A First Course in Finite Element Method By Daryl L .Logan (5th Ed)

PREFACE

The purpose of this fifth edition is again to provide an introductory approach to the
finite element method that can be understood by both undergraduate and graduate
students without the usual prerequisites (such as structural analysis and upper level
calculus) required by many available texts in this area.

The book is written primarily as
a basic learning tool for the undergraduate student in civil and mechanical engineering
whose main interest is in stress analysis and heat transfer, although new material on
electrical networks and electrostatics has been included in this edition that should be of
interest to the electrical engineer as well. The concepts are presented in su‰ciently
simple form with numerous example problems logically placed throughout the book,
so that the book serves as a valuable learning aid for students with other backgrounds,
as well as for practicing engineers. The text is geared toward those who want to apply
the finite element method to solve practical physical problems.

General principles are presented for each topic, followed by traditional applications
of these principles, which are in turn followed by computer applications where
relevant. This approach is taken to illustrate concepts used for computer analysis of
large-scale problems.

The book proceeds from basic to advanced topics and can be suitably used in a
two-course sequence. Topics include basic treatments of (1) simple springs and bars,
leading to two- and three-dimensional truss analysis; (2) beam bending, leading to plane
frame, grid and space frame analysis; (3) elementary plane stress/strain elements, leading
to more advanced plane stress/strain elements and applications to more complex plane
stress/strain analysis; (4) axisymmetric stress analysis; (5) isoparametric formulation of
the finite element method; (6) three-dimensional stress analysis; (7) plate bending analysis;
(8) heat transfer and fluid mass transport; (9) basic fluid flow through porous media
and around solid bodies, hydraulic networks, electrical networks, and electrostatics
analysis; (10) thermal stress analysis; and (11) time-dependent stress and heat transfer.
Additional features include how to handle inclined or skewed supports, beam
element with a nodal hinge, the concept of substructure analysis, the patch test, and
practical considerations in modeling and interpreting results.

The direct approach, the principle of minimum potential energy, and Galerkin’s
residual method are introduced at various stages, as required, to develop the equations
needed for analysis.

The purpose of this fifth edition is again to provide an introductory approach to the finite element method that can be understood by both undergraduate and graduate students without the usual prerequisites (such as structural analysis and upper level calculus) required by many available texts in this area. The book is written primarily as a basic learning tool for the undergraduate student in civil and mechanical engineering whose main interest is in stress analysis and heat transfer, although new material on electrical networks and electrostatics has been included in this edition that should be of interest to the electrical engineer as well. The concepts are presented simple form with numerous example problems logically placed throughout the book, so that the book serves as a valuable learning aid for students with other backgrounds, as well as for practicing engineers.