COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING 65 (1987) 191-194 NORTH-HOLLAND zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA BOOK REVIEWS The Finite Element Method. Linear Static and Dynamic Finite Element J.R. Hughes (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1987) 803 pp. Analysis, Thomas Although this book is primarily intended for students in physical sciences and engineering, the experienced researcher will also find it a most valuable reference. The subject matter is remarkably well organized. The author, one of the most prominent experts in the field, has brought many of his own important contributions to key chapters. Thus these individual chapters represent highly insightful advanced treatments of their subject matter. At the same time, the clarity of exposition and global coherence will make it easy for students to follow the book from cover to cover, and will enable professionals to jump in right where their interests lie. The book is limited to the linear aspects of the finite element method. Nevertheless, some chapters provide essential prerequisites to approaching nonlinear problems. The first part of the book covers static analysis. In particular, it presents s systematic treatment of weak (variational) forms for several boundary-value problems, a synthetic treatment of isoparamet~c finite elements, and an extensive chapter on mixed and penalty methods and reduced and selective integration including but not limited to important research issues such as e.g. strain projection methods. The next two chapters present a complete derivation of beam, plate, and shell theories directly from the three-dimensional elasticity theory and related finite element methodology. The second part of the book covers dynamical aspects. The reader will find there the most comprehensive discussion and analysis of algorithms for time-dependent phenomena presented to date. Finally, a Lanczos eigenvalue package and a linear static and dynamic finite element program (DLEARN) are presented. DLEARN was written by the author especially for this book. The reader will recognize in it the computer implementation for the material presented in the theoretical part of the book and find it a valuable tool for programming new elements and algorithms. The program is available on diskette and magnetic tape, which is an asset for fully gaining expertise in the finite element method. Every member of the finite element community will benefit from this book either as a text or as a permanent reference. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Thomas Zimmermann Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, and Zace Services Ltd, Lausanne, Switzerland ~5-7825/~7/$3.50 @ 1987, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
