This paper on "On Error Sources in the Use of h-, p- and hp-Adaptive Methods" was presented at the NAFEMS World Congress on Design, Simulation & Optimisation: Reliability & Applicability of Computational Methods - 9-11 April 1997, Stuttgart, Germany.

Abstract

Adaptive methods can help the user of an FE-program to minimise discretisation errors. However, this normally does not work completely automatically up to a desired accuracy. In this paper the relation between error estimation and real error is examined. Furthermore, advantages, disadvantages and pitfalls of h-adaptivity with remeshing and mesh refinement as well as of p-adaptivity are shown. A successful hp-adaptive procedure is explained.