ABSTRACT
Among the most important of the numerical approaches are the method of finite differences (Sections 7.2 through 7.6) and the finite element method (Sections 7.7 through 7.12). Both techniques eventually require the solution of a system of linear algebraic equations. Such calculations are commonly performed by means of a digital computer employing matrix methods. The literature associated with the analysis of beams, plates, and shells by numerical methods is voluminous [1-15].
