Eighty Years of the Finite Element Method: Birth, Evolution, and Future

This document presents comprehensive historical accounts on the developments of finite element methods (FEM) since 1941, with a specific emphasis on developments related to solid mechanics. We present a historical overview beginning with the theoretical formulations and origins of the FEM, while discussing important developments that have enabled the FEM to become the numerical method of choice for so many problems rooted in solid mechanics.

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This article presents a comprehensive historical account of the development of finite element methods, with a specific focus on developments related to solid mechanics. It provides a historical overview starting from the theoretical formulations and origins of the FEM, discussing important developments that have made the FEM the preferred numerical method for solid mechanics problems.