Boundary Element Methods for Engineers:

Part I: Potential Problems

Boundary Element Analysis of Potential Problems

The vector normal can be found as the vector product of S and the unit vector in the third global coordinate direction, out of the plane of the solution domain
= + = =

d
d

d
d

(2.59)

where and are the components of n in the and directions.

In order to integrate round the boundary it is necessary to change from global co-ordinate to local
intrinsic co-ordinate within each element, by means of the Jacobian of transformation
= )(

d
d

(d)2 +(d)2

d
d
= + =2 + 2 (2.60)
d

This Jacobian can also be used to define the components of the unit normal
=

2 + 2

) (

) (

= + ( 2.61)

Introducing the transformation from global to intrinsic co-ordinate, the boundary integral equation,
Equation 2.29, becomes

() +

+1

=1 1

()

+1

=1 1

ln

d
1
)(d
ln
d()
(, )

1
d
)(d
(, ) d

(2.62)

Then introducing the parametric representations, Equations 2.49 and 2.53, for the potential and potential
gradient distributions

() +

=1 =1

=
=1 =1

+1

d
1
() )(d
ln
d()
(, )

+1
1
d
ln
() )(d
(, )
d 1

(2.63)

where is the number (1, 2 or 3) of the node in element number .

Of the two kernel functions in Equation 2.63, the second one, on the right hand side of the equation,
is straightforward to evaluate, except when points P and are in the same element. As in the constant
element case, the first kernel is given by
d
d()

ln

(,)

d
d

(ln = )

1 d
d

cos

(2.64)

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