Scribd
Upload
9 views11 pages

lecture-slides-week5

The document discusses finite element methods for solving partial differential equations, focusing on error analysis in the L2-norm and convergence results. It presents theorems related to the convergence of solutions and error bounds, employing techniques such as the Aubin-Nitsche duality argument and best approximation estimates. Additionally, it defines shape-regular mesh families and provides convergence results in the V-norm for various conditions on the solution space and mesh properties.

Uploaded by

miru park
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
9 views11 pages

lecture-slides-week5

The document discusses finite element methods for solving partial differential equations, focusing on error analysis in the L2-norm and convergence results. It presents theorems related to the convergence of solutions and error bounds, employing techniques such as the Aubin-Nitsche duality argument and best approximation estimates. Additionally, it defines shape-regular mesh families and provides convergence results in the V-norm for various conditions on the solution space and mesh properties.

Uploaded by

miru park
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 11

Finite Element Methods

for Partial Differential Equations


MAC-MIGS and SMSTC

Emmanuil (Manolis) Georgoulis

Department of Mathematics
School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences
Heriot-Watt University, UK

and

Department of Mathematics
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
National Technical University of Athens, Greece

email: [email protected]

Jan 2023

1
Error analysis in the L2 -norm

Theorem (Convergence in the L2 -norm)


Let u ∈ H10 (Ω) ∩ H2 (Ω) be the solution to Problem. Moreover, let Ω ⊂ Rd be such
that the elliptic regularity estimate

∥u∥H2 (Ω) ≤ Cell−rec ∥∆u∥L2 (Ω)

holds. (For instance Ω being polygonal/hedral and convex, or Ω having a


C2 -surface as boundary, suffices to ensure the last estimate.)
If uh ∈ Vh is the solution to Method, then we have the error bound
X  12
∥u − uh ∥L2 (Ω) ≤ Chmax h2T |u|2H2 (T) ≤ CL2 h2max |u|H2 (Ω) ,
T∈T

for hmax := maxT∈T hT and CL2 := C2app,H1 Cell−rec .

115
Error analysis in the L2 -norm
Proof. For the proof, we will employ the, so-called, Aubin-Nitsche duality
argument.

Consider the (dual) problem

−∆z = u − uh in Ω, z=0 on ∂Ω.

Since Ω such that the elliptic regularity estimate holds, we deduce

∥z∥H2 (Ω) ≤ Cell−rec ∥∆z∥L2 (Ω) = Cell−rec ∥u − uh ∥L2 (Ω) (⋆)

Then, Z
∥u − uh ∥2L2 (Ω) = (u − uh )(−∆z) dx
Z Ω

= ∇(u − uh ) · ∇z dx
ZΩ
= ∇(u − uh ) · ∇(z − zI ) dx,
Ω

from Galerkin Orthogonality, since the interpolant zI ∈ Vh ; recall (u − uh )|∂Ω = 0.


116
Error analysis in the L2 -norm
Employing Cauchy-Schwarz inequalities, we get

∥u − uh ∥2L2 (Ω) ≤ ∥∇(u − uh )∥L2 (Ω) ∥∇(z − zI )∥L2 (Ω) .

Using now the interpolation estimates, we deduce


X  12  X  12
∥u − uh ∥2L2 (Ω) ≤ C2app,H1 h2T |u|2H2 (T) h2T |z|2H2 (T)
T∈T T∈T
X  12
≤ C2app,H1 h2T |u|2H2 (T) hmax |z|H2 (Ω) .
T∈T

Using now (⋆), we arrive at


X  12
∥u − uh ∥2L2 (Ω) ≤ C2app,H1 h2T |u|2H2 (T) hmax Cell−rec ∥u − uh ∥L2 (Ω)
T∈T

and the result follows.


117
Going high order...
The error analysis for high order elements is completely analogous.
Indeed, we only need a suitable best approximation result for high order elements.

Theorem (“Bramble-Hilbert Lemma” / best approximation estimatea )


a see, eg, B&S Thm (4.4.4)

Let T̂ the reference simplex and a function v̂ ∈ Hk (Ω), k ∈ N, k ≥ 2. Then, the


nodal interpolant v̂I ∈ Pp (T̂) to v̂ at the reference element nodes x̂i ,
i = 1, . . . , dim(Pp (T̂)), satisfies the estimate

∥v̂ − v̂I ∥Hs (T̂) ≤ C(s, r)|v̂|Hr (T̂) ,

for any s < r ≤ min{p + 1, k}, for constant C(s, r) > 0, depending only on s and r.

