An expert-system-like feedback approach to the hp-version of the finite element method (Q1102787)

For plane linear-elastic continua (PDE's of 2nd order) with polygonally bounded domains, boundary value problems of the first kind are approximated by the finite element method (displacement approach), using an hp-adaption (adaption of mesh size and polynomial order). Different to former a-posteriori error estimations using \(H_ 1\)-norms, asymptotic expansions of corner singularities in the radial direction are treated as one-dimensional problems. No couplings of corner singularities are considered. The mesh adaption uses a pre-estimation of \(l_ 1/l_ 2=0,15\) towards the corner point, restricting to given boundary tractions. The numerical process is started with a regular mesh. The coupling of all geometrical relations is performed by a discrete optimization in order to get exponential convergence. In the understanding of computer science, the proposals and decisions for the hp-adaption realize only some features of an expert system, but this part can be extended. As examples, an L-shaped domain and a spanner-like system are treated carefully with polynomial degrees from \(p=2\) to 5 and about 500 to 3000 degrees of freedom. Compared with the computing time needed for the solving the equations on the finer mesh, the effort for the refining of the mesh is small. It seems promising to implement also the multigrid idea in order to reduce computing time.