Course group - TB1-BCEF
This course aims to present to students the finite element method in its entirety. It will not focus on the physics of problems which are voluntarily chosen as very simple, but rather on the mathematical formalisation of the problem. For teaching coherence the theoretical course, detailing all the formal stages of equation writing, will be accompanied by the active participation of students in the writing of a problem to be solved simply by using a spreadsheet. The students will then be trained to use an industrial code enabling them to valorise this course for their first work experience or future job.
The course is composed of two units:
Unit 1 will consist of a course presenting the finite element method in general by giving physical interpretations to facilitate the assimilation of formalism. It will be divided into 50% of course work and 50% of supervised studies.
Unit 2, based on active learning, will invite students to :
- code themselves, in simple cases, the equations of a finite element problem and to solve it. This course of 13 h, in parallel with theoretical classes, will also facilitate the assimilation of formalism
- use an industrial code to process a complex geometrical case related to a physical problem, limited to thermal and linear mechanics problems.
This course presenting the finite element method has no pre-requirements from other courses (excluding the core curriculum) and can lead on to a specialisation in the fields of mechanical and thermal modelling in general. It follows on from other Toolboxes concerning the use of finite elements.