Rajapintaelementtimenetelmä

Rajapintaelementtimenetelmä, often abbreviated as REM, is a numerical method used in engineering and physics to solve problems involving complex geometries and material interfaces. It is a type of boundary element method (BEM), which is known for its efficiency in reducing the dimensionality of a problem by only discretizing the boundaries of the domain.

The core idea behind REM is to represent the solution within the domain by using functions defined only on the boundary. This means that instead of meshing the entire volume of an object, only the surfaces or interfaces are divided into smaller elements. This can significantly reduce the computational cost, especially for problems with large volumes and relatively simple boundary conditions, or problems with internal cracks or holes.

REM is particularly well-suited for problems involving stress analysis, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and acoustics. Its ability to handle singular or discontinuous solutions near interfaces makes it valuable for simulating phenomena such as crack propagation or the interaction of different materials. The method typically involves formulating integral equations that describe the behavior of the system and then solving these equations numerically using the discretized boundary elements. The accuracy of the results depends on the number and type of elements used to represent the boundary.