ME 471
ME 471 - Finite Element Analysis
Spring 2025
| Title | Rubric | Section | CRN | Type | Hours | Times | Days | Location | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finite Element Analysis | AE420 | B3 | 37473 | LCD | 3 | 1200 - 1320 | M W | 114 Transportation Building | Brian S Mercer |
| Finite Element Analysis | AE420 | B4 | 59677 | LCD | 4 | 1200 - 1320 | M W | 114 Transportation Building | Brian S Mercer |
| Finite Element Analysis | CSE451 | B3 | 37474 | LCD | 3 | 1200 - 1320 | M W | 114 Transportation Building | Brian S Mercer |
| Finite Element Analysis | CSE451 | B4 | 59678 | LCD | 4 | 1200 - 1320 | M W | 114 Transportation Building | Brian S Mercer |
| Finite Element Analysis | ME471 | B3 | 37472 | LCD | 3 | 1200 - 1320 | M W | 114 Transportation Building | Brian S Mercer |
| Finite Element Analysis | ME471 | B4 | 59654 | LCD | 4 | 1200 - 1320 | M W | 114 Transportation Building | Brian S Mercer |
| Finite Element Analysis | ME471 | ONL | 59644 | ONL | 3 | - | Brian S Mercer |
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Official Description
Detailed Course Description
The finite element method and its applications to engineering problems: truss and frame structures, heat conduction, and linear elasticity; use of application software; overview of advanced topics such as structural dynamics, fluid flow, and nonlinear structural analysis. Prerequisite: CS 101 and ME 370, or consent of instructor. 3 undergraduate hours or 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for more than one of the following courses: CEE 470, and ME 471. Same as AE 420 and CSE 451.
TOPICS:
1. Introduction and review matrix methods
2. Fundamentals of finite elements
3. Application to solid mechanics: truss elements, beam elements, plate and shell elements, constant strain triangle, vibration problems
4. Programming commercial packages (e.g., ANSYS, ABAQUS, and/or FIDAP)
5. Application to heat transfer: one-dimensional, two-dimensional, transient problems, thermal stress
6. Advanced topics: numerical integration methods, isoparametric elements, fluid mechanics and nonlinear problems
COMPUTER USAGE:
This course has heavy computational demands with students writing, compiling, running, and extracting results from their own program(s) implementing the finite element method in FORTRAN and in addition, using a commercial finite element package (ANSYS, ABAQUS or FIDAP) to solve a practical problem. This is done in a UNIX environment on graphics terminals attached to an HP9000 minicomputer in the department computer laboratory, the CSO Convex, or other available computer workstations.
COURSE WEBSITE
ME: MechSE or technical elective.
EM: Possible secondary field, with approval.