| Summary: | Most real world phenomena is modeled by ordinary and/or partial differential equations.
Most of these equations are highly nonlinear and exact solutions are not always possible.
Exact solutions always give a good account of the physical nature of the phenomena modeled.
However, existing analytical methods can only handle a limited range of these equations.
Semi-numerical and numerical methods give approximate solutions where exact solutions are
impossible to find. However, some common numerical methods give low accuracy and may lack
stability. In general, the character and qualitative behaviour of the solutions may not always
be fully revealed by numerical approximations, hence the need for improved semi-numerical
methods that are accurate, computational efficient and robust.
In this study we introduce innovative techniques for finding solutions of highly nonlinear
coupled boundary value problems. These techniques aim to combine the strengths of both
analytical and numerical methods to produce efficient hybrid algorithms. In this work, the
homotopy analysis method is blended with spectral methods to improve its accuracy. Spectral
methods are well known for their high levels of accuracy. The new spectral homotopy analysis
method is further improved by using a more accurate initial approximation to accelerate
convergence. Furthermore, a quasi-linearisation technique is introduced in which spectral
methods are used to solve the linearised equations. The new techniques were used to solve
mathematical models in fluid dynamics.
The thesis comprises of an introductory Chapter that gives an overview of common numerical
methods currently in use. In Chapter 2 we give an overview of the methods used in this
work. The methods are used in Chapter 3 to solve the nonlinear equation governing two-dimensional
squeezing flow of a viscous fluid between two approaching parallel plates and the
steady laminar flow of a third grade fluid with heat transfer through a flat channel. In Chapter
4 the methods were used to find solutions of the laminar heat transfer problem in a rotating
disk, the steady flow of a Reiner-Rivlin fluid with Joule heating and viscous dissipation and
the classical von Kάrmάn equations for boundary layer flow induced by a rotating disk. In
Chapter 5 solutions of steady two-dimensional flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in a
rectangular domain bounded by two permeable surfaces and the MHD viscous flow problem
due to a shrinking sheet with a chemical reaction, were solved using the new methods. === Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.
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