3. Structural mechanics and its applications

Structural mechanics has been one of the first applications of numerical methods since the 1960s, notably by NASA, and subsequently by other research centers and industry. In France, training in and use of the finite element method began in the 1970s.

To dimension mechanical structures and components, manufacturers used to rely on abacuses, analytical calculations, construction codes and trade rules. With the advent of finite element software, a new, more generic and robust approach to dimensioning was introduced.

It was in the 1980s, with the advent of affordable personal computers and workstations, that the use of finite element software, with its automatic meshing functions, made great strides among companies, particularly SMEs. This progress was achieved thanks to the development of finite element method teaching in engineering schools...