ABSTRACT
For purposes of finite element analysis, the best suited numerical integration technique is the Gaussian quadrature in which the integration rules can be easily expressed in terms of summations. The order of Gaussian integration to be employed in a particular problem is still the subject of much research, since the cost of numerical integration can be quite significant in finite element programs. This chapter illustrates that in most finite element programs numerical integrations are carried out according to the Gaussian rules. It also illustrates the numerical techniques which are routinely used in finite element programs. The numerical calculation of element matrices and vectors, the assembly of global matrices and the solution of the resulting systems of algebraic equations have been discussed in great detail. Usual choices, for these lists, are from one end to the other, in sequence, for one-dimensional elements and counterclockwise, in sequence, starting from a corner node, for two-dimensional elements.
