High-Order Finite Elements for Inhomogeneous Acoustic Guiding Structures

Silvester's high-order finite-element formulation for potential problems is extended to enable the analysis of acoustic wave propagation in lossless isotropic, uniform, and inhomogeneous guiding structures. The formulation allows a large class of problems to be solved using elements of any desired order, with only minimal computer coding. Three examples are cited---one involving a simple homogeneous region having an analytic solution, and two inhomogeneous problems. Good agreement with other methods and with limiting cases is obtained in each case.