computer science

OOFEM

OOFEM is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand OOFEM rather than just read about it. In short: OOFEM is a free and open-source multi-physics finite element code with object oriented architecture. The aim of this project is to provide efficient and robust tool for FEM computations as well as to offer highly modular and extensible environment for development.

Key takeaways

OOFEM belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect OOFEM to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of OOFEM from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

OOFEM is a free and open-source multi-physics finite element code with object oriented architecture. The aim of this project is to provide efficient and robust tool for FEM computations as well as to offer highly modular and extensible environment for development.

Main features Solves various linear and nonlinear problems from structural, thermal and fluid mechanics. Particularly includes many material models for nonlinear fracture mechanics of quasibrittle materials, such as concrete. Efficient parallel processing support based on domain decomposition and message passing paradigms. Direct as well as iterative solvers are available. Direct solvers include symmetric and unsymmetric skyline solver and sparse direct solver. Iterative solvers support many sparse storage formats and come with various preconditioners. Interfaces to third party linear and eigen value solver libraries are available, including IML, PETSc, SLEPc, and SPOOLES. Support for Extended Finite Elements (XFEM) and iso-geometric analysis (IGA).

License OOFEM is free, open source software, released under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1 on any later version

See also List of numerical analysis software List of finite element software packages

References

External links Project website

Community resources OOFEM forum OOFEM wiki

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with OOFEM

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what OOFEM claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to OOFEM before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about OOFEM ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of OOFEM

In research: OOFEM appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses OOFEM in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: OOFEM is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Finite element software, Finite element software for Linux, Free computer-aided design software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for OOFEM outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study OOFEM in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what OOFEM means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain OOFEM out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is OOFEM in simple terms?

Why does OOFEM matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study OOFEM?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on OOFEM.