HISTORY

The development of simulation software proceeds with the improvement of computers as it requires complex calculations of continuum systems.
The Finite-Element-Method (FEM), which has evolved from construction engineering and the numerical calculation of geodesics during the 1950`s and 1960`s, has proved to be a successful approximation method for simulations. The foundation for FEM was laid when it became possible to describe the physical properties of beams numerically: This, in turn, makes it possible to describe the space between junctures and to couple this information by common points. Subsequently, this method was extended to 2-d (shells) and 3-d elements. FEM therefore gives a ‘natural’ description for structural mechanics.
Commercial FEM software for industrial purposes has been used since the 1970`s.

Unlike the elements in structural mechanics, fluid flows disperse into space and lack a firm inner structure. Their physical equations are nonlinear and therefore much harder to solve than those in structural mechanics (e.g. turbulence). Hence, the spatial domain is discretized into small volumes (cells) and suitable equations are applied to calculate the motion. For each cell the amount of a fluid or gas, which flows out of, has to stream into the neighbouring cells. Therefore the Finite-Volumen-Method (FVM) has been developed and can be regarded as a ‘natural’ representation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

The equations that form the basis of CFD were far too complex to be solved by former computers. Therefore the development in CFD began much later than that of structural mechanics: Commercial CFD software for industrial usage has not been available until the mid 1980´s.