Accuracy estimation of the 3-D BEM analysis of elastostatic problems by the zooming method

A p-version zooming method for BEM is developed for 3-D elastostatic proble ms. The objective of this report is to develop an accuracy guarantee method for 3-D BEM analysis. First, the relations between the element degree and the analysis error of t he displacement and of the traction are investigated by the numerical exper iments of a thick-walled spheroid subjected to the internal or external pre ssure. Next, on the basis of these relations an accuracy guarantee method f or the 3-D zooming method is proposed. In this method, the existence range of the analysis error of the displacement or of the traction at the point o f particular interest is given by the sum of two errors. One is the analysi s error of the displacement on the zooming boundary and the other is the an alysis error of the traction at the point of particular interest in the zoo ming region. Finally, an adaptive analysis program using this method is dev eloped and applied to the analysis of various 3-D elastostatic problems. Th e usefulness of this method is illustrated by these application results. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.