16. Partial Differential Equations – Basic Concepts
Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) are essential for modeling various physical phenomena in engineering, particularly in Civil Engineering. This chapter provides an overview of PDE definitions, classifications, the formation of PDEs from relations, and standard forms of PDEs. It emphasizes the application of PDEs in stress analysis, fluid flow, and heat transfer, highlighting the significance of both analytical and numerical methods for solving real-world problems.
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What we have learnt
- PDEs involve partial derivatives with respect to multiple independent variables and are foundational in engineering applications.
- Classification of PDEs into elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic is based on the discriminant of the equation.
- Numerical methods such as Finite Difference Method (FDM) and Finite Element Method (FEM) are often used for solving PDEs when analytical solutions are impractical.
Key Concepts
- -- Partial Differential Equation (PDE)
- An equation that involves partial derivatives of a function with respect to multiple independent variables.
- -- Order and Degree of a PDE
- Order is the highest derivative present in the PDE, and degree is the exponent of that derivative after simplifying.
- -- Classification of PDEs
- PDEs can be classified as elliptic, parabolic, or hyperbolic based on the discriminant of the equation.
- -- Linear and Nonlinear PDEs
- Linear PDEs have dependent variables and their derivatives appearing linearly, whereas nonlinear PDEs include products or powers of derivatives.
- -- Lagrange’s Method for solving FirstOrder Linear PDEs
- A technique involving the integration of auxiliary equations to derive the general solution of a PDE.
- -- Method of Separation of Variables
- A method used to solve linear PDEs by assuming a solution can be expressed as a product of functions, allowing separation of variables.
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