A coding error elimination procedure for verifying finite element programswith forced and natural boundary conditions

The general procedure developed by Shih for eliminating computer coding err ors has been both simplified for finite element applications and extended f or use in the verification of the coding of forced and natural boundary con ditions. To accomplish these two objectives simultaneously, use is made of volume weighted residuals for all elements within the solution regime and o f area weighted boundary residuals for all elements having natural boundary conditions on one or more of their borders. This procedure can thus be use d to verify finite element codes with a combination of both forced (Dirichl et) and natural (Neumann and Robbins) boundary conditions. Depending on the equations being solved and the boundary conditions they are being subjecte d to, this modification can make possible the implementation of Shih's gene ral procedure into existing finite element codes without having to carry ou t any additional discretization steps. The employment of this modified proc edure is illustrated using two-dimensional (2-D) stress analysis and transi ent heat conduction problems. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.