Convergence Analysis of a Weak Galerkin Finite Element Method on a Shishkin Mesh for a Singularly Perturbed Fourth-Order Problem in 2D

Core Concepts

The paper presents a convergence analysis of a weak Galerkin finite element method on a Shishkin mesh for solving a singularly perturbed fourth-order boundary value problem in 2D. The method exhibits uniform convergence regardless of the singular perturbation parameter.

Abstract

The paper focuses on solving a singularly perturbed fourth-order boundary value problem in a 2D domain using the weak Galerkin (WG) finite element method with a Shishkin mesh. The key highlights are:

The WG method is employed to solve the problem, which establishes distinct basis functions for the interior and boundary of each partitioned element, and uses a discretized weak differential operator instead of the traditional differential operator.

A Shishkin mesh is used to ensure uniform convergence of the method, regardless of the singular perturbation parameter ε. The mesh is refined in the layers to capture the layer structure in the solution.

An asymptotically optimal order error estimate in a H2-equivalent discrete norm is established for the corresponding WG solutions.

Numerical experiments are presented to verify the theoretical convergence results. The results show that the WG method on the Shishkin mesh achieves better performance compared to the uniform mesh, and the asymptotically optimal order of convergence is obtained.

Stats

ε2∆2u - ∆u = f, in Ω
u = 0, ∂u/∂n = 0, on ∂Ω
0 < ε ≪ 1, f ∈ L2(Ω)

Quotes

None

Key Insights Distilled From

Convergence analysis of a weak Galerkin finite element method on a Shishkin mesh for a singularly perturbed fourth-order problem in 2D

by Shicheng Liu... at arxiv.org 03-29-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2306.15867.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How can the WG method be extended to solve other types of singularly perturbed problems, such as higher-order or nonlinear problems

The Weak Galerkin (WG) method can be extended to solve other types of singularly perturbed problems by adapting the formulation and meshing strategies to accommodate the specific characteristics of the new problem. For higher-order problems, the discretization of the weak differential operators needs to be adjusted to capture the increased complexity of the equations. This may involve using higher-order basis functions and refining the mesh appropriately to ensure accurate solutions. Nonlinear problems can be tackled by incorporating iterative schemes within the WG framework to handle the nonlinear terms effectively. Additionally, adaptive mesh refinement techniques can be employed to adapt the mesh based on the solution behavior, enhancing the method's efficiency and accuracy for nonlinear problems.

What are the potential challenges in applying the WG method to solve singularly perturbed problems on more complex geometries or with different boundary conditions

Applying the WG method to solve singularly perturbed problems on more complex geometries or with different boundary conditions may pose several challenges. One challenge is the generation of suitable Shishkin meshes for irregular geometries, as the mesh transition regions need to be carefully designed to capture the boundary and layer structures accurately. Handling different boundary conditions may require modifications to the weak formulation and the treatment of boundary terms in the numerical scheme. Ensuring stability and convergence of the method on complex geometries may also require sophisticated error analysis and adaptive strategies to refine the mesh in critical regions. Implementing the WG method on such problems may demand a deeper understanding of the underlying physics and numerical techniques to overcome these challenges effectively.

The paper focuses on a fourth-order problem, but many practical applications involve higher-order or coupled systems of PDEs. How can the insights from this work be leveraged to develop efficient numerical methods for those more general problems

The insights from the convergence analysis of the WG method for the fourth-order problem can be leveraged to develop efficient numerical methods for higher-order or coupled systems of PDEs. By extending the error analysis and convergence results to more general problems, researchers can establish the theoretical foundation for applying the WG method to a broader class of problems. The adaptive meshing strategies and error estimates derived from the fourth-order problem can be generalized to handle higher-order terms and coupled systems, guiding the development of robust numerical schemes. Additionally, the experience gained from implementing the WG method for the fourth-order problem can inform the design of efficient algorithms and computational strategies for solving more complex PDE systems in practical applications.