Discover a simple, direct approach that highlights the basics you need within A FIRST COURSE IN THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD, 6E. This unique book is written so both undergraduate and graduate students can easily comprehend the content without the usual prerequisites, such as structural analysis. The book is written primarily as a basic learning tool for students, like you, in civil and mechanical engineering who are primarily interested in stress analysis and heat transfer. The text offers ideal preparation for utilizing the finite element method as a tool to solve practical physical problems.
This book gave me experience to apply linear algebra extensively. It uses vectors to analyse nodes in structures. The vectors are calculated using matrix (Gauss Jordan etc.). If you are really good in programming, you can use this book as basic theory for writing optimation software.