Convergence rate to elliptic variational inequalities of the second kind by relaxation method

This paper is concerned with convergence rate of a relaxation method for solving a simplified friction problem formulated as a variational inequality of the second kind. We establish a model of friction problem and approximate it by the finite element method. To solve the discrete problem, a relaxation method is used. We prove the convergence of this algorithm and obtain convergence rate. It is shown that convergence rate is only dependent on the coefficient matrix of the bilinear form, not dependent on the coefficient vector of nondifferential term and the vector of load force. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.