Explicit time-domain approaches based on numerical Green’s functions computed by finite differences – The ExGA family

The present paper describes a new family of time stepping methods to integrate dynamic equations of motion. The scalar wave equation is considered here; however, the method can be applied to time-domain analyses of other hyperbolic (e.g., elastodynamics) or parabolic (e.g., transient diffusion) problems. The algorithms presented require the knowledge of the Green’s function of mechanical systems in nodal coordinates. The finite difference method is used here to compute numerically the problem Green’s function; however, any other numerical method can be employed, e.g., finite elements, finite volumes, etc. The Green’s matrix and its time derivative are computed explicitly through the range [0, Δt] with either the fourth-order Runge–Kutta algorithm or the central difference scheme. In order to improve the stability of the algorithm based on central differences, an additional matrix called step response is also calculated. The new methods become more stable and accurate when a sub-stepping procedure is adopted to obtain the Green’s and step response matrices and their time derivatives at the end of the time step. Three numerical examples are presented to illustrate the high precision of the present approach.