Written for practicing engineers and students alike, this book emphasizes the role of finite element modeling and simulation in the engineering design process. It provides the necessary theories and techniques of the FEM in a concise and easy-to-understand format and applies the techniques to civil, mechanical, and aerospace problems. Updated throughout for current developments in FEM and FEM software, the book also includes case studies, diagrams, illustrations, and tables to help demonstrate the material.
Plentiful diagrams, illustrations and tables demonstrate the materialCovers modeling techniques that predict how components will operate and tolerate loads, stresses and strains in realityFull set of PowerPoint presentation slides that illustrate and support the book, available on a companion website

The finite difference method (FDM) hasbeen used tosolve differential equation systems for centuries. The FDM works well for problems of simple geometry and was widely used before the invention of the much more efficient, robust finite element method (FEM). FEM is now widely used in handling problems with complex geometry. Currently, we are using and developing even more powerful numerical techniques aiming to obtain more accurate approximate solutions in a more convenient manner for even more complex systems. The meshfree or meshless method is one such phenomenal development in the past decade, and is the subject of this book. There are many MFree methods proposed so far for different applications. Currently, three monographs on MFree methods have been published. Mesh Free Methods, Moving Beyond the Finite Element Method d by GR Liu (2002) provides a systematic discussion on basic theories, fundamentals for MFree methods, especially on MFree weak-form methods. It provides a comprehensive record of well-known MFree methods and the wide coverage of applications of MFree methods to problems of solids mechanics (solids, beams, plates, shells, etc.) as well as fluid mechanics. The Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) Method d by Atluri and Shen (2002) provides detailed discussions of the meshfree local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method and itsvariations. Formulations and applications of MLPG are well addressed in their book.

Understand How to Use and Develop Meshfree Techniques An Update of a Groundbreaking Work Reflecting the significant advances made in the field since the publication of its predecessor, Meshfree Methods: Moving Beyond the Finite Element Method, Second Edition systematically covers the most widely used meshfree methods. With 70% new material, this edition addresses important new developments, especially on essential theoretical issues. New to the Second Edition Much more details on fundamental concepts and important theories for numerical methods Discussions on special properties of meshfree methods, including stability, convergence, accurate, efficiency, and bound property More detailed discussion on error estimation and adaptive analysis using meshfree methods Developments on combined meshfree/finite element method (FEM) models Comparison studies using meshfree and FEM Drawing on the author's own research, this book provides a single-source guide to meshfree techniques and theories that can effectively handle a variety of complex engineering problems. It analyzes how the methods work, explains how to use and develop the methods, and explores the problems associated with meshfree methods. To access MFree2D (copyright, G. R. Liu), which accompanies MESHFREE METHODS: MOVING BEYOND THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD, Second Edition (978-1-4200-8209-8) by Dr. G. R. Liu, please go to the website: www.ase.uc.edu/~liugr An access code is needed to use program - to receive it please email Dr. Liu directly at: [email protected] Dr. Liu will reply to you directly with the code, and you can then proceed to use the software.

The First International Conference on Computational Methods (ICCM04), organized by the department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, was held in Singapore, December 15-17, 2004, with great success.

This conference proceedings contains some 290 papers from more than 30 countries/regions. The papers cover a broad range of topics such as meshfree particle methods, Generalized FE and Extended FE methods, inverse analysis and optimization methods. Computational methods for geomechanics, machine learning, vibration, shock, impact, health monitoring, material modeling, fracture and damage mechanics, multi-physics and multi-scales simulation, sports and environments are also included. All the papers are pre-reviewed before they are accepted for publication in this proceedings. The proceedings will provide an informative, timely and invaluable resource for engineers and scientists working in the important areas of computational methods.

Understand How to Use and Develop Meshfree Techniques An Update of a Groundbreaking Work Reflecting the significant advances made in the field since the publication of its predecessor, Meshfree Methods: Moving Beyond the Finite Element Method, Second Edition systematically covers the most widely used meshfree methods. With 70% new material, this edition addresses important new developments, especially on essential theoretical issues. New to the Second Edition Much more details on fundamental concepts and important theories for numerical methods Discussions on special properties of meshfree methods, including stability, convergence, accurate, efficiency, and bound property More detailed discussion on error estimation and adaptive analysis using meshfree methods Developments on combined meshfree/finite element method (FEM) models Comparison studies using meshfree and FEM Drawing on the author's own research, this book provides a single-source guide to meshfree techniques and theories that can effectively handle a variety of complex engineering problems. It analyzes how the methods work, explains how to use and develop the methods, and explores the problems associated with meshfree methods. To access MFree2D (copyright, G. R. Liu), which accompanies MESHFREE METHODS: MOVING BEYOND THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD, Second Edition (978-1-4200-8209-8) by Dr. G. R. Liu, please go to the website: www.ase.uc.edu/~liugr An access code is needed to use program - to receive it please email Dr. Liu directly at: [email protected] Dr. Liu will reply to you directly with the code, and you can then proceed to use the software.

Ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) plays an increasingly important role in determining properties and detecting defects in composite materials, and the analysis of wave behavior is crucial to effectively using NDE techniques. The complexity of elastic wave propagation in anisotropic media has led to a reliance on numerical methods of analysis-methods that are often quite time-consuming and whose results yield even further difficulties in extracting explicit phenomena and characteristics.

Innovative and insightful, Elastic Waves in Anisotropic Laminates establishes a set of high-performance, analytical-numerical methods for elastic wave analysis of anisotropic layered structures. The treatment furnishes a comprehensive introduction, sound theoretical development, and applications to smart materials, plates, and shells. The techniques, detailed in both the time and frequency domains, include methods that combine the finite element method (FEM) with the Fourier transform approach and the strip element method (SEM). These -methods can also be used for expediently finding the Green's function for anisotropic laminates useful for inverse problems related to wave propagation, and methods for inverse analyses, including conjugate gradient methods, and genetic algorithms are also introduced.

The text is complemented by many examples generated using software codes based on the techniques developed. Filled with charts and illustrations, Elastic Waves in Anisotropic Laminates is accessible even to readers from non-engineering backgrounds and offers a unique opportunity to discover methods that can lead to an understanding of the dynamic characteristics and wave motion behaviors of advanced composite materials.

Generating a quality finite element mesh is difficult and often very time-consuming. Mesh-free methods operations can also be complicated and quite costly in terms of computational effort and resources. Developed by the authors and their colleagues, the smoothed finite element method (S-FEM) only requires a triangular/tetrahedral mesh to achieve more accurate results, a generally higher convergence rate in energy without increasing computational cost, and easier auto-meshing of the problem domain. Drawing on the authors extensive research results, Smoothed Finite Element Methods presents the theoretical framework and development of various S-FEM models.

After introducing background material, basic equations, and an abstracted version of the FEM, the book discusses the overall modeling procedure, fundamental theories, error assessment matters, and necessary building blocks to construct useful S-FEM models. It then focuses on several specific S-FEM models, including cell-based (CS-FEM), node-based (NS-FEM), edge-based (ES-FEM), face-based (FS-FEM), and a combination of FEM and NS-FEM (?FEM). These models are then applied to a wide range of physical problems in solid mechanics, fracture mechanics, viscoelastoplasticity, plates, piezoelectric structures, heat transfer, and structural acoustics.

Requiring no previous knowledge of FEM, this book shows how computational methods and numerical techniques like the S-FEM help in the design and analysis of advanced engineering systems in rapid and cost-effective ways since the modeling and simulation can be performed automatically in a virtual environment without physically building the system. Readers can easily apply the methods presented in the text to their own engineering problems for reliable and certified solutions.

The finite difference method (FDM) hasbeen used tosolve differential equation systems for centuries. The FDM works well for problems of simple geometry and was widely used before the invention of the much more efficient, robust finite element method (FEM). FEM is now widely used in handling problems with complex geometry. Currently, we are using and developing even more powerful numerical techniques aiming to obtain more accurate approximate solutions in a more convenient manner for even more complex systems. The meshfree or meshless method is one such phenomenal development in the past decade, and is the subject of this book. There are many MFree methods proposed so far for different applications. Currently, three monographs on MFree methods have been published. Mesh Free Methods, Moving Beyond the Finite Element Method d by GR Liu (2002) provides a systematic discussion on basic theories, fundamentals for MFree methods, especially on MFree weak-form methods. It provides a comprehensive record of well-known MFree methods and the wide coverage of applications of MFree methods to problems of solids mechanics (solids, beams, plates, shells, etc.) as well as fluid mechanics. The Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) Method d by Atluri and Shen (2002) provides detailed discussions of the meshfree local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method and itsvariations. Formulations and applications of MLPG are well addressed in their book.