Fast development of numerical methods in mechanics has been attracting an increasing number of students, researchers and design specialists from all branches of engineering.

This book has been written to provide an understanding of the nature and the theoretical basis of the most widely used numerical methods - the finite element method (FEM) and the boundary element method (BEM). At the same time, it outlines promising directions for their future development. The book concentrates on the most efficient and reliable methods which have become widely adopted. It contains numerous examples which either illustrate various computational algorithms and compare their accuracy and efficiency, or elucidate the mechanical process under investigation.