ABSTRACT
This chapter explores most popular finite elements for use in continuum problems. It discusses the isoparametric concept and emphasizes why it is important. The chapter considers important three-dimensional elements: the four-node tetrahedron and the eight-node brick. The development of the various element types will be performed in the context of solid mechanics. In two- and three-dimensional solid mechanics problems, displacement is a vector field. The displacement at each point has both magnitude and direction. The chapter focuses on deriving the shape functions and B-matrices for a variety of two- and three-dimensional continuum elements. The process of going through these derivations is needed to gain a sound understanding of continuum element behavior. The chapter illustrates the process of obtaining the element matrix and element vector for continuum elements. It investigates the relationship between an infinitesimal area in the physical domain and the corresponding area in the parent domain.
