h-Adaptive mesh refinement strategy for the boundary element method based on local error analysis

An adaptive mesh refinement technique of the h type is proposed for the bou ndary element method (BEM). Error indicators at element level are evaluated based on a collocation scheme using ad hoe uniform norms that compare valu es of the field variables at successive iterations. Different approaches ar e applied depending on whether the boundary conditions are of the Neumann, Dirichlet, or Dirichlet-Neumann mixed type. For Neumann problems the error norms are evaluated using the standard discretised boundary integral equati on (DBIE). Dirichlet problems are approached using both the standard DBIE a nd the hypersingular DBIE. Mixed problems are treated depending on the type of boundary condition. The technique is illustrated with examples for two- dimensional potential problems governed by the Laplace equation. (C) 2001 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.