Structural Analysis:

Static Analysis: FEA can simulate the response of structures to static loads, helping to determine stress distribution, deformation, and safety factors.

Dynamic Analysis: FEA is used to analyze the dynamic response of structures subjected to varying loads, such as vibrations or impacts.

Thermal Analysis:

Steady-State and Transient Thermal Analysis: FEA can predict temperature distributions and thermal stresses within structures subjected to varying temperature loads.

Coupled Thermal-Structural Analysis: FEA allows the coupling of thermal and structural analyses to study the interaction between temperature and mechanical loads.

Modal Analysis:

Eigenfrequency Analysis: FEA helps identify the natural frequencies and mode shapes of structures. This is crucial in understanding the dynamic behavior of systems.

Modal Superposition: FEA enables the superposition of modes to simulate the dynamic response to arbitrary inputs.

Fatigue Analysis:

Fatigue Life Prediction: FEA can predict the fatigue life of structures subjected to cyclic loading. This is essential for components with repeated loading cycles.

Buckling Analysis:

Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis: FEA can predict the critical loads at which structures may buckle or undergo instability.

Imperfection Sensitivity Analysis: FEA can assess the sensitivity of buckling to initial geometric imperfections.

Topology Optimization:

Shape and Topology Optimization: FEA can be used for topology optimization to find the most efficient material distribution within a given design space, subject to specified constraints.

Composite Material Analysis:

Laminate Analysis: FEA can analyze the behavior of composite materials by modeling laminates with specific ply orientations and material properties.

Contact and Friction Analysis:

Contact Elements: FEA allows the modeling of contact interactions between components, including sliding, sticking, and separation.

Friction Models: FEA incorporates friction models to simulate the effects of frictional forces on contact surfaces.

Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI):

Coupling with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): FEA can be coupled with CFD to simulate interactions between fluid flow and solid structures. This is common in applications involving fluid-structure interaction, such as vibrating structures in fluid.

Material Behavior:

Linear and Nonlinear Material Models: FEA supports the use of linear and nonlinear material models to simulate a wide range of material behaviors, including plasticity, hyperelasticity, and viscoelasticity.

Material Nonlinearity: FEA can model large deformations and material nonlinearities, crucial for accurate representation of complex structural behavior.