Three lectures on error estimation and adaptivity

Book chapter, 2005

In the first Section, we consider global control of the discretization error in time and space-time using finite element methods in both space and time. The approach we use gives the opportunity for adaptive control of general functionals based on residualtype a posteriori error estimates. In the second Section we apply the general theory to model problems in elasto-plasticity. We consider both the Hencky total deformation theory and the Prandtl-Reuss quasi-static theory, including load step control. Finally, in the third Section, we review some standard techniques for generating meshes, and for handling local mesh refinement.