Controlling errors in the process of automating boundary element method analysis

Automating boundary element method (BEM) analysis will make it possible for a large number of practicing engineers and students to exploit the unique advantages of BEM over other computational techniques for solving several classes of engineering problems. But to successfully automate the BEM analysis requires addressing a host of problems that includes a clear understanding of the various sources of error in the analysis. This paper discusses the various sources of errors in the BEM analysis, how the author of this paper has addressed these errors and the process by which the BEM analysis can be automated. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved