The Eulerian–Lagrangian method of fundamental solutions for two-dimensional unsteady Burgers’ equations

The Eulerian–Lagrangian method of fundamental solutions is proposed to solve the two-dimensional unsteady Burgers’ equations. Through the Eulerian–Lagrangian technique, the quasi-linear Burgers’ equations can be converted to the characteristic diffusion equations. The method of fundamental solutions is then adopted to solve the diffusion equation through the diffusion fundamental solution; in the meantime the convective term in the Burgers’ equations is retrieved by the back-tracking scheme along the characteristics. The proposed numerical scheme is free from mesh generation and numerical integration and is a truly meshless method. Two-dimensional Burgers’ equations of one and two unknown variables with and without considering the disturbance of noisy data are analyzed. The numerical results are compared very well with the analytical solutions as well as the results by other numerical schemes. By observing these comparisons, the proposed meshless numerical scheme is convinced to be an accurate, stable and simple method for the solutions of the Burgers’ equations with irregular domain even using very coarse collocating points.     

The method of fundamental solutions for inverse 2D Stokes problems

A numerical scheme based on the method of fundamental solutions is proposed for the solution of two-dimensional boundary inverse Stokes problems, which involve over-specified or under-specified boundary conditions. The coefficients of the fundamental solutions for the inverse problems are determined by properly selecting the number of collocation points using all the known boundary values of the field variables. The boundary points of the inverse problems are collocated using the Stokeslet as the source points. Validation results obtained for two test cases of inverse Stokes flow in a circular cavity, without involving any iterative procedure, indicate the proposed method is able to predict results close to the analytical solutions. The effects of the number and the radius of the source points on the accuracy of numerical predictions have also been investigated. The capability of the method is demonstrated by solving different types of inverse problems obtained by assuming mixed combinations of field variables on varying number of under- and over-specified boundary segments.     

An extended method of time-dependent fundamental solutions for inhomogeneous heat conduction

In this paper, the method of time-dependent fundamental solutions is extended to solving transient heat conduction problems in inhomogeneous media. The solution of the problem under investigation is split into two parts, namely the particular and homogenous solutions. The novelty of the proposed approach lies in that an approximation of the particular solution is derived by using the fundamental solutions of the associated eigenvalue equations. Numerical results for one- and two-dimensional geometries are presented to verify the efficacy of the proposed method. The effects of the numbers of source and collocation points, the eigenvalues and the parameter T on the accuracy of the numerical solution are also investigated.     

The time-marching method of fundamental solutions for wave equations

In this paper, a meshless numerical algorithm is developed for the solution of multi-dimensional wave equations with complicated domains. The proposed numerical method, which is truly meshless and quadrature-free, is based on the Houbolt finite difference (FD) scheme, the method of the particular solutions (MPS) and the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). The wave equation is transformed into a Poisson-type equation with a time-dependent loading after the time domain is discretized by the Houbolt FD scheme. The Houbolt method is used to avoid the difficult problem of dealing with time evolution and the initial conditions to form the linear algebraic system. The MPS and MFS are then coupled to analyze the governing Poisson equation at each time step. In this paper we consider six numerical examples, namely, the problem of two-dimensional membrane vibrations, the wave propagation in a two-dimensional irregular domain, the wave propagation in an L-shaped geometry and wave vibration problems in the three-dimensional irregular domain, etc. Numerical validations of the robustness and the accuracy of the proposed method have proven that the meshless numerical model is a highly accurate and efficient tool for solving multi-dimensional wave equations with irregular geometries and even with non-smooth boundaries.     

The method of fundamental solutions for a time-dependent two-dimensional Cauchy heat conduction problem

We investigate an application of the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) to the time-dependent two-dimensional Cauchy heat conduction problem, which is an inverse ill-posed problem. Data in the form of the solution and its normal derivative is given on a part of the boundary and no data is prescribed on the remaining part of the boundary of the solution domain. To generate a numerical approximation we generalize the work for the stationary case in Marin (2011) [23] to the time-dependent setting building on the MFS proposed in Johansson and Lesnic (2008) [15], for the one-dimensional heat conduction problem. We incorporate Tikhonov regularization to obtain stable results. The proposed approach is flexible and can be adjusted rather easily to various solution domains and data. An additional advantage is that the initial data does not need to be known a priori, but can be reconstructed as well.     

