An introduction to finite element methods using popular commercial packages. The features common to different programs as well as special features of particular programs are presented. Primary focus is on hands-on familiarity with the software with a limited discussion of the underlying finite element theory. ALGOR, ADINA, ABAQUS, LS-DYNA, HyperMesh, and FEMAP are among the pre/post-processing and analysis packages used in the class. This is a WWW based course and access to a PC, the Internet, and a frames-capable browser is required.
