Three-dimensional unsteady heat conduction analysis by the triple-reciprocity boundary element method

The conventional boundary element method (BEM) requires a domain integral in heat conduction analysis with heat generation or an initial temperature distribution. In this paper it is shown that the three-dimensional heat conduction problem can be solved effectively using the triple-reciprocity boundary element method without internal cells. In this method, the distributions of heat generation and initial temperature are interpolated using integral equations and time-dependent fundamental solutions are used. A new computer program was developed and applied to solving several problems.