Finite Elements

Finite element analysis is the workhorse for turning the PDEs of solid mechanics into something a computer can actually solve, and this course walks you through the machinery from the ground up: weak forms, shape functions, isoparametric mapping, Gauss quadrature, and assembly. You won't just use a black-box solver — you'll build your own MATLAB code from scratch, starting with 1D springs and trusses and working up to 2D stress analysis with proper pre- and post-processing. It's where the math from differential equations and the intuition from statics/mechanics of materials collide, and it's the foundation for almost any later work in computational mechanics, structural design, or simulation-heavy research.