Dual formulations of the boundary-elements method. Application to elasticity theory problems for inhomogeneous bodies (Q1190077)

The paper presents alternative variational formulations of the boundary element method based on the minimization of boundary functionals as well as generalized Trefftz functionals in linear elasticity. The formulations are direct, since the approximated unknowns are either boundary displacements or tractions in the dual formulation. The former variational formulation is recommended to apply to unilateral boundary value problems, while the latter formulation to mixed problems and problems in piecewise-homogeneous elastic bodies. The present variational formulations of the boundary element method can be classified as particular events of the weighted residual method.