A `local field error problem´ approach for error estimation in finite element analysis

A procedure for the estimation of field errors in finite element analysis based on a local approach is presented. The error estimate is numerically computed over each element solving a problem formulated in terms of field according to Helmholtz´s theorem. For the numerical solution of the problem an edge elements approach was used. The proposed method and the numerical techniques used are described and some comparisons with other methods are reported. The proposed method has been implemented in the 2-D environment CEDEF, in the interactive module developed for the comparison of adaptive meshing and error estimation techniques. The new method has shown better, or at least equivalent, performances in the correct overestimate of the behavior of the numerical errors