A finite element formulation for incompressible flow problems using a generalized streamline operator Original Research Article

A finite element formulation for solving incompressible flow problems is presented. In this paper, the generalized streamline operator presented by Hughes et al. (Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. (1986) 58 305–328) for compressible flows is adapted to the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. This new methodology allows the use of equal order interpolation for the unknowns of the problem: velocity and pressure. In this context, the definition of the ‘upwinding tensor’ does not require parameters defined outside this model. This formulation has been checked in classical tests with satisfactory results. Finally, a moving surface problem (Cruchaga et al., Comput. Numer. Methods Engrg. (1986) 59: 85–99) is also presented.