Thin layers can lead to unfavorable meshes in a finite element (FE) analysis. Thin shell approximations (TSAs) avoid this issue by removing the need for a mesh of the thin layer while approximating the physics across the layer by an interface condition. Typically, a TSA requires the mesh of both sides of the TSA interface to be conforming. To alleviate this requirement, we propose to combine mortar methods and TSAs for solving the heat equation. The mortar TSA method's formulation is derived and enables an independent discretization of the subdomains on the two sides of the TSA depending on their accuracy requirements. The method is verified by comparison with a reference FE solution of a thermal model problem of a simplified superconducting accelerator magnet.

翻译：薄层在有限元分析中可能导致不利的网格划分。薄壳近似通过移除薄层网格需求并利用界面条件近似跨层物理场来避免该问题。传统上，薄壳近似要求界面两侧网格保持协调。为放松此约束，我们提出将绑定方法与薄壳近似相结合求解热方程。推导了绑定薄壳方法的公式，使薄壳两侧的子域可根据精度需求独立离散。通过简化超导加速器磁体热模型问题的参考有限元解对比验证了该方法的有效性。