A residual–based error estimator for BEM–discretizations of contact problems

Summary.We develop an a posteriori error estimate for boundary element solutions of static contact problems without friction. The presented result is based on an error estimate for linear pseudodifferential equations and on a certain commutator property for pseudodifferential operators. A heuristic extension of the obtained error estimate to frictional contact problems is presented, too. Numerical examples indicate a good performance of the error estimator for both the frictionless and the frictional problem.

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