ERROR ESTIMATION BASED ON A NEW PRINCIPLE OF PROJECTION AND RECONSTRUCTION

A new approach for error estimation in finite element computations is presented. This method mag be applied to a wide range of modeling (mag netostatics, magnetodynamics, scattering problems). The main idea is t o reconstruct, from the finite element solution of a primal formulatio n, a field belonging to the space of the dual finite element formulati on The error is then computed through the non fulfillment of the const itutive relation by the couple: primal solution-dual solution. 2-D pro blems with analytical solutions are treated to prove the efficiency of the method. Then the error estimator is used to adapt the mesh for a 3-D magnetostatic problem.