Some advances in high-performance finite element methods
ISSN: 0264-4401
Article publication date: 19 July 2019
Issue publication date: 15 October 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to give a review on the newest developments of high-performance finite element methods (FEMs), and exhibit the recent contributions achieved by the authors’ group, especially showing some breakthroughs against inherent difficulties existing in the traditional FEM for a long time.
Design/methodology/approach
Three kinds of new FEMs are emphasized and introduced, including the hybrid stress-function element method, the hybrid displacement-function element method for Mindlin–Reissner plate and the improved unsymmetric FEM. The distinguished feature of these three methods is that they all apply the fundamental analytical solutions of elasticity expressed in different coordinates as their trial functions.
Findings
The new FEMs show advantages from both analytical and numerical approaches. All the models exhibit outstanding capacity for resisting various severe mesh distortions, and even perform well when other models cannot work. Some difficulties in the history of FEM are also broken through, such as the limitations defined by MacNeal’s theorem and the edge-effect problems of Mindlin–Reissner plate.
Originality/value
These contributions possess high value for solving the difficulties in engineering computations, and promote the progress of FEM.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11872229, 11702133), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20170772) and the Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.
Citation
Cen, S., Wu, C.J., Li, Z., Shang, Y. and Li, C. (2019), "Some advances in high-performance finite element methods", Engineering Computations, Vol. 36 No. 8, pp. 2811-2834. https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-10-2018-0479
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited