A Chebyshev polynomial based block integrator for the direct numerical solution of fourth order ordinary differential equations

Abstract

This paper introduces an innovative method for numerically integrating fourth-order initial value problems by utilizing Chebyshev polynomials as the fundamental basis function. The block integrator base on Chebyshev polynomial demonstrates significant improvements in accuracy and stability, rendering it a valuable tool across various scientific and engineering fields. By leveraging the characteristics of Chebyshev polynomials, this approach accurately estimates solutions for fourth-order differential equations without reducing it to a system of first order Ordinary Differential Equations while at the same time effectively managing error accumulation within a block integration framework and thereby enhancing its accuracy over extended intervals. Through rigorous numerical experiments, the effectiveness and reliability of the new integrator are demonstrated and compared with existing methods. The new method is consistent, zero stable and convergent. The method also shows an appreciable error constants. The new method performed better in terms of accuracy than the existing methods in the literature in both linear and nonlinear problems.