Review of Engineering Mathematics

Abstract

This chapter briefly reviews two important mathematical topics in the scope of the finite element context. To solve a finite element problem means finally to solve a system of equations. This is, in the simplest case, a linear system of equations and this chapter introduces two simple solution strategies, i.e. the Gaussian elimination and the inversion of the coefficient matrix. The second topic covers the analytical and numerical integration which is needed, for example, to evaluate the elemental stiffness matrix and the column matrix of equivalent nodal loads.