The method of fundamental solutions and quasi-Monte-Carlo method for diffusion equations

The Laplace transform is applied to remove the time-dependent variable in the diffusion equation. For non-harmonic initial conditions this gives rise to a non-homogeneous modified Helmholtz equation which we solve by the method of fundamental solutions. To do this a particular solution must be obtained which we find through a method suggested by Atkinson. To avoid costly Gaussian quadratures, we approximate the particular solution using quasi-Monte-Carlo integration which has the advantage of ignoring the singularity in the integrand. The approximate transformed solution is then inverted numerically using Stehfest's algorithm. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the simplicity and effectiveness of our approach to solving diffusion equations in 2-D and 3-D. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Homotopy method of fundamental solutions for solving certain nonlinear partial differential equations

In this study, the homotopy analysis method (HAM) is combined with the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) and the augmented polyharmonic spline (APS) to solve certain nonlinear partial differential equations (PDE). The method of fundamental solutions with high-order augmented polyharmonic spline (MFS–APS) is a very accurate meshless numerical method which is capable of solving inhomogeneous PDEs if the fundamental solution and the analytical particular solutions of the APS associated with the considered operator are known. In the solution procedure, the HAM is applied to convert the considered nonlinear PDEs into a hierarchy of linear inhomogeneous PDEs, which can be sequentially solved by the MFS–APS. In order to solve strongly nonlinear problems, two auxiliary parameters are introduced to ensure the convergence of the HAM. Therefore, the homotopy method of fundamental solutions can be applied to solve problems of strongly nonlinear PDEs, including even those whose governing equation and boundary conditions do not contain any linear terms. Therefore, it can greatly enlarge the application areas of the MFS. Several numerical experiments were carried out to validate the proposed method.     

An alternative approach for numerical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations

Conventional approaches for solving the Navier–Stokes equations of incompressible fluid dynamics are the primitive‐variable approach and the vorticity–velocity approach. In this paper, an alternative approach is presented. In this approach, pressure and one of the velocity components are eliminated from the governing equations. The result is one higher‐order partial differential equation with one unknown for two‐dimensional problems or two higher‐order partial differential equations with two unknowns for three‐dimensional problems. A meshless collocation method based on radial basis functions for solving the Navier–Stokes equations using this approach is presented. The proposed method is used to solve a two‐ and a three‐dimensional test problem of which exact solutions are known. It is found that, with appropriate values of the method parameters, solutions of satisfactory accuracy can be obtained. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Kansa-type MFS scheme for two-dimensional time fractional diffusion equations

In this paper, an efficient Kansa-type method of fundamental solutions (MFS-K) is extended to the solution of two-dimensional time fractional sub-diffusion equations. To solve initial boundary value problems for these equations, the time dependence is removed by time differencing, which converts the original problems into a sequence of boundary value problems for inhomogeneous Helmholtz-type equations. The solution of this type of elliptic boundary value problems can be approximated by fundamental solutions of the Helmholtz operator with different test frequencies. Numerical results are presented for several examples with regular and irregular geometries. The numerical verification shows that the proposed numerical scheme is accurate and computationally efficient for solving two-dimensional fractional sub-diffusion equations.     

Smoothing techniques for certain primitive variable solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations

Several types of smoothing technique are considered which generate continuous approximation (i.e. nodal values) for vorticity and pressure from finite element solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations using quadrilateral elements. The simpler schemes are based on combinations of linear extrapolation and/or averaging algorithms which convert elementwise. Gauss point values to nodal point values. More complicated schemes, based on a global smoothing technique which employ the mass matrix (consistent or lumped), are also presented. An initial assessment of the accuracy of the several schemes is obtained by comparing the approximate vorticities with an analytical function. Next, qualitative vorticity comparisons are made from numerical solutions of the steady-state driven cavity problem. Finally, applications of smoothing techniques to discontinuous pressure fields are demonstrated.     

Exact time-dependent solutions for anomalous diffusion with absorption

Recently, analytical solutions of a nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation describing anomalous diffusion with an external linear force were found using a non extensive thermostatistical Ansatz. We have extended these solutions to the case when an homogeneous absorption process is also present. Some peculiar aspects of the interrelation between the deterministic force, the nonlinear diffusion and the absorption process are discussed. Received: 30 March 2000     

The method of approximate fundamental solutions (MAFS) for elliptic equations of general type with variable coefficients

The paper presents a meshless method for solving elliptic equations of general type with variable coefficients. It is based on the use of the delta-shaped functions and the method of approximate fundamental solutions first suggested for solving equations with constant coefficients. The method assumes that the solution domain is embedded in a square and the initial equation is extended onto the square with the help of the CICE −(Chebyshev interpolation + C-expansion) approximation scheme. As a result the coefficients of the equation are approximated by the truncated Fourier series over some orthogonal system in the square. The approximate fundamental solutions (AFSs) satisfy L[u]=I(x), where I(x) is the delta shaped function in the form of the truncated Fourier series. Thus, the AFSs due to the special form of the operator can be obtained in the similar form of truncated series. The next part of the MAFS follows the general scheme of the MFS. The numerical examples are presented and the results are compared with the analytical solutions. The comparison shows that the method presented provides a very high precision in solution of two-dimensional elliptic equations of general type with different boundary conditions (Dirichlet, Neumann, mixed) in arbitrary domains.     

