Fundamentals of Finite Element Method has been written for senior undergraduate and post-graduate students for the subject in Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering.

This book has been divided into 14 chapters and an appendix. Chapter 1 contains an introduction of the finite element method. Chapter 2 contains a brief review of specific mathematical topics. Chapter 3 begins with the basic equations of elasticity, namely, the strain-displacement relations, stress-strain relations, equilibrium equations in two-and three-dimensional solids and axisymmetric solids. Chapter 4 describes the concept of Rayleigh-Ritz and Galerkin methods in equilibrium problems. Chapter 5 contains the potential energy approach used to derive finite element equations for static analysis, the descretisation, selecting the number and type of elements, interpolation models, assembly of element equations and various methods of incorporating the boundary conditions. Development of element characteristic matrices and vectors for linear isoparametric elements is discussed in chapters 6 and 7. Chapter 8 describes the development of shape functions of higher order elements. Chapters 9 to 11 contain the analyses of beams, plane trusses, plane frames and axisymmetric solids. The dynamic analysis of bars and beams is considered in chapter 12. Chapter 13 is devoted to heat transfer applications. Preprocessing, post processing and a list of available packages are included in chapter 14. Finally, a list of analytical expressions for bars and beams is given in appendix A.