Advances in computational mechanics

Some of the major issues which have been addressed in finite element research are reviewed, including some issues which remain unresolved. The focus is on topics related to problems of constrained media and fluid dynamics by finite elements. Two examples of constrained media are considered: isoparametric element approaches to incompressible materials and beam and shell elements. Pertinent issues include locking, spurious singular modes, and stress oscillations. In fluid mechanics, the central themes are stable treatments of the convection or transport terms and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian meshes. (orig.)