Nonlocal Integral Equation Continuum Models

Book excerpt: The book presents the state of the art of nonlocal modeling and discretization and provides a practical introduction to nonlocal modeling for readers who are not familiar with such models. These models have recently become a viable alternative to classical partial differential equations when the latter are unable to capture effects such as discontinuities and multiscale behavior in a system of interest. Because of their integral nature, nonlocal operators allow for the relaxation of regularity requirements on the solution and thus allow for the capture of multiscale effects, the result of which is their successful use in many scientific and engineering applications. The book also provides a thorough analysis and numerical treatment of nonstandard nonlocal models, focusing on both well-known and nonstandard interaction neighborhoods. In addition, the book delivers an extensive practical treatment of the implementation of discretization strategies via finite element methods. Numerous figures are provided as concrete examples to illustrate both the analytic and computational results. Nonlocal Integral Equation Continuum Models: Nonstandard Interaction Neighborhoods and Finite Element Discretizations is intended for mathematical and application researchers interested in alternatives to using partial differential equation models that better describe the phenomena they are interested in. The book will also be of use to computational scientists and engineers who need to make sense of how to use available software, improve existing software, or develop new software tailored to their application interests.