Chapter 1  Introduction

FreeFEM is an implementation of the Gfem language dedicated to the finite element method. It provides you a way to solve Partial Differential Equations (PDE) simply. Although you can solve quite complicated problems can be solved also.

In this manual we are going to describe the FreeFEM package:

• Compilation step
• How to use the language
• A quick presentation of how it is done

1.1  Conventions

• A triangulation, T, is a set of triangles covering a domain refered later as Ω
• Each vertex has a number iv, a region reference number region, and a boundary reference number ib which is zero for internal points.
• An array-function is an array of values on the vertices of T. It represents a piecewise linear continuous (or discontinuous if precise is used) function on Ω.
• In an integrated environment Gfem has the notion of Project: files shown on the desktop as documents with an icon like a triangulated rectangle (on the Macintosh).
• A project contains a program, the last triangulation created and one array function, namely the last function displayed.

1.2  Software and Documentation

FreeFEM is available on Internet. Check the following http site:

The tarball uses the following naming convetion: freefem-x.x.x.tar.gz

Others documentations are available on the FreeFEM Web site