Similarity solutions of unsteady boundary layer equations of a special third grade fluid

Two-dimensional, unsteady, laminar boundary layer equations of a special model of non-Newtonian fluids are considered. The fluid can be considered as a special type of power-law fluid. The problem investigated is the flow over a moving surface, with suction of injection. Two different type of ordinary differential equations system are found using the transformations. Using scaling and translation transformations, equations and boundary conditions are transformed into a partial differential system with two variables. Using translation and a more general transformation, the boundary value problem is transformed into an ordinary differential equations system. Finally, we numerically solve two different ordinary differential equations, separately.     

A class of exact solutions of the navier-stokes equations. Plane unsteady flow

We indicate a class of solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations, representing plane unsteady motions having non-uniform vorticity.     

Comparisons of fundamental solutions and particular solutions for Trefftz methods

In the Trefftz method (TM), the admissible functions satisfying the governing equation are chosen, then only the boundary conditions are dealt with. Both fundamental solutions (FS) and particular solutions (PS) satisfy the equation. The TM using FS leads to the method of fundamental solutions (MFS), and the TM using PS to the method of particular solutions (MPS). Since the MFS is one of TM, we may follow our recent book [20], [21] to provide the algorithms and analysis. Since the MFS and the MPS are meshless, they have attracted a great attention of researchers. In this paper numerical experiments are provided to support the error analysis of MFS in Li [15] for Laplace's equation in annular shaped domains. More importantly, comparisons are made in analysis and computation for MFS and MPS. From accuracy and stability, the MPS is superior to the MFS, the same conclusion as given in Schaback [24]. The uniform FS is simpler and the algorithms of MFS are easier to carry out, so that the computational efforts using MFS are much saved. Since today, the manpower saving is the most important criterion for choosing numerical methods, the MFS is also beneficial to engineering applications. Hence, both MFS and MPS may serve as modern numerical methods for PDE.     

Nodal velocity derivatives of finite element solutions: The FiND method for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

This paper presents the development and application of the finite node displacement (FiND) method to the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. The method computes high‐accuracy nodal derivatives of the finite element solutions. The approach imposes a small displacement to individual mesh nodes and solves a very small problem on the patch of elements surrounding the node. The only unknown is the value of the solution ( u , p) at the displaced node. A finite difference between the original and the perturbed values provides the directional derivative. Verification by grid refinement studies is shown for two‐dimensional problems possessing a closed‐form solution: a Poiseuille flow and a flow mimicking a boundary layer. For internal nodes, the method yields accuracy slightly superior to that of the superconvergent patch recovery (SPR) technique of Zienkiewicz and Zhu (ZZ). We also present a variant of the method to treat boundary nodes. The local discretization is enriched by inserting an additional mesh point very close to the boundary node of interest. Computations show that the resulting nodal derivatives are much more accurate than those obtained by the ZZ SPR technique. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time-dependent fundamental solutions for homogeneous diffusion problems

This paper describes the applications of the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) for 1-, 2- and 3-D diffusion equations. The time-dependent fundamental solutions for diffusion equations are used directly to obtain the solution as a linear combination of the fundamental solution of the diffusion operator. The proposed scheme is free from the conventionally used Laplace transform or the finite difference scheme to deal with the time derivative of the governing equation. By properly placing the field points and the source points at a given time level, the solution is advanced in time until steady state solutions are reached. Test results obtained for 1-, 2- and 3-D diffusion problems show good comparisons with the analytical solutions and some with the MFS based on the modified Helmholtz fundamental solutions, thus the demonstration present numerical scheme of MFS with the space–time unification has been demonstrated as a promising mesh-free numerical tool to solve homogeneous diffusion problem.     

On exact unsteady navier-stokes solutions

Exact “universal” unsteady rotational flow solutions are compared to an earlier class of exact unsteady flows. They apply to different flow situations.