The Finite Element Method

The Finite Element Method (FEM) has become an indispensable technology for the modelling and simulation of engineering systems. Written for engineers and students alike, the aim of the book is to provide the necessary theories and techniques of the FEM for readers to be able to use a commercial FEM package to solve primarily linear problems in mechanical and civil engineering with the main focus on structural mechanics and heat transfer. Fundamental theories are introduced in a straightforward way, and state-of-the-art techniques for designing and analyzing engineering systems, including microstructural systems are explained in detail. Case studies are used to demonstrate these theories, methods, techniques and practical applications, and numerous diagrams and tables are used throughout. The case studies and examples use the commercial software package ABAQUS, but the techniques explained are equally applicable for readers using other applications including NASTRAN, ANSYS, MARC, etc. A practical and accessible guide to this complex, yet important subject Covers modeling techniques that predict how components will operate and tolerate loads, stresses and strains in reality

Highlights of the book: Discussion about all the fields of Computer Aided Engineering, Finite Element Analysis Sharing of worldwide experience by more than 10 working professionals Emphasis on Practical usuage and minimum mathematics Simple language, more than 1000 colour images International quality printing on specially imported paper Why this book has been written ... FEA is gaining popularity day by day & is a sought after dream career for mechanical engineers. Enthusiastic engineers and managers who want to refresh or update the knowledge on FEA are encountered with volume of published books. Often professionals realize that they are not in touch with theoretical concepts as being pre-requisite and find it too mathematical and Hi-Fi. Many a times these books just end up being decoration in their book shelves ... All the authors of this book are from IIT€™s & IISc and after joining the industry realized gap between university education and the practical FEA. Over the years they learned it via interaction with experts from international community, sharing experience with each other and hard route of trial & error method. The basic aim of this book is to share the knowledge & practices used in the industry with experienced and in particular beginners so as to reduce the learning curve & avoid reinvention of the cycle. Emphasis is on simple language, practical usage, minimum mathematics & no pre-requisites. All basic concepts of engineering are included as & where it is required. It is hoped that this book would be helpful to beginners, experienced users, managers, group leaders and as additional reading material for university courses.

Fundamental coverage, analytic mathematics, and up-to-date software applications are hard to find in a single text on the finite element method (FEM). Dimitrios Pavlou’s Essentials of the Finite Element Method: For Structural and Mechanical Engineers makes the search easier by providing a comprehensive but concise text for those new to FEM, or just in need of a refresher on the essentials. Essentials of the Finite Element Method explains the basics of FEM, then relates these basics to a number of practical engineering applications. Specific topics covered include linear spring elements, bar elements, trusses, beams and frames, heat transfer, and structural dynamics. Throughout the text, readers are shown step-by-step detailed analyses for finite element equations development. The text also demonstrates how FEM is programmed, with examples in MATLAB, CALFEM, and ANSYS allowing readers to learn how to develop their own computer code. Suitable for everyone from first-time BSc/MSc students to practicing mechanical/structural engineers, Essentials of the Finite Element Method presents a complete reference text for the modern engineer. Provides complete and unified coverage of the fundamentals of finite element analysis Covers stiffness matrices for widely used elements in mechanical and civil engineering practice Offers detailed and integrated solutions of engineering examples and computer algorithms in ANSYS, CALFEM, and MATLAB

The Sixth Edition of this influential best-selling book delivers the most up-to-date and comprehensive text and reference yet on the basis of the finite element method (FEM) for all engineers and mathematicians. Since the appearance of the first edition 38 years ago, The Finite Element Method provides arguably the most authoritative introductory text to the method, covering the latest developments and approaches in this dynamic subject, and is amply supplemented by exercises, worked solutions and computer algorithms. • The classic FEM text, written by the subject's leading authors • Enhancements include more worked examples and exercises • With a new chapter on automatic mesh generation and added materials on shape function development and the use of higher order elements in solving elasticity and field problems Active research has shaped The Finite Element Method into the pre-eminent tool for the modelling of physical systems. It maintains the comprehensive style of earlier editions, while presenting the systematic development for the solution of problems modelled by linear differential equations. Together with the second and third self-contained volumes (0750663219 and 0750663227), The Finite Element Method Set (0750664312) provides a formidable resource covering the theory and the application of FEM, including the basis of the method, its application to advanced solid and structural mechanics and to computational fluid dynamics. The classic introduction to the finite element method, by two of the subject's leading authors Any professional or student of engineering involved in understanding the computational modelling of physical systems will inevitably use the techniques in this key text

This book presents practical applications of the finite element method to general differential equations. The underlying strategy of deriving the finite element solution is introduced using linear ordinary differential equations, thus allowing the basic concepts of the finite element solution to be introduced without being obscured by the additional mathematical detail required when applying this technique to partial differential equations. The author generalizes the presented approach to partial differential equations which include nonlinearities. The book also includes variations of the finite element method such as different classes of meshes and basic functions. Practical application of the theory is emphasised, with development of all concepts leading ultimately to a description of their computational implementation illustrated using Matlab functions. The target audience primarily comprises applied researchers and practitioners in engineering, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

A comprehensive review of the Finite Element Method (FEM), this book provides the fundamentals together with a wide range of applications in civil, mechanical and aeronautical engineering. It addresses both the theoretical and numerical implementation aspects of the FEM, providing examples in several important topics such as solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, appealing to a wide range of engineering disciplines. Written by a renowned author and academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, The Finite Element Method would appeal to researchers looking to understand how the fundamentals of the FEM can be applied in other disciplines. Researchers and graduate students studying hydraulic, mechanical and civil engineering will find it a practical reference text.

Designed for a one-semester course in Finite Element Method, this compact and well-organized text presents FEM as a tool to find approximate solutions to differential equations. This provides the student a better perspective on the technique and its wide range of applications. This approach reflects the current trend as the present-day applications range from structures to biomechanics to electromagnetics, unlike in conventional texts that view FEM primarily as an extension of matrix methods of structural analysis. After an introduction and a review of mathematical preliminaries, the book gives a detailed discussion on FEM as a technique for solving differential equations and variational formulation of FEM. This is followed by a lucid presentation of one-dimensional and two-dimensional finite elements and finite element formulation for dynamics. The book concludes with some case studies that focus on industrial problems and Appendices that include mini-project topics based on near-real-life problems. Postgraduate/Senior undergraduate students of civil, mechanical and aeronautical engineering will find this text extremely useful; it will also appeal to the practising engineers and the teaching community.