Off-boundary approach to the boundary element method (Q1097741)

An alternative to the boundary element method for external domains is proposed, whereby the elements are located on the boundary, but the points of observation are taken inside the boundary. The modification removes the nonintegrable singularities from the domain of integration. It also provides a simple way of avoiding the ill-conditioning that occurs at fictitious eigenfrequencies. The off-boundary BEM is applied to scattering of a plane, time-harmonic, longitudinal wave by a spherical cavity in an unbounded linearly elastic, isotropic, homogeneous solid. Results obtained by the off-boundary approach are compared with exact results and with results obtained by the conventional BEM approach. The off-boundary approach produces excellent results with less effort than the conventional BEM.