Adaptive finite element methods

Abstract

This is a survey of the theory of adaptive finite element methods (AFEMs), which are fundamental to modern computational science and engineering but whose mathematical assessment is a formidable challenge. We present a self-contained and up-to-date discussion of AFEMs for linear second-order elliptic PDEs and dimension d > 1, with emphasis on foundational issues. After a brief review of functional analysis and basic finite element theory, including piecewise polynomial approximation in graded meshes, we present the core material for coercive problems. We start with a novel a posteriori error analysis applicable to rough data, which delivers estimators fully equivalent to the solution error. They are used in the design and study of three AFEMs depending on the structure of data. We prove linear convergence of these algorithms and rate-optimality provided the solution and data belong to suitable approximation classes. We also address the relation between approximation and regularity classes. We finally extend this theory to discontinuous Galerkin methods as prototypes of non-conforming AFEMs, and beyond coercive problems to inf-sup stable AFEMs.