Error estimates for a mixed finite volume method for the p-Laplacian problem

Abstract

In this work we propose and analyze a mixed finite volume method for the p-Laplacian problem which is based on the lowest order Raviart-Thomas element for the vector variable and the P1 nonconforming element for the scalar variable. It is shown that this method can be reduced to a P1 nonconforming finite element method for the scalar variable only. One can then recover the vector approximation from the computed scalar approximation in a virtually cost-free manner. Optimal a priori error estimates are proved for both approximations by the quasi-norm techniques. We also derive an implicit error estimator of Bank-Weiser type which is based on the local Neumann problems.