On accuracy of the wave finite element predictions of wavenumbers and power flow: A benchmark problem

Abstract This rapid communication is concerned with justification of the ‘rule of thumb’, which is well known to the community of users of the finite element (FE) method in dynamics, for the accuracy assessment of the wave finite element (WFE) method. An explicit formula linking the size of a window in the dispersion diagram, where the WFE method is trustworthy, with the coarseness of a FE mesh employed is derived. It is obtained by the comparison of the exact Pochhammer–Chree solution for an elastic rod having the circular cross-section with its WFE approximations. It is shown that the WFE power flow predictions are also valid within this window.