Boundary Element Methods for Engineers:

Part I: Potential Problems

Boundary Element Analysis of Potential Problems

and, since the values are all identical, the sum of the coefficients in any row of [ ]should be zero.
Therefore

= ( 2.47)
=1

In the case of constant elements this merely provides a useful check on the coefficients. When higherorder elements such as quadratic are used, however, it provides an important means of computing the
diagonal coefficients.
Figure 2.7 shows the situation when P and Q are in the same element, and the integral of the second
kernel over this element is required.

Figure 2.7 Special case when P and Q are in the same element

Point P is at the centre of the element, so that 1 = 2 and the integrals over the two halves of the element
are identical. But they are also improper integrals, because of the singularity of the fundamental solution
at P, and must therefore be treated as limits. Considering the integral over the half of the element between
the first end, labelled 1, and the centre of the element
=

1
1
d() = 2 lim ln (d)
ln
0
(, )

1
1
1
= 2 lim ln d
0

1
1
1 1
= 2 lim0 ln + d

1
1
= 2 lim ln +
0

56
Download free eBooks at bookboon.com