Learning to Program the Fem with Matlab and Gid

As for any other numerical method, the application of the FEM is linked to the programming language and software tools chosen. Historically the first programming language for practical use of the FEM was FORTRAN. Since then many routines, algorithms and programs associated to the method have been programmed in this language. With the development of computers new languages have appeared, each one with capabilities and specific tools for diverse fields of application. The common objective is to simplify the coding of the algorithms and to optimize the computer resources.

Although FORTRAN continues being a language of reference for the FEM, the new languages and programming tools allow simplifications in the coding work. At the same time specific libraries can be used that optimize the memory and computer resources. This is a key feature of MATLAB that besides being a research tool, it allows us to write codes that it can be interpreted at the time of execution. From an optimal programming point of view, interpretive languages are quite slow. However, MATLAB allows us to make use of all the implemented matrix routines for optimizing the calculations up to the point to compete effciently with other compiled languages.