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Rolf Stenberg

Publications and source records attributed to Rolf Stenberg.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

Finite Element Methods for Elastic Contact: Penalty and Nitsche

We consider two methods for treating elastic contact problems with the finite element method; the penalty method and Nitsche's method. For the penalty method we discuss how the penalty parameter should be chosen. Both the theoretical analysis and numerical examples show that an optimal convergence rate cannot be achieved. The method is contrasted to that of Nitsche which is optimally convergent. We also give the derivation of Nitsche's method by a very simple consistency correction of the penalty method.

math.NA↗
arXiv2022

Analysis of Weakly Symmetric Mixed Finite Elements for Elasticity

We consider mixed finite element methods for linear elasticity where the symmetry of the stress tensor is weakly enforced. Both an a priori and a posteriori error analysis are given for several known families of methods that are uniformly valid in the incompressible limit. A posteriori estimates are derived for both the compressible and incompressible cases. The results are verified by numerical examples.

math.NA↗
arXiv2021

Energy norm analysis of exactly symmetric mixed finite elements for linear elasticity

We consider mixed finite element methods with exact symmetric stress tensors. We derive a new quasi-optimal a priori error estimate uniformly valid with respect to the compressibility. For the a posteriori error analysis we consider the Prager-Synge hypercircle principle and introduce a new estimate uniformly valid in the incompressible limit. All estimates are validated by numerical examples.

math.NA↗
arXiv2020

Nitsche's method for Kirchhoff plates

We introduce a Nitsche's method for the numerical approximation of the Kirchhoff-Love plate equation under general Robin-type boundary conditions. We analyze the method by presenting a priori and a posteriori error estimates in mesh-dependent norms. Several numerical examples are given to validate the approach and demonstrate its properties.

math.NA↗
arXiv2020

On Nitsche's method for elastic contact problems

We show quasi-optimality and a posteriori error estimates for the frictionless contact problem between two elastic bodies with a zero-gap function. The analysis is based on interpreting Nitsche's method as a stabilised finite element method for which the error estimates can be obtained with minimal regularity assumptions and without the saturation assumption. We present three different Nitsche's mortaring techniques for the contact boundary each corresponding to a different stabilising term. Our numerical experiments show the robustness of Nitsche's method and corroborates the efficiency of the a posteriori error estimators.

math.NA↗
arXiv2018

A posteriori error analysis for the mixed Laplace eigenvalue problem

This paper derives a posteriori error estimates for the mixed numerical approximation of the Laplace eigenvalue problem with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. In particular, the resulting error estimator constitutes an upper bound for the error and is shown to be local efficient. Therefore, we present a reconstruction in the standard $H^1_0$-conforming space for the primal variable of the mixed Laplace eigenvalue problem. This reconstruction is performed locally on a set of vertex patches.

math.NA↗
arXiv2018

Nitsche's method for unilateral contact problems

We derive optimal a priori and a posteriori error estimates for Nitsche's method applied to unilateral contact problems. Our analysis is based on the interpretation of Nitsche's method as a stabilised finite element method for the mixed Lagrange multiplier formulation of the contact problem wherein the Lagrange multiplier has been eliminated elementwise. To simplify the presentation, we focus on the scalar Signorini problem and outline only the proofs of the main results since most of the auxiliary results can be traced to our previous works on the numerical approximation of variational inequalities. We end the paper by presenting results of our numerical computations which corroborate the efficiency and reliability of the a posteriori estimators.

math.NA↗
arXiv2018

Error analysis of Nitsche's mortar method

Optimal a priori and a posteriori error estimates are derived for Nitsche's mortar finite elements. The analysis is based on the equivalence of the Nitsche's method and the stabilised mixed method. The Nitsche's method is defined so that it is robust with respect to large jumps in the material and mesh parameters over the interface. Numerical results demonstrate the robustness of the a posteriori estimators.

math.NA↗
arXiv2017

An adaptive finite element method for the inequality-constrained Reynolds equation

We present a stabilized finite element method for the numerical solution of cavitation in lubrication, modeled as an inequality-constrained Reynolds equation. The cavitation model is written as a variable coefficient saddle-point problem and approximated by a residual-based stabilized method. Based on our recent results on the classical obstacle problem, we present optimal a priori estimates and derive novel a posteriori error estimators. The method is implemented as a Nitsche-type finite element technique and shown in numerical computations to be superior to the usually applied penalty methods.

math.NA↗
arXiv2017

A posteriori estimates for conforming Kirchhoff plate elements

We derive a residual a posteriori estimator for the Kirchhoff plate bending problem. We consider the problem with a combination of clamped, simply supported and free boundary conditions subject to both distributed and concentrated (point and line) loads. Extensive numerical computations are presented to verify the functionality of the estimators.

math.NA↗
arXiv2016

Galerkin least squares finite element method for the obstacle problem

We construct a consistent multiplier free method for the finite element solution of the obstacle problem. The method is based on an augmented Lagrangian formulation in which we eliminate the multiplier by use of its definition in a discrete setting. We prove existence and uniqueness of discrete solutions and optimal order a priori error estimates for smooth exact solutions. Using a saturation assumption we also prove an a posteriori error estimate. Numerical examples show the performance of the method and of an adaptive algorithm for the control of the discretization error.

math.NA↗
arXiv2011

Numerical Computations with H(div)-Finite Elements for the Brinkman Problem

The H(div)-conforming approach for the Brinkman equation is studied numerically, verifying the theoretical a priori and a posteriori analysis in previous work of the authors. Furthermore, the results are extended to cover a non-constant permeability. A hybridization technique for the problem is presented, complete with a convergence analysis and numerical verification. Finally, the numerical convergence studies are complemented with numerical examples of applications to domain decomposition and adaptive mesh refinement.

math.NA↗