Duality method for limit analysis of dielectrics in powerful electric fields (Q1877235)

The limit analysis problem (LAP) for the estimation of electric durability for a dielectric in a powerful electric field is studied. This problem is of interest in theory and practice. This paper focuses on its significance and practical results in electrical engineering and microelectronics. Since no clear physical interpretation is available for LAP, the author introduces the dual LAP which has a clear physical interpretation. Using the standard piecewise linear finite element approximation, a mathematical programming problem with linear constraints is obtained. It is solved by a projected gradient method, which is easily adapted for parallel computations. Numerical experiments are presented.