A mixed finite-element method for elliptic operators with Wentzell boundary condition

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we introduce and analyze a mixed finite-element approach for a coupled bulk-surface problem of second order with a Wentzell boundary condition. The problem is formulated on a domain with a curved smooth boundary. We introduce a mixed formulation that is equivalent to the usual weak formulation. Furthermore, optimal a priori error estimates between the exact solution and the finite-element approximation are derived. To this end, the curved domain is approximated by a polyhedral domain introducing an additional geometrical error that has to be bounded. A computational result confirms the theoretical findings.