A Trefftz method in space and time using exponential basis functions: Application to direct and inverse heat conduction problems

In this paper we present a Trefftz method based on using exponential basis functions (EBFs) to solve one (1D) and two (2D) dimensional transient problems. We focus on direct and inverse heat conduction problems, the latter being the more challenging ones, to show the capabilities of the method. A summation of exponential basis functions (EBFs), satisfying the governing equation in time and space, with unknown coefficients is considered for the solution. The unknown coefficients are determined by the satisfaction of the prescribed time dependent boundary and initial conditions through a collocation method. Several 1D and 2D direct and inverse heat conduction problems are solved. Some numerical evidence is provided for the convergence and sensitivity of the method with respect to the noise levels of the measured data and time steps.