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This paper develops divergence-free mixed finite element methods for the Stokes equation. Using H(div)-conforming velocities and discontinuous pressures ensures the inf-sup condition for the velocity--pressure pair and yields pointwise divergence-free velocities. However, this choice makes the vector Laplacian difficult to discretize. Inspired by mass-conserving mixed formulations with stresses, tangential--normal continuous traceless tensor elements are introduced to discretize the vector Laplacian. An inf-sup condition for the weak div operator between the stress and velocity spaces is then proved. Two key properties characterize the scheme. First, the stress--velocity inf-sup stability gives a stable discretization of the vector Laplacian without additional stabilization, unlike discontinuous Galerkin or virtual element methods. Second, the scheme has the property that if a stress field is distributionally divergence-free against the discrete divergence-free velocity space, then it is also distributionally divergence-free against the continuous divergence-free velocity space. This property decouples the stress and velocity errors and leads to superconvergence. As a result, optimal-order error estimates are obtained for the stress, while the velocity and pressure converge at rates higher than the approximation orders of the chosen spaces. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results. 

Hybridizable $$H(\operatorname{div})$$-conforming finite elements for symmetric tensors on simplices with barycentric refinement are developed in this work for arbitrary dimensions and any polynomial order. By employing barycentric refinement and an intrinsic tangential-normal decomposition, novel basis functions are constructed to redistribute degrees of freedom while preserving $$H(\operatorname{div})$$-conformity and symmetry, and ensuring inf-sup stability. These hybridizable elements enhance computational flexibility and efficiency, with applications to mixed finite element methods for linear elasticity. 

This paper addresses the challenge of constructing finite element curl div complexes in three dimensions. Tangential-normal continuity is introduced in order to develop distributional finite element curl div complexes. The spaces constructed are applied to discretize the quad curl problem, demonstrating optimal order of convergence. Furthermore, a hybridization technique is proposed, demonstrating its equivalence to nonconforming finite elements and weak Galerkin methods. 

In the field of solving partial differential equations (PDEs), Hilbert complexes have become highly significant. Recent advances focus on creating new complexes using the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand (BGG) framework, as shown by Arnold and Hu [Found. Comput. Math. 21 (2021), pp. 1739–1774]. This paper extends their approach to three-dimensional finite element complexes. The finite element Hessian, elasticity, and divdiv complexes are systematically derived by applying techniques such as smooth finite element de Rham complexes, the $t$ - $n$ decomposition, and trace complexes, along with related two-dimensional finite element analogs. The construction includes two reduction operations and one augmentation operation to address continuity differences in the BGG diagram, ultimately resulting in a comprehensive and effective framework for constructing finite element complexes, which have various applications in PDE solving. 

A unified construction of H(div)-conforming finite element tensors, including vector element, symmetric matrix element, traceless matrix element, and, in general, tensors with linear constraints, is developed in this work. It is based on the geometric decomposition of Lagrange elements into bubble functions on each sub-simplex. Each tensor at a sub-simplex is further decomposed into tangential and normal components. The tangential component forms the bubble function space, while the normal component characterizes the trace. Some degrees of freedom can be redistributed to (n-1)-dimensional faces. The developed finite element spaces are H(div)-conforming and satisfy the discrete inf-sup condition. Intrinsic bases of the constraint tensor space are also established. 

A new H(divdiv)-conforming finite element is presented, which avoids the need for supersmoothness by redistributing the degrees of freedom to edges and faces. This leads to a hybridizable mixed method with superconvergence for the biharmonic equation. Moreover, new finite element divdiv complexes are established. Finally, new weak Galerkin and C0 discontinuous Galerkin methods for the biharmonic equation are derived. 

Finite element de Rham complexes and finite element Stokes complexes with varying degrees of smoothness in three dimensions are systematically constructed in this paper. Smooth scalar finite elements in three dimensions are derived through a non-overlapping decomposition of the simplicial lattice. H(div)-conforming finite elements and H(curl)-conforming finite elements with varying degrees of smoothness are devised based on these smooth scalar finite elements. The finite element de Rham complexes with corresponding smoothness and commutative diagrams are induced by these elements. The div stability of the H(div)-conforming finite elements is established, and the exactness of these finite element complexes is proven. 

A finite element elasticity complex on tetrahedral meshes and the corresponding commutative diagram are devised. The H 1 H^1 conforming finite element is the finite element developed by Neilan for the velocity field in a discrete Stokes complex. The symmetric div-conforming finite element is the Hu-Zhang element for stress tensors. The construction of an H ( inc ) H(\operatorname {inc}) -conforming finite element of minimum polynomial degree 6 6 for symmetric tensors is the focus of this paper. Our construction appears to be the first H ( inc ) H(\operatorname {inc}) -conforming finite elements on tetrahedral meshes without further splitting. The key tools of the construction are the decomposition of polynomial tensor spaces and the characterization of the trace of the inc \operatorname {inc} operator. The polynomial elasticity complex and Koszul elasticity complex are created to derive the decomposition. The trace of the inc \operatorname {inc} operator is induced from a Green’s identity. Trace complexes and bubble complexes are also derived to facilitate the construction. Two-dimensional smooth finite element Hessian complex and div ⁡ div \operatorname {div}\operatorname {div} complex are constructed.