Variational and Finite Element Methods: A Symbolic Computation Approach

✍ Scribed by Professor Abraham I. Beltzer (auth.)

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 264
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The variational approach, including the direct methods and finite elements, is one of the main tools of engineering analysis. However, it is difficult to appreciate not only for seniors but for graduate students too. It is possible to make this subject easier to understand with the help of symbolic manipulation codes (SMC). The easiness with which these codes provide analytical results allow for a student or researcher to focus on the ideas rather than on calculational difficulties. The very process of programming with SMC encourages appreciation of the qualitative aspects of investigations. Saving time and effort, they enable undergraduates to deal with the subjects generally regarded as graduate courses. There is a habitual aspect too. These days it is more convenient for a student (researcher) to work with a keyboard than with a pencil. Moreover, semantic features of the codes may allow for generalizations of the standard techniques, which would be impossible to achieve without the computer's help.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages I-XI
Symbolic Manipulation Codes....Pages 1-43
Variational Approach and Equations of Motion....Pages 44-88
Direct Methods....Pages 89-149
Introduction to the Finite Element Method....Pages 150-235
Back Matter....Pages 236-256

✦ Subjects

Appl.Mathematics/Computational Methods of Engineering; Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD, CAE) and Design; Engineering Design