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Two-phase flows composed of fluids exhibiting different microscopic structure are an important class of engineering materials. The dynamics of these flows are determined by the coupling among three different length scales: microscopic inside each component, mesoscopic interfacial morphology and macroscopic hydrodynamics. Moreover, in the case of complex fluids composed by the mixture between isotropic (newtonian fluid) and nematic (liquid crystal) flows, its interfaces exhibit novel dynamics due to anchoring effects of the liquid crystal molecules on the interface. Firstly, we have introduced a new differential problem to model Nematic-Isotropic mixtures, taking into account viscous, mixing, nematic and anchoring effects and reformulating the corresponding stress tensors in order to derive a dissipative energy law. Then, we provide two new linear unconditionally energy-stable splitting schemes. Moreover, we present several numerical simulations in order to show the efficiency of the proposed numerical schemes and the influence of the different types of anchoring effects in the dynamics of the system.

In this work we develop the a posteriori error analysis of an augmented mixed finite element method for the 2D and 3D versions of the Navier-Stokes equations when the viscosity depends nonlinearly on the module of the velocity gradient. Two different reliable and efficient residual-based a posteriori error estimators for this problem on arbitrary (convex or non-convex) polygonal and polyhedral regions are derived. Our analysis of reliability of the proposed estimators draws mainly upon the global inf-sup condition satisfied by a suitable linearization of the continuous formulation, an application of Helmholtz decomposition, and the local approximation properties of the Raviart-Thomas and Clément interpolation operators. In addition, differently from previous approaches for augmented mixed formulations, the boundedness of the Clément operator plays now an interesting role in the reliability estimate. On the other hand, inverse and discrete inequalities, and the localization technique based on triangle-bubble and edge-bubble functions are utilized to show their efficiency. Finally, several numerical results are provided to illustrate the good performance of the augmented mixed method, to confirm the aforementioned properties of the a posteriori error estimators, and to show the behaviour of the associated adaptive algorithm.

In this paper we propose and analyze a new augmented mixed finite element method for the Navier-Stokes problem. Our approach is based on the introduction of a “nonlinearpseudostress” tensor linking the pseudostress tensor with the convective term, which leads to a mixed formulation with the nonlinear-pseudostress tensor and the velocity as the main unknowns of the system. Further variables of interest, such as the fluid pressure, the fluid vorticity and the fluid velocity gradient, can be easily approximated as a simple postprocess of the finite element solutions with the same rate of convergence. The resulting mixed formulation is augmented by introducing Galerkin least-squares type terms arising from the constitutive and equilibrium equations of the Navier-Stokes equations and from the Dirichlet boundary condition, which are multiplied by stabilization parameters that are chosen in such a way that the resulting continuous formulation becomes well-posed. Then, the classical Banach’s fixed point Theorem and Lax-Milgram’s Lemma are applied to prove well-posedness of the continuous problem. Similarly, we establish well-posedness and the corresponding Cea’s estimate of the associated Galerkin scheme considering any conforming finite element subspace for each unknown. In particular, the associated Galerkin scheme can be defined by employing Raviart-Thomas elements of degree k for the nonlinear-pseudostress tensor, and continuous piecewise polynomial elements of degree k + 1 for the velocity, which leads to an optimal convergent scheme. In addition, we provide two iterative methods to solve the corresponding nonlinear system of equations and analyze their convergence. Finally, several numerical results illustrating the good performance of the method are provided.

A new mixed variational formulation for the Navier–Stokes equations with constant density and variable viscosity depending nonlinearly on the gradient of velocity, is proposed and analyzed here. Our approach employs a technique previously applied to the stationary Boussinesq problem and to the Navier-Stokes equations with constant viscosity, which consists firstly of the introduction of a modified pseudostress tensor involving the diffusive and convective terms, and the pressure. Next, by using an equivalent statement suggested by the incompressibility condition, the pressure is eliminated, and in order to handle the nonlinear viscosity, the gradient of velocity is incorporated as an auxiliary unknown. Furthermore, since the convective term forces the velocity to live in a smaller space than usual, we overcome this difficulty by augmenting the variational formulation with suitable Galerkin-type terms arising from the constitutive and equilibrium equations, the aforementioned relation defining the additional unknown, and the Dirichlet boundary condition. The resulting augmented scheme is then written equivalently as a fixed point equation, and hence the well-known Schauder and Banach theorems, combined with classical results on bijective monotone operators, are applied to prove the unique solvability of the continuous and discrete systems. No discrete inf-sup conditions are required for the well-posedness of the Galerkin scheme, and hence arbitrary finite element subspaces of the respective continuous spaces can be utilized. In particular, given an integer k ≥ 0, piecewise polynomials of degree ≤ k for the gradient of velocity, Raviart-Thomas spaces of order k for the pseudostress, and continuous piecewise polynomials of degree ≤ k + 1 for the velocity, constitute feasible choices. Finally, optimal a priori error estimates are derived, and several numerical results illustrating the good performance of the augmented mixed finite element method and confirming the theor

