Introduction

The Finite Element Method: Basic Concepts and Applications, Second Edition

Darrell W. Pepper and Juan C. Heinrich

Taylor & Francis

6 x 9: 328 pp: 149 line drawings, 20 tables

HB: 1-59169-027-7

This book introduces the fundamentals of the finite element method featuring clear-cut examples and an applications-oriented approach. Using the transport equation for heat transfer as the foundation for the governing equations, this second edition demonstrates the versatility of the method for a wide range of applications, including structural analysis and fluid flow.  We carefully develop the discrete set of algebraic equations, beginning with simple one-dimensional problems that can be solved by inspection, continuing to two- and three-dimensional elements, and ending with three chapters describing applications.  An increased number of example problems per chapter helps build an understanding of the method to define and organize required initial and boundary condition data for specific problems.  In addition to exercises that can be worked out manually, this new edition refers to user-friendly computer codes for solving one-, two-, and three-dimensional problems. 

Senior-level undergraduates in mechanical, aeronautical, electrical, chemical, and civil engineering will find the book extremely valuable. Useful for short courses and home-study learning, the book can also serve as an introduction for first-year graduate students new to finite element coursework and as a refresher for industry professionals, especially those working in areas other than structural mechanics, with emphasis on heat transfer problems. The book is a perfect lead-in to Intermediate Finite Element Method: Applications to Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow

Contents include: the history of the finite element method; the method of weighted residuals; the Galerkin approximation method; finite element method—1-D analysis; 2-D finite elements—triangular, quadrilateral, isoparametric; 3-D finite elements; fluid flow problems.