Finite difference method

Abstract: The traditional, simple numerical differentiation of finite-element stiffness matrices by a forward difference scheme is the source of severe error problems that have been reported recently for certain problems of finite-element-based, semi-analytical shape design sensitivity analysis. In order to develop a method for elimination of such errors, without a sacrifice of the simple numerical differentiation and other main advantages of the semi-analytical method, the common mathematical structure of a broad range of finite-element stiffness matrices is studied in this paper. This study leads to the result that element stiffness matrices can generally be expressed in terms of a class of special scalar functions and a class of matrix functions of shape design variables that are defined such that the members of the classes admit “exact” numerical differentiation (exact up to round-off error) by means of very simple correction factors to upgrade standard computationally inexpensive first-order finite di...

Abstract: The perfectly matched layer (PML) has recently been introduced by Berenger as a material absorbing boundary condition (ABC) for electromagnetic waves. Recently, it has been pointed out that this absorbing boundary condition is the same as coordinate stretching in the complex space. In this paper, the corresponding coordinate stretching is analyzed in the discretized space of Maxwell's equations as described by the Yee algorithm. The corresponding dispersion relationship is derived for a PML medium and then the problem of reflection from a single interface is solved. A perfectly matched interface is shown not to exist in the discretized space, even though it exists in the continuum space. Numerical simulations both using finite difference method and finite element method confirm that such discretization error exists. A numerical scheme using the finite element method is then developed to optimize the PML with respect to its parameters. Examples are given to demonstrate the performance of the optim...

Abstract: The computation of two-dimensional tidal currents using the Alternating Direction Implicit Method (ADI) can be subject to numerical attenuation, parasitic oscillations, and poor reproduction of wave propagation when large time steps are used. The new method described in the paper is designed to overcome these difficulties. It is based on a fractional step method in which momentum advection is calculated using the method of characteristics, horizontal momentum diffusion is calculated using an implicit finite difference scheme, and wave propagation is calculated using an iterative alternating direction implicit algorithm. The resulting method has been incorporated in the CYTHERE-ES1 modelling system, in which tidal flat flooding and drying as well as wind effects and Coriolis acceleration are taken into account. The basic principles of the method, as well as its application to four schematic test cases and two engineering studies, are described.