After successful completion of the course, students are able to explain the basics of finite element methods, to describe FEM trial or interpolation functions, to specify the matrix formulation of the basic FE equation and to explain the individual terms, to give the basic of numerical integration, to perform a linear finite element analysis using simple examples and to identify typical problems with simulation results.
Revisiting of vector and matrix concepts Comparison of classical and FEM solution concepts for a simple example problem Introduction of weighted residuals, Ritz Ansatz Interpolation and trial functions Matrix formulation of finite element equations Steps of a linear Finite Element analysis Numerical integration Discretization: element types, mesh refinement Practical questions: model generation, analysis of results
