Book Description

This book combines essential finite element (FE) theory with a set of fourteen tutorials using relatively easy-to-use open source CAD, FE and other numerical analysis codes so a student can undertake practical analysis and self-study. The theory covers fundamentals of the finite element method. Formulation of element stiffness for one dimensional bar and beam, two dimensional and three dimensional continuum elements, plate and shell elements are derived based on energy and variational methods. Linear, nonlinear and transient dynamic solution methods are covered for both mechanical and field analysis problems with a focus on heat transfer. Other important theoretical topics covered include element integration, element assembly, loads, boundary conditions, contact and a chapter devoted to material laws on elasticity, hyperelasticity and plasticity. A brief introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is also included. The second half of this book presents a chapter on using tutorials containing information on code installation (on Windows) and getting started, and general hints on meshing, modelling and analysis. This is then followed by tutorials and exercises that cover linear, nonlinear and dynamic mechanical analysis, steady state and transient heat analysis, field analysis, fatigue, buckling and frequency analysis, a hydraulic pipe network analysis, and lastly two tutorials on CFD simulation. In each case theory is linked with application and exercises are included for further self-study. For these tutorials open source codes FreeCAD, CalculiX, FreeMAT and OpenFOAM are used. CalculiX is a comprehensive FE package covering linear, nonlinear and transient analysis. One particular benefit is that its format and structure is based on Abaqus, so knowledge gained is relevant to a leading commercial code. FreeCAD is primarily a powerful CAD modelling code, that includes good finite element meshing and modelling capabilities and is fully integrated with CalculiX. FreeMAT is used in three tutorials for numerical analysis demonstrating algorithms for explicit finite element and CFD analysis. And OpenFOAM is used for other CFD flow simulations. The primary aim of this book is to provide a unified text covering theory and practice, so a student can learn and experiment with these versatile and powerful analysis methods. It should be of value to both finite element courses and for student self-study.