ABSTRACT
The finite element method (FEM) has its origin in the field of structural analysis. Although the finite difference method (FDM) and the method of moments (MoM) are conceptually simpler and easier to program than the FEM, FEM is a more powerful and versatile numerical technique for handling problems involving complex geometries and inhomogeneous media. The systematic generality of the method makes it possible to construct general-purpose computer programs for solving a wide range of problems. The finite element analysis of any problem involves basically four steps. The first two steps are discretizing the solution region into a finite number of nonoverlap subregions or elements, and deriving governing equations for a typical element. The remaining steps are assembling of all elements in the solution region, and solving the system of equations obtained. One of the major difficulties encountered in the finite element analysis of continuum problems is the tedious and time-consuming effort required in data preparation.
