A conforming-nonconforming mixed immersed finite element method for unsteady Stokes equations with moving interfaces

Abstract

In this article, we develop a new mixed immersed finite element discretization for two-dimensional unsteady Stokes interface problems with unfitted meshes. The proposed IFE spaces use conforming linear elements for one velocity component and non-conforming linear elements for the other velocity component. The pressure is approximated by piecewise constant. Unisolvency, among other fundamental properties of the new vector-valued IFE functions, is analyzed. Based on the new IFE spaces, semi-discrete and full-discrete schemes are developed for solving the unsteady Stokes equations with a stationary or a moving interface. Re-meshing is not required in our numerical scheme for solving the moving-interface problem. Numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the performance of this new IFE method.