Postgraduate Course: The Finite Element Method (MSc) (PGEE10043)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to the fundamental theory of the finite-element method (FEM) as a general tool for numerically solving differential equations for a wide range of engineering problems, with special focus on solid and structural mechanics. |
| Course description |
The course covers the following topics:
- Approximation, weighted residuals and Rayleigh-Ritz methods
- Finite-element formulation for solids
- Continuum elements
- Structural elements
- Material non-linearity
- Geometric non-linearity
- Heat transfer problems and thermal stress analysis
- Transient problems
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
The Finite Element Method (CIVE10034)
|
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Structural Analysis or Structural Mechanics |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
74 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written exam 100% |
| Feedback |
Feedback on the examples at the student's request (in class or through discussion board), summary feedback on exam. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the procedures used in the finite-element method;
- Produce finite-element based discretisations of mathematical descriptions of problems in continuum mechanics;
- Solve simple finite-element problems by hand calculations;
- Assess the correctness of finite-element output and interpret the results.
|
Reading List
J. N. Reddy, An Introduction to the Finite Element Method, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, 2005
O. C. Zienkiewicz and R. L. Taylor, The Finite Element Method Set, 7th ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, 2013.
K. J. Bathe, Finite Element Procedures, Prentice Hall, 1996.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Finite-element method,numerical methods,computational modelling,solid mechanics,elasticity |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stefanos Papanicolopulos
Tel: (0131 6)50 7214
Email: S.Papanicolopulos@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Tom Lawford-Groves
Tel: (0131 6)50 5687
Email: t.lawford-groves@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage