Frequently Asked Questions about the Finite （常见问题的有限的）.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions about the Finite Element Method 1. What is the finite element method (FEM)? The FEM is a novel numerical method used to solve ordinary and partial differential equations. The method is based on the integration of the terms in the equation to be solved, in lieu of point discretization schemes like the finite difference method. The FEM utilizes the method of weighted residuals and integration by parts (Green-Gauss Theorem) to reduce second order derivatives to first order terms. The FEM has been used to solve a wide range of problems, and permits physical domains to be modeled directly using unstructured meshes typically based upon triangles or quadrilaterals in 2-D and tetrahedrons or hexahedrals in 3-D. The solution domain is discretized into individual elements – these elements are operated upon individually and then solved globally using matrix solution techniques. 2. What is the history of the FEM? Early work on numerical solution of boundary-valued problems can be traced to the use of finite difference schemes; Southwell used such methods in his book published in the mid 1940’s. The beginnings of the finite element method actually stem from these early numerical methods and the frustration associated with attempting to use finite difference methods on more difficult, geometrically irregular problems. Beginning in the mid 1950s, efforts to solve continuum problems in elasticity using small, discrete elements to describe the overall behavior of simple elastic bars began to appear, and such techniques were initially applied to the aircraft industry. Actual coining of the term finite element appeared in a paper by Clough in 1960. The early use of finite elements lay in the application to structural-related pro