FE Modeling Strategy Decide on details from design Find smallest dimension of interest Pick element types – 1D Beams – 2D Plate or Shell – 3D Tetrahedron or Brick Estimate number of elements, nodes & “dofs” Decide if run time will be reasonable

FE Modeling Strategy (continued) Input Geometry – CAD file – Inside FE code Generate Mesh – Pick parameters: elements/length, element size, … – Select regions to mesh – Generate and check Aspect ratio Degenerate elements

FE Modeling Strategy (continued) Apply displacement boundary conditions – check for rigid body motion Apply surface loads Apply body forces

FE Solution Strategy Pick solution strategy – Linear or nonlinear – Eigenvalue (natural frequencies or buckling) – Transient or static – Parametric, optimization or probabilistic