 X  12
Here |v̂|Hm (ω) := ∥Dα v̂∥2L2 (ω)
α:|α|=m

118
Going high order...
We need to extend this to a general element T ∈ T . Again, we employ the affine
mappings FT : T̂ → T with FT (x̂) = BT x̂ + c.
Consider a function w ∈ Hk (T) and change variables:
Z
2 2 2
|w|H1 (T) = ∥∇w∥L2 (T) = ∇w(x) dx
T
Z
−⊤ ˆ 2 ⊤
= B ∇w(FT (x̂)) det BT dx̂
T (recall JFT = BT )
T̂
Z
2
≤ ∥B−1 2
T ∥2 | det BT | ∇w(F
ˆ T (x̂)) dx̂
T̂
= ∥B−1 2 2
T ∥2 | det BT ||w ◦ FT |H1 (T̂) .

Inductively, for s ∈ N, we can show


|w|Hs (T) ≤ ∥B−1
1
s
T ∥2 | det BT | |w ◦ FT |Hs (T̂)
2

Completely analogously, we also have


1
|w ◦ FT |Hs (T̂) ≤ ∥BT ∥s2 | det BT |− 2 |w|Hs (T)

119
Going high order...

Noting vI ◦ FT = (v ◦ FT )I , the best approximation estimate gives for v ∈ Hk (T):

∥v − vI ∥Hs (T) ≤ ∥B−1


1
s
T ∥2 | det BT | ∥(v − vI ) ◦ FT ∥Hs (T̂)
2

= ∥B−1
1
s
T ∥2 | det BT | ∥v ◦ FT − (v ◦ FT )I ∥Hs (T̂)
2

≤ ∥B−1
1
s
T ∥2 | det BT | C(s, r)|v ◦ FT |Hr (T̂)
2

≤ ∥B−1
1 1
s r −2
T ∥2 | det BT | C(s, r)∥BT ∥2 | det BT | |v|Hr (T)
2

or
∥v − vI ∥Hs (T) ≤ C(s, r)∥B−1 s r
T ∥2 ∥BT ∥2 |v|Hr (T)

120
Going high order...

∥v − vI ∥Hs (T) ≤ C(s, r)∥B−1 s r


T ∥2 ∥BT ∥2 |v|Hr (T)

It is an elementary geometric exercise to show:

∥BT ∥2 ≤ ChT
hT = diam(T) hT = diam(T)
hT = diam(T)

∥B−1 −1
T ∥2 ≤ CρT
ρT
ρT

for C > 0 independent of T ρT

giving
hrT
∥v − vI ∥Hs (T) ≤ C |v|Hr (T)
ρsT
for any s < r ≤ min{p + 1, k}, for some C > 0 depending only on r, s.
121
Shape-regular mesh families

Definition
A family of meshes {Th }h∈H , for some index set H, is called shape-regular if there
exists a constant Csh > 1, independent of h, such that

hT ≤ Csh ρT ∀T ∈ Th and ∀h ∈ H.

For a shape-regular family, therefore, we have

∥v − vI ∥Hs (T) ≤ Cap hr−s


T |v|Hr (T)

for any s < r ≤ min{p + 1, k}, with Cap := CCssh .

122
Error Analysis

Theorem (Convergence in the V-norm)


If u ∈ H10 (Ω) ∩ Hk (Ω) is the solution to Problem and uh ∈ Vhp the solution to
Method, then
X  21
2(r−1)
∥u − uh ∥V ≤ Cap hT |u|2Hr (T) ≤ Cap hr−1
max |u|Hr (Ω) ,
T∈T

for 2 ≤ r ≤ min{p + 1, k}, and hmax := maxT∈T hT .

If r = k = p + 1, we have p-th order convergence rate in the ∥·∥V -norm.

123
Error analysis in the L2 -norm

Theorem (Convergence in the L2 -norm)


Let u ∈ H10 (Ω) ∩ Hk (Ω) be the solution to Problem. Moreover, let Ω ⊂ Rd be such
that the elliptic regularity estimate

∥u∥H2 (Ω) ≤ Cell−rec ∥∆u∥L2 (Ω)

holds.
If uh ∈ Vhp is the solution to Method, then we have the error bound
X  12
2(r−1)
∥u − uh ∥L2 (Ω) ≤ Chmax hT |u|2Hr (T) ≤ CL2 hrmax |u|Hr (Ω) ,
T∈T

for 2 ≤ r ≤ min{p + 1, k}, and hmax := maxT∈T hT and CL2 := Cap Cell−rec .

The proof is left as an exercise.


Completely analogous considerations (and error bounds) can be proven for
tensor-product elements.
124

You might also like