Applied Finite Element Analysis: Apple II Implementation

The finite element methods is an enormously important tool for engineering analysis, and familiarity with the method is rapidly becoming an expected part of engineering curricula. The swift expansion in the availability and power of digital computers with low cost interactive graphics could enhance the popularity of this numerical technique as well as provide a vehicle for instruction in its use. In this book the authors demonstrate the power of the finite element methodology when used with microcomputers even though their graphics resolution and memory are limited. A fully interactive, graphics-based implementation has been developed for the Apple II family of microcomputers. With this set of programs you can satisfactorily solve two-dimensional and axisymmetric steady state heat conduction, electrostatics, ideal fluid flow, seepage, and elasticity problems of the complexity presented in Segerlind's Applied Finite Element Analysis (1984). In addition, the interactive graphics interface allows you to focus on the intellectual content of the methodology rather than on the considerable bookkeeping details.

To enable you to explore thoroughly the algorithms, unprotected diskettes and annotated BASIC source code has been provided.