Research status and development trend of energy finite element analysis: a review

Abstract

Compared with finite element method (FEA) and statistical energy method (SEA), the energy finite element method (EFEA) is a promising and more suitable method to predict the high-frequency vibration response and radiated noise of mechanical structures, due to its advantages of both computational efficiency and ability to get detail information. In recent years, researchers have made great progress in EFEA, due to the urgency of engineering application. This paper aims to comprehensively summarize historical and latest development of energy finite element analysis from two aspects of theory and engineering, to furtherly promote its application in the engineering field. Firstly, the development history of EFEA in basic structures is summarized, and the theoretical development direction of energy finite element in recent years is further analyzed. After that, the application of EFEA in aerospace, ship and vehicle engineering are summarized. Finally, the problems that need to be furtherly studied in EFEA are presented, and it is pointed out that it is an urgent research work to continue to improve the energy finite element analysis theory and software and apply it to engineering.