ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents distributed algorithms for finite element analysis of large structures on a loosely coupled multicomputer such as a cluster of workstations. Implementation of distributed algorithms for finite element analysis of structures on a network of workstations is also presented. The book also present the computational model for distributed genetic algorithms for optimization of large structures on a cluster of workstations connected via a local area network. A mixed computational model is presented for GA-based structural optimization of large structures on massively parallel distributed machines. The book provides a computational model for graphic animation of earthquake dynamic response of large structures that can be incorporated into a general-purpose finite element dynamic analysis system in a distributed computing environment.
