The Virtual Element Method with curved edges

In this paper we initiate the investigation of Virtual Elements with curved faces. We consider the case of a fixed curved boundary in two dimensions, as it happens in the approximation of problems posed on a curved domain or with a curved interface. While an approximation of the domain with polygons leads, for degree of accuracy $k\ge 2$, to a sub-optimal rate of convergence, we show (both theoretically and numerically) that the proposed curved VEM lead to an optimal rate of convergence.