Boundary Integral Methods

After more than twenty years of intensive research, the Boundary Element Method has matured to a point where its ability to solve complex scientific and engineering problems ranks alongside those of the finite element and finite difference methods. In fact it is often the method of choice. Despite this maturity, the BEM's development continues at a rapid pace with new theoretical results and applications occuring on an apparently daily basis, and hundreds of papers, conference proceedings and books appearing each year. Presenting some of the most significant new mathematical and computational developments in the BEM, this book covers a wide variety of research including:- * Recent work using the Laplace transform and the dual reciprocity method (DRM) to solve both linear and non-linear reaction-diffusion equations. * A novel approach to solving partial differential equations with nonconstant coefficients. * A new 'direct-mixed' BEM for solving hypersingular integral equations in acoustics. * How to use group theory in BEM algorithms to exploit the symmetries inherent in many boundary integral equations to substantially reduce system sizes.