Nodal Derivatives in the Finite Element Method as Applied to Geodynamic Modelling

Abstract

A range of methods for calculating nodal derivatives were evaluated for the Finite Element Method in the context of computational geodynamics. For stress and heat flux of surface nodes, the Consistent Boundary Flux method of Zhong et al was found to be more accurate than the other methods examined. For the strain rate tensor on internal nodes, the most accurate of the methods tested was found to be the Superconvergent Patch Recovery method of Zienkiewicz and Zhu .