The finite element method is a powerful technique that can be used to transform any continuous body into a set of governing equations with a finite number of unknowns called degrees of freedom (DOF). In this chapter, we will introduce the fundamentals of the finite element method using a system of linear springs and a slender linear elastic body undergoing axial deformation as examples. These simple problems are chosen to describe the essential features of the finite element method which are common to analysis of more complicated structural systems such as 3D bodies.
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