The course embodies five Parts:

I Review of Advanced Variational Methods. The formulation of problems of engineering and physics in Strong, Weak and Variational Form.

II. Three-Dimensional Finite Elements: Axisymmetric iso-P elements. Solid elements: bricks, wedges, tetrahedra, pyramids. Infinite elements.

III. High Performance Element Formulations. The free formulation. The assumed natural strain (ANS) formulation and its variants. The patch test. Variational crimes. Drilling freedoms.

IV. Beams, Plates and Shells. C^1 and C^0 beams. Kirchhoff plate bending elements. Facet and quadrilateral shell elements. Treatment of junctures. Transition elements.

V.Miscellaneous and Special Project Topics. Discussion of term projects by students.
Understanding Advanced Finite Element Methods require deeper knowledge of Variational Calculus than the “recipe” level of IFEM. Accordingly, Part I of this course deals with that topic. Some of the material has been extracted from the course Variational Methods in Mechanics (ASEN 5637), which is no longer offered.