiable.

Estimates other than the energy norm have successfully been applied giving, for instance, a predetermined accuracy of stresses.

A simple error estimator and adaptive procedure for practical engineerng analysis

The Zienkiewicz–Zhu error estimator is shown to be effective in problems of plate flexure. When used in conjunction with triangular elements and an adaptive mesh generator allowing a prescribed size of elements to be developed, very fast adaptive convergence for results of specified accuracy is achieved.

J. Z. Zhu

Papers

A simple error estimator and adaptive procedure for practical engineerng analysis

Error estimates and adaptive refinement for plate bending problems