COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING 65 (1987) 191-194

NORTH-HOLLAND

BOOK REVIEWS

The Finite Element Method. Linear Static and Dynamic Finite Element Analysis, Thomas
J.R. Hughes (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1987) 803 pp.

Although this book is primarily intended for students in physical sciences and engineering,
the experienced researcher will also find it a most valuable reference.
The subject matter is remarkably well organized. The author, one of the most prominent
experts in the field, has brought many of his own important contributions to key chapters.
Thus these individual chapters represent highly insightful advanced treatments of their subject
matter. At the same time, the clarity of exposition and global coherence will make it easy for
students to follow the book from cover to cover, and will enable professionals to jump in right
where their interests lie.
The book is limited to the linear aspects of the finite element method. Nevertheless, some
chapters provide essential prerequisites to approaching nonlinear problems.
The first part of the book covers static analysis. In particular, it presents s systematic
treatment of weak (variational) forms for several boundary-value problems, a synthetic
treatment of isoparamet~c finite elements, and an extensive chapter on mixed and penalty
methods and reduced and selective integration including but not limited to important research
issues such as e.g. strain projection methods.
The next two chapters present a complete derivation of beam, plate, and shell theories
directly from the three-dimensional elasticity theory and related finite element methodology.
The second part of the book covers dynamical aspects. The reader will find there the most
comprehensive discussion and analysis of algorithms for time-dependent phenomena pre-
sented to date.
Finally, a Lanczos eigenvalue package and a linear static and dynamic finite element
program (DLEARN) are presented. DLEARN was written by the author especially for this book.
The reader will recognize in it the computer implementation for the material presented in the
theoretical part of the book and find it a valuable tool for programming new elements and
algorithms. The program is available on diskette and magnetic tape, which is an asset for fully
gaining expertise in the finite element method.
Every member of the finite element community will benefit from this book either as a text
or as a permanent reference.

Thomas Zimmermann
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne,
and Zace Services Ltd, Lausanne, Switzerland

~5-7825/~7/$3.50 @ 1987, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)