Numerical simulation and linear well-posedness analysis for a class of three-phase boundary motion problems

Abstract

We investigate the linear well-posedness for a class of three-phase boundary motion problems and perform some numerical simulations. In a typical model, three-phase boundaries evolve under certain evolution laws with specified normal velocities. The boundaries meet at a triple junction with appropriate conditions applied. A system of partial differential equations and algebraic equations (PDAE) is proposed to describe the problems. With reasonable assumptions, all problems are shown to be well-posed if all three boundaries evolve under the same evolution law. For problems involving two or more evolution laws, we show the well-posedness case by case for some examples. Numerical simulations are performed for some examples. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.