Fuzzy finite element method for solving uncertain heat conduction problems

Abstract

In this article we have presented a unique representation for interval arithmetic. The traditional interval arithmetic is transformed into crisp by symbolic parameterization. Then the proposed interval arithmetic is extended for fuzzy numbers and this fuzzy arithmetic is used as a tool for uncertain finite element method. In general, the fuzzy finite element converts the governing differential equations into fuzzy algebraic equations. Fuzzy algebraic equations either give a fuzzy eigenvalue problem or a fuzzy system of linear equations. The proposed methods have been used to solve a test problem namely heat conduction problem along with fuzzy finite element method to see the efficacy and powerfulness of the methodology. As such a coupled set of fuzzy linear equations are obtained. These coupled fuzzy linear equations have been solved by two techniques such as by fuzzy iteration method and fuzzy eigenvalue method. Obtained results are compared and it has seen that the proposed methods are reliable and may be applicable to other heat conduction problems too.