ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

The Invention of the Finite Element Method: A Global Perspective and China's Contributions

• In Event: The Evolution of Science and Technology in China: Tradition and Modernity in a Global Perspective 3

English Abstract

The finite element method (FEM) emerged as a pivotal numerical technique in the mid-20th century through independent yet parallel developments by scholars in Europe, the United States, and China. This paper examines the invention of the FEM within a global framework, utilizing the principles of variational methods and partitioning approximation as its core analytical lens. It particularly offers a comparative study of the foundational work by Richard Courant, the teams led by Ray Clough, and the group under Feng Kang, elucidating the similarities and differences in their practical motivations, academic methodologies, and key innovations. By situating China's contributions within the broader international context, this research aims to deepen the historical understanding of the FEM's development and clarify the unique intellectual advancements made by Chinese mathematicians.

Author

• Tao Wang, Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences