From: "Zebedee Mason" <Zebedee.Mason@tesco.net>
Newsgroups: sci.math.num-analysis
Subject: Re: finite volume method?
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 16:43:58 +0100


David Averous wrote in message <35FE6664.88F7513B@ensigct.fr>...
>Hello,
>In modelling and simulation people often use finite difference or finite
>element discretizations of PDEs for problems in computational fluid
>dynamics, structural mechanics and other scientific and engineering
>applications.
>But, Can someone explains me or gives references on what is finite
>volume method? (Is it an extension of finite difference to 3D
>discretization? or something different?)
>
Finite difference method:  Apply differencing schemes directly to
differential equations.
Finite volume method: Integrate differential equations over a control
volume then apply differencing schemes.

Zeb