In this research the boundary element method is widely investigated for possible practical engineering application. Accuracy, computation time, and required memory space of the method are compared with those of the finite element method. Then a technique of combining the two methods is also investigated. Computer programs are developed to analyze two dimensional potential problems, elasticity problems, and three dimensional elasticity problems.
Various examples are tested with the programs and it is found that the method is in general equivalent or less efficient than the finite element method for ordinary two dimensional problems due to unbanded and unsymmetric property of system matrix even though its size is substantially smaller than that of the latter. However, it is also found that the former is more efficient for two dimensional problems with small surface/volume ratios, three dimensional problems, infinite domain problems, and problems such as crack problems where accuracy of data on the boundary is essential.
