Semiregular finite elements in solving some nonlinear problems. (Q1771817)

The author deals with a nonlinear elliptic boundary value problem \[ \begin{aligned} \begin{split} -\sum _{i=1}^2\frac {\partial b_i}{\partial x_i} (.,u,\nabla u)+b_0(.,u,\nabla u)&=f(x),\quad x\in \Omega ,\\ u&=0 \quad \text{on} \quad \Gamma _1,\\ \sum _{i=1}^2 b_i(.,u,\nabla u)n_i&=q\quad \text{on} \quad \Gamma _2 \end{split} \end{aligned} \] where \(\Omega \) is a two-dimensional domain with the boundary \(\partial \Omega =\Gamma _1\cup \Gamma _2\) where \(\Gamma _1\), and\ \(\Gamma _2\) are concentric circles with radii \(R_1\), and \(R_2=R_1+\rho \), respectively, and \(\rho \ll R_1\). The problem is discretized in the usual way, i.e, the domain \(\Omega \) is approximated by a polygonal one, this domain is triagulated, and linear elements are used. The convergence is proved under the condition \(u\in H^1(\Omega )\), and, under the maximum angle condition. This assumption allows to use \` \` flat\' \' \( \) triangles and this fact is very important from the practical point of view. As a matter of fact, it allows to reduce the number of elements substantially, especially in the situation, that the given domain is \` \` thin\' \' . And exactly such situation occurs for the domain which is investigated by the author.