Finite Element Method Introduction

Numerical methods are commonly used by professionals from different areas of human knowledge in modeling and analyzing various problems, such as those involving deformable solids, fluids, and others. Among the analysis methods of deformable solids, the Finite Difference Method, the Weighted Residue Method, the Rayleigh-Ritz Method and the Finite Element Method (FEM) stand out, being the latter the most used in commercial software aimed at analyzing structures (deformable solids). Books dealing with the FEM are generally intended for a more specialized audience, e.g., graduate students and researchers in the field. The language, as well as rigor, mathematical formalism and applications, end up transcending the level of knowledge of undergraduate students from different Engineering courses interested in starting their studies in the subject. The main objective is to make the understanding and learning of numerical methods more accessible, with an emphasis on the FEM, to undergraduate students from the various engineering courses.