Boundary Element Methods for Engineers:

Part I: Potential Problems

Boundary Element Analysis of Potential Problems

Interchanging functions and

2 +

d d = d (2.24)

and subtracting Equation 2.24 from 2.23

( 2 2 ) d d = d (2.25)

which is a result known as Greens symmetric identity (symmetric because it is symmetric in functions
and ).

Equation 2.25 looks promising in that the left hand side integral over the area of the solution domain
involves 2 and 2 , which will both be zero if and satisfy Laplaces equation. Hence the area
integral will also be zero, leaving only the boundary integral on the right hand side. Suppose that
is the required solution to Equation 2.2, and that is the fundamental solution. Now does satisfy
2 = 0, except at the source point for the fundamental solution if this is located within the solution

domain. With a little care this can be dealt with.

Figure 2.2 A two-dimensional solution domain, including a small circular region of radius surrounding the
source point

Surround the source point with a small circle as shown in Figure 2.2. If the circle is very small, the
value of can be taken as constant within it, equal to the value at point , that is (). The integral
over the circle of 2 is already known from Equation 2.18 (which evolved from Equation 2.12) as
2. Equation 2.25 becomes

2( )+
d = 0 (2.26)

The function is known, so provided the values of both and its gradient normal to the boundary are
known at every point along the boundary, this provides a means of calculating the value of the required
solution at any point within the solution domain. The challenge now is to find these boundary values.

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