Stokes, Maxwell and Darcy: A single finite element approximation for three model problems

Abstract

In this work we propose stabilized finite element methods for Stokesʼ, Maxwellʼs and Darcyʼs problems that accommodate any interpolation of velocities and pressures. We briefly review the formulations we have proposed for these three problems independently in a unified manner, stressing the advantages of our approach. In particular, for Darcyʼs problem we are able to design stabilized methods that yield optimal convergence both for the primal and the dual problems. In the case of Maxwellʼs problem, the formulation we propose allows one to use continuous finite element interpolations that converge optimally to the continuous solution even if it is non-smooth. Once the formulation is presented for the three model problems independently, we also show how it can be used for a problem that combines all the operators of the independent problems. Stability and convergence is achieved regardless of the fact that any of these operators dominates the others, a feature not possible for the methods of which we are aware.