In this work we develop the a priori and a posteriori error analyses of a mixed finite element method for Darcy’s equations with porosity depending exponentially on the pressure. A simple change of variable for this unknown allows to transform the original nonlinear problem into a linear one whose dual-mixed variational formulation falls into the frameworks of the generalized linear saddle point problems and the fixed point equations satisfied by an affine mapping. According to the latter, we are able to show the well-posedness of both the continuous and discrete schemes, as well as the associated Cea estimate, by simply applying a suitable combination of the classical Babuska-Brezzi theory and the Banach fixed point Theorem. In particular, given any integer k ≥ 0, the stability of the Galerkin scheme is guaranteed by employing Raviart-Thomas elements of order k for the velocity, piecewise polynomials of degree k for the pressure, and continuous piecewise polynomials of degree k+1 for an additional Lagrange multiplier given by the trace of the pressure on the Neumann boundary. Note that the two ways of writing the continuous formulation suggest accordingly two different methods for solving the discrete schemes. Next, we derive a reliable and efficient residualbased a posteriori error estimator for this problem. The global inf-sup condition satisfied by the continuous formulation, Helmholtz decompositions, and the local approximation properties of the Raviart-Thomas and Cl´ement interpolation operators are the main tools for proving the reliability. In turn, inverse and discrete inequalities, and the localization technique based on triangle-bubble and edge-bubble functions are utilized to show the efficiency. Finally, several numerical results illustrating the good performance of both methods, confirming the aforementioned properties of the estimator, and showing the behaviour of the associated adaptive algorithm, are reported.

In this work, we use the homogenization theory to investigate the capability of wavy riblet patterns to influence the behaviour of a viscous flow near a ribbed boundary. Starting from perfect slip conditions on the wall, we show that periodic oscillations of wavy riblets in the lateral direction may induce a friction effect in the direction of the flow, contrary to what happens with straight riblets. Finally, we illustrate this effect numerically by simulating riblet profiles that are widely used in experimental studies: the V -shape, U-shape, and blade riblets.

In this paper, we review some numerical methods presented in the literature in the last years to approximate the Cahn-Hilliard equation. Our aim is to compare the main properties of each one of the approaches to try to determine which one we should choose depending on which are the crucial aspects when we approximate the equations. Among the properties that we consider desirable to control are the time accuracy order, energy-stability, unique solvability and the linearity or nonlinearity of the resulting systems. In particular, we concern about the iterative methods used to approximate the nonlinear schemes and the constraints that may arise on the physical and computational parameters. Furthermore, we present the connections of the Cahn-Hilliard equation with other physically motivated systems (not only phase field models) and we state how the ideas of efficient numerical schemes in one topic could be extended to other frameworks in a natural way.

In this paper, we present energy-stable numerical schemes for a Smectic-A liquid crystal model. This model involve the hydrodynamic velocity-pressure macroscopic variables (u, p) and the microscopic order parameter of Smectic-A liquid crystals, where its molecules have a uniaxial orientational order and a positional order by layers of normal and unitary vector n. We start from the formulation given in [E’97] by using the so-called layer variable φ such that n = ∇φ and the level sets of φ describe the layer structure of the Smectic-A liquid crystal. Then, a strongly non-linear parabolic system is derived coupling velocity and pressure unknowns of the Navier-Stokes equations (u, p) with a fourth order parabolic equation for φ. We will give a reformulation as a mixed second order problem which let us to define some new energy-stable numerical schemes, by using second order finite differences in time and C 0 - finite elements in space. Finally, numerical simulations are presented for 2D-domains, showing the evolution of the system until it reachs an equilibrium configuration. Up to our knowledge, there is not any previous numerical analysis for this type of models.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous bacterium that survives in many environments, including as an acute and chronic pathogen in humans. Substantial evidence shows that P. aeruginosa behavior is affected by its motility, and appendages known as flagella and type IV pili (TFP) are known to confer such motility. The role these appendages play when not facilitating motility or attachment, however, is unclear. Here we discern a passive intercellular role of TFP during flagellar-mediated swarming of P. aeruginosa that does not require TFP extension or retraction. We studied swarming at the cellular level using a combination of laboratory experiments and computational simulations to explain the resultant patterns of cells imaged from in vitro swarms. Namely, we used a computational model to simulate swarming and to probe for individual cell behavior that cannot currently be otherwise measured. Our simulations showed that TFP of swarming P. aeruginosa should be distributed all over the cell and that TFP−TFP interactions between cells should be a dominant mechanism that promotes cell−cell interaction, limits lone cell movement, and slows swarm expansion. This predicted physical mechanism involving TFP was confirmed in vitro using pairwise mixtures of strains with and without TFP where cells without TFP separate from cells with TFP. While TFP slow swarm expansion, we show in vitro that TFP help alter collective motion to avoid toxic compounds such as the antibiotic carbenicillin. Thus, TFP physically affect P. aeruginosa swarming by actively promoting cell-cell association and directional collective motion within motile groups to aid their survival.

Applied Mathematics research is expanding to encompass quantitative physical phenomena of growing importance. These quantitative phenomena include many interesting applica- tions, such as, biomathematics and industrial applications. The study of the mathe

This work is devoted to the superconvergence in space approximation of a fully discrete scheme for the incompressible time-dependent Navier-Stokes Equations in three-dimensional domains. We discrete by Inf-Sup-stable Finite Element in space and by a semi-implicit backward Euler (linear) scheme in time. Using an extension of the duality argument in negative-norm for elliptic linear problems (see for instance [1] Brennet, S., Scott, L. The Mathematical Theory of Finite Element Methods, Springer, 2008) to the mixed velocity-pressure formulation of the Stokes problem, we prove some superconvergence in space results for the velocity with respect to the energy-norm, and for a weaker norm of L2 (0, T;L 2 (Ω)) type (this latter holds only for the case of Taylor-Hood approximation). On the other hand, we also obtain optimal error estimates for the pressure without imposing constraints on the time and spatial discrete parameters, arriving at superconvergence in the H1 (Ω)-norm again for Taylor-Hood approximations. These results are numerically verified by several computational experiments, where two splitting in time schemes are also considered.