Main Components of Finite Element Processor Programs

2 MAIN COMPONENTS OF FINITE ELEMENT PROCESSOR PROGRAMS 

A typical finite element processor (sometimes called the number cruncher ) program consists of the following blocks  

Families of finite elements and their corresponding shape functions, schemes for derivation of the elemental stiffness equations (i.e. the working equations) and updating of non-linear physical parameters in polymer processing flow simulations have been discussed in previous chapters. However, except for a brief explanation in the worked examples in Chapter 2, any detailed discussion of the numerical solution of the global set of algebraic equations has, so far, been avoided. We now turn our attention to this important topic. 

As the number of elements in the mesh increases the sparse banded nature of the global set of equations becomes increasingly more apparent. However, as Equation (6,4) shows, unlike the one-dimensional examples given in Chapter 2, the bandwidth in the coefficient matrix in multi-dimensional problems is not constant and the main band may include zeros in its interior terms. It is of course desirable to minimize the bandwidth and, as far as possible, prevent the appearance of zeros inside the band. The order of node numbering during 

---