EGME 410 Homework #1

Strong Formulations
Due: Tuesday, February 06, 2018 by 04:00PM

Problem 1 (45 points) For each of the following Boundary Value Problems (BVP’s),
(i) identify the function of interest, (ii) identify the domain of interest Ω and the domain
boundary ∂Ω (in set notation), (iii) write the governing equation in standard form (R = 0),
(iv) identify the boundary conditions, and (v) solve the BVP analytically.
dw
(a) dx
= w, 0 < x < 1, w(0) = 3
(b) v 00 (x) = −v, 0 < x < 2π, v(0) = 0, v 0 (0) = 1
(c) EIy 0000 (x) = −w0 , 0 < x < L, y(0) = 0, y 0 (0) = 0, y 00 (L) = 0, y 000 (L) = 0

For Problems 2 and 3, identify (a) the function of interest, (b) the domain of interest Ω and
the domain boundary ∂Ω (in set notation), (c) the governing equation, and (d) the boundary
conditions. Finally, (e) state whether or not Ω is finite.

Problem 2 (Heat conduction in a plate) (10 points) A thin, homogeneous, metal

plate occupies the rectangular region shown below.

Under steady-state conditions, the temperature field T (x, y) within the plate is governed by
Laplace’s equation:
∂ 2T ∂ 2T
+ = 0. (1)
∂x2 ∂y 2
If the edge of the plate at y = b is held at a uniform temperature T0 , and the rest of the
edges are held at 0◦ C, then
T (0, y) = 0◦ C, T (a, y) = 0◦ C, T (x, 0) = 0◦ C, T (x, b) = T0 . (2)
We want to find the temperature field T (x, y) at every point within the plate.

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 Problem 3 (Electrostatic potential) (10 points) Two semi-infinite, grounded metal
plates lie parallel to the xz-plane, one at y = 0, and the other at y = a, creating an empty
slot between them, as shown below. The left end of the slot, at x = 0, is closed off with an
infinite strip insulated from the two plates and maintained at a uniform potential V0 .

Since there are no charges between the plates, the electrostatic potential V (x, y) inside this
slot is governed by Laplace’s equation:
∂ 2V ∂ 2V
+ =0 (3)
∂x2 ∂y 2
Moreover,
V (x, 0) = 0, V (x, a) = 0, V (0, y) = V0 , lim V (x, y) = 0. (4)
x→∞

We want to find the potential V (x, y) at every point within the slot between the two plates.

Problem 4 (10 points) In lecture, we considered two model BVP’s: a skyscraper sub-
jected to the force of a strong wind, and a hemispherical structure maintained at given indoor
and outdoor temperatures. In each case, identify the domain of interest Ω and the domain
boundary ∂Ω in set notation, using the coordinates and dimensions given in lecture.

For Problems 5 and 6, (a) identify the function of interest, (b) identify the domain of interest
Ω and the domain boundary ∂Ω (in set notation), (c) write the governing equation in standard
form (R = 0), and (d) write the boundary conditions in terms of the function of interest.

Problem 5 (Waves on a string) (10 points) A guitar string of length L occupies the
region −L/2 < x < L/2. It is fixed to a guitar at both ends, and “strummed” by a guitar
player. The string’s lateral displacement u(x, t) under such conditions is governed by the
one-dimensional wave equation
∂ 2u 1 ∂ 2u
= , (5)
∂x2 c2 ∂t2
p
where c = T /ρ is the wave speed, T is the tension in the string, and ρ is the mass per unit
length of the string. We want to know the displacement u(x, t) of the string at all times t.

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 Problem 6 (Heat conduction in a bar) (10 points) A thin, solid bar of length L
occupies the region 0 < x < L. The bar is insulated on its lateral surfaces, so that heat
flows only in the x-direction, and both ends of the bar are held at 0◦ C for all times t. The
temperature field T (x, t) within the bar is governed by the one-dimensional heat equation
∂ 2T 1 ∂T
= , (6)
∂x2 c2 ∂t
where c2 = k/σρ, k is the thermal conductivity of the bar, σ is its specific heat, and ρ is
the mass per unit volume of the bar. We want to know the temperature distribution T (x, t)
within the bar at all times t.