High‐order cubature rules for tetrahedra

Abstract

SummaryIn this paper, we construct new high‐order numerical integration schemes for tetrahedra, with positive weights and integration points that are in the interior of the domain. The construction of cubature rules is a challenging problem, which requires the solution of strongly nonlinear algebraic (moment) equations with side conditions given by affine inequality constraints. We present a robust algorithm based on a sequence of three modified Newton procedures to solve the constrained minimization problem. In the literature, numerical integration rules for the tetrahedron are available up to order p=15. We obtain integration rules for the tetrahedron from p=2 to p=20, which are computed using multiprecision arithmetic. For p≤15, our approach provides integration rules that have the same or fewer number of integration points than existing rules; for p=16 to p=20, our rules are new. Numerical tests are presented that verify the polynomial‐precision of the cubature rules. Convergence studies are performed for the integration of exponential, rational, weakly singular and trigonometric test functions over tetrahedra with flat and curved faces. In all tests, improvements in accuracy is realized as p is increased, though in some cases nonmonotonic convergence is observed.