An introduction to the Finite Element Method

The finite element method (FEM) has grown from a civil engineering tool into a general method for solving partial differential equations. In this area it beats its competitors: the finite difference method (FDM) and the finite volume method (FVM), in that it is better suited to deal with complex geometries and difficult boundary conditions. As opposed to that, it usually is more difficult to apply and the resulting sets of equations have a more complicated structure.