A First Course In The Finite Element Method

Developed from the authors, combined total of 50 years undergraduate and graduate teaching experience, this book presents the finite element method formulated as a general-purpose numerical procedure for solving engineering problems governed by partial differential equations. Focusing on the formulation and application of the finite element method through the integration of finite element theory, code development, and software application, the book is both introductory and self-contained, as well as being a hands-on experience for any student. This authoritative text on Finite Elements: Adopts a generic approach to the subject, and is not application specific In conjunction with a web-based chapter, it integrates code development, theory, and application in one book Provides an accompanying Web site that includes ABAQUS Student Edition, Matlab data and programs, and instructor resources Contains a comprehensive set of homework problems at the end of each chapter Produces a practical, meaningful course for both lecturers, planning a finite element module, and for students using the text in private study. Accompanied by a book companion website housing supplementary material that can be found at http://www.wileyeurope.com/college/Fish A First Course in Finite Elements is the ideal practical introductory course for junior and senior undergraduate students from a variety of science and engineering disciplines. The accompanying advanced topics at the end of each chapter also make it suitable for courses at graduate level, as well as for practitioners who need to attain or refresh their knowledge of finite elements through private study.

The book endeavors to strike a balance between mathematical and numerical coverage of a wide range of topics in fi nite element analysis. It strives to provide an introduction, especially for undergraduates and graduates, to fi nite element analysis and its applications. Topics include advanced calculus, differential equations, vector analysis, calculus of variations, fi nite difference methods, fi nite element methods and time-stepping schemes. The book also emphasizes the application of important numerical methods with dozens of worked examples. The applied topics include elasticity, heat transfer, and pattern formation. A few self-explanatory Matlab programs provide a good start for readers to try some of the methods and to apply the methods and techniques to their own modelling problems with some modifi cations. The book will perfectly serve as a textbook in fi nite element analysis, computational mathematics, mathematical modelling, and engineering computations.

A First Course in the Finite Element Analysis provides a simple, basic approach to the finite element method that can be understood by both undergraduate and graduate students. It does not have the usual prerequisites (such as structural analysis) required by most available texts in this area. The book is written primarily as a basic learning tool for the undergraduate student in civil and mechanical engineering whose main interest is in stress analysis and heat transfer. The text is geared toward those who want to apply the finite element method as a tool to solve practical physical problems. This revised fourth edition includes the addition of a large number of new problems (including SI problems), an appendix for mechanical and thermal properties, and more civil applications.

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.

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

A systematic introduction to the theories and formulations of the explicit finite element method As numerical technology continues to grow and evolve with industrial applications, understanding the explicit finite element method has become increasingly important, particularly in the areas of crashworthiness, metal forming, and impact engineering. Introduction to the Explicit Finite Element Method for Nonlinear Transient Dynamics is the first book to address specifically what is now accepted as the most successful numerical tool for nonlinear transient dynamics. The book aids readers in mastering the explicit finite element method and programming code without requiring extensive background knowledge of the general finite element. The authors present topics relating to the variational principle, numerical procedure, mechanical formulation, and fundamental achievements of the convergence theory. In addition, key topics and techniques are provided in four clearly organized sections: • Fundamentals explores a framework of the explicit finite element method for nonlinear transient dynamics and highlights achievements related to the convergence theory • Element Technology discusses four-node, three-node, eight-node, and two-node element theories • Material Models outlines models of plasticity and other nonlinear materials as well as the mechanics model of ductile damage • Contact and Constraint Conditions covers subjects related to three-dimensional surface contact, with examples solved analytically, as well as discussions on kinematic constraint conditions Throughout the book, vivid figures illustrate the ideas and key features of the explicit finite element method. Examples clearly present results, featuring both theoretical assessments and industrial applications. Introduction to the Explicit Finite Element Method for Nonlinear Transient Dynamics is an ideal book for both engineers who require more theoretical discussions and for theoreticians searching for interesting and challenging research topics. The book also serves as an excellent resource for courses on applied mathematics, applied mechanics, and numerical methods at the graduate level.

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.

Introduces the basic concepts of FEM in an easy-to-use format so that students and professionals can use the method efficiently and interpret results properly Finite element method (FEM) is a powerful tool for solving engineering problems both in solid structural mechanics and fluid mechanics. This book presents all of the theoretical aspects of FEM that students of engineering will need. It eliminates overlong math equations in favour of basic concepts, and reviews of the mathematics and mechanics of materials in order to illustrate the concepts of FEM. It introduces these concepts by including examples using six different commercial programs online. The all-new, second edition of Introduction to Finite Element Analysis and Design provides many more exercise problems than the first edition. It includes a significant amount of material in modelling issues by using several practical examples from engineering applications. The book features new coverage of buckling of beams and frames and extends heat transfer analyses from 1D (in the previous edition) to 2D. It also covers 3D solid element and its application, as well as 2D. Additionally, readers will find an increase in coverage of finite element analysis of dynamic problems. There is also a companion website with examples that are concurrent with the most recent version of the commercial programs. Offers elaborate explanations of basic finite element procedures Delivers clear explanations of the capabilities and limitations of finite element analysis Includes application examples and tutorials for commercial finite element software, such as MATLAB, ANSYS, ABAQUS and NASTRAN Provides numerous examples and exercise problems Comes with a complete solution manual and results of several engineering design projects Introduction to Finite Element Analysis and Design, 2nd Edition is an excellent text for junior and senior level undergraduate students and beginning graduate students in mechanical, civil, aerospace, biomedical engineering, industrial engineering and engineering mechanics.

The book retains its strong conceptual approach, clearly examining the mathematical underpinnings of FEM, and providing a general approach of engineering application areas.Known for its detailed, carefully selected example problems and extensive selection of homework problems, the author has comprehensively covered a wide range of engineering areas making the book approriate for all engineering majors, and underscores the wide range of use FEM has in the professional world