Boundary Element Methods for Engineers:

Part I: Potential Problems

Boundary Element Analysis of Potential Problems

Integrating by parts
2
2
sin
cos

tan tan

d
= ln

cos
1
1
2
2
cos
tan + (sec 2 1)d
= ln

1
1
2
cos
tan + tan
= ln

which, given that = 1 cos 1 = 2 cos 2 , becomes

1

= 2 sin2 ln + 1 1 sin1 ln + 1 + (1 2 ) (2.41)

Dimension can be found as the component of either 1 or 2 in the normal direction , in other
words from the scalar product of, say, vector 1 with unit vector

= 1 + 1 ( 2.42)
= 1 .
in the and directions. The two sines in Equation 2.41
where and are the components of

can be found from the relevant vector products

1
sin1 =

sin1 = 1 1( 2.43)

Similarly sin2 = 2 2( 2.44)

2.4.2 Points P and Q in the same element
Integration along the element containing the source point P involves integration through the singularity
of the fundamental solution. Radius r and normal are orthogonal,

d
d

= 0 in Equation 2.35, and there

is no contribution to the term on diagonal of matrix []. However, due to the free term in Equation 2.33
( = 2.45)

Using constant elements with nodes at their centres, the boundary is locally smooth at every node. It is
worth noting, however, that the coefficients in any row [ ]of can be checked. If the potential is uniform
over the entire boundary of the domain, it is also uniform over the domain itself. This means that the
normal gradients of potential must be zero everywhere along the boundary. Hence
[[ = ][]0] (2.46)
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