A triangle-based positive semi-discrete Lagrangian–Eulerian scheme via the weak asymptotic method for scalar equations and systems of hyperbolic conservation laws

Abstract

In this paper, we show how to construct a positive semi-discrete Lagrangian–Eulerian scheme on triangular grids that asymptotically satisfies multidimensional scalar hyperbolic problems and first-order nonlinear systems of conservation laws. The construction of such numerical scheme is based on the improved concept of space–time no-flow curves. For scalar equations, through a sequence of computational grid functions that tend to satisfy the underlying hyperbolic conservation law(s) in a weak sense in the space variable and in a strong sense in the time variable, we prove that the proposed scheme converges to the unique weak solution satisfying a type of Kruzhkov entropy condition. For nonlinear systems of first-order hyperbolic conservation laws, we show that the proposed scheme also satisfies a (weak) positivity principle. This provides an effective numerical analysis tool (based on weak asymptotic methods) to construct a family of continuous functions that asymptotically satisfies scalar conservation laws with discontinuous nonlinearity and systems that have irregular solutions. In order to assess the robustness of the proposed approach, we solve a series of numerical tests on several hyperbolic problems (scalar and systems) using the positive semi-discrete Lagrangian–Eulerian scheme on triangular grids. The results confirm that the proposed method is efficient (since it is Riemann-solver-free) and provides good resolution for scalar models and for the solution of systems of conservation laws.