An asymptotically compatible unfitted finite element methods for nonlocal elliptic Interfaces: local limits and sharp error estimates

Abstract

This paper presents the development and analysis of an asymptotically compatible (AC) unfitted finite element method for one-dimensional nonlocal elliptic interface problems. The proposed method achieves optimal error estimates through three principal contributions: (i) an extended maximum principle, coupled with an asymptotic consistency analysis of the flux operator, which establishes second-order convergence of nonlocal solutions to their local counterparts in the maximum norm; (ii) a Nitsche-type formulation that directly incorporates nonlocal jump conditions into the weak form, enabling high accuracy without body-fitted meshes; and (iii) a rigorous proof of optimal convergence rates in both the energy and L2 norms via the nonlocal maximum principle, flux consistency, and a newly derived nonlocal Poincare inequality. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical findings and demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed approach, thereby providing a foundation for extensions to higher dimensions.