Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Fix, G..
A variety of finite element schemes has been used in the numerical approximation of compressible flows particularly in underwater acoustics. In many instances instabilities have been generated due to the lack of mass conservation. Two- and three-dimensional elements are developed which avoid these problems.
The problem of the specification of artificial outflow conditions in flow problems is studied. It is shown that for transport type equations incorrect outflow conditions will adversely affect the solution only in a small region near the outflow boundary, while for elliptic equations, e.g. those governing the streamfunction or pressure, a correct boundary specification is essential. In addition, integral outflow boundary conditions for fluid dynamical problems are considered. It is shown that such conditions are well posed, and their effect on the solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations is also considered.
Difficulties concerning a use of the finite element method in the solution of the nonlinear equations of fluid dynamics are partly related to various 'hidden' instabilities which often arise in fluid calculations. The instabilities are typically due to boundary effects or nonlinearities. It is shown that in certain cases these instabilities can be avoided if certain conservation laws are satisfied, and that the latter are often intimately related to finite elements.