Mathematics of Finite Elements and Applications

The Mathematics of Finite Elements and Applications provides information pertinent to the mathematics of finite elements, applications, algorithms, and computational techniques. This book discusses the developments in the mathematics of finite elements. Organized into 32 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the basis of the finite element process as a general approximation tool. This text then examines the methods for obtaining bounds on the errors in finite element solutions to two-dimensional elliptic boundary value problems defined on simply connected polygonal regions. Other chapters consider the practical implementation of the Galerkin and the Rayleigh-Ritz methods to equations of importance to physics and engineering. This book discusses as well a fundamental investigation into the problem of convergence in the finite element method. The final chapter deals with an algorithm that is applicable to the analysis of arbitrary plane stress or plane strain configurations. This book is a valuable resource for numerical analysts, mathematical physicist, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers.