PROGRAMMING TREFFTZ BOUNDARY ELEMENTS

This paper is concerned with the numerical implementation of the Treff tz boundary element method, for the analysis of two-dimensional potent ial problems. The weighted residual formulation of the different techn iques of the Trefftz boundary element method is reviewed. The relative advantages of each technique are shown, when compared with the direct Somigliana boundary element method. Computational programs for both t he Trefftz techniques of point collocation and Galerkin are presented in this paper. Several examples are analysed with these two techniques . The accuracy and efficiency of the implementations described herein make the Trefftz formulation of the boundary element method ideal for the study of potential problems. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.