Numerically stable finite element techniques for viscoelastic calculations in smooth and singular geometries (Q1116779)

Finite element calculations for viscoelastic flows are reported that use a restructured form of the equation of motion that makes explicit the elliptic character of this equation. We call this restructured equation the Explicitly Elliptic Momentum Equation, and its use is illustrated for flow of an upper convected Maxwell model between eccentric and concentric rotating cylinders and also for a modified upper convected Maxwell model in the stick-slip problem. Sets of mixed-order approximations for velocity, stress, and a modified pressure are used to test the algorithm in both problems. Both sets of calculations are shown to converge with mesh refinement and are limited at high values of Deborah number by the formation of elastic boundary layers that are identified in the momentum equation by the growth of low-order derivative terms that involve the local velocity gradient and divergence of stress.