- #1
Mechanics_student
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In the picture above, we have on the left a figure representing spatial element, and on the right a figure representing reference element.
The type of element used in the method here is a linear quadrilateral element.
What I understand is moving or mapping from the reference element domain ##\Omega^R## where it seems that the quadrilateral element looks square; I don't understand why it is a square, to the spatial element domain ##\Omega^e##, we use with such mapping the basis functions.
I think the basis functions ##N## is what is giving us the quadrilateral shape?
For approximating spatial coordinates, ##x_i## at ##\Omega^e## is approximated by the summation over the nodal values ##x_i^k##, (here ##k## symbolizes node and ##i## symbolizes direction), I'm not sure if ##x_i## will be the average coordinate of the individual element since we're summing over the coordinates of each node.
Clarification is appreciated. Thank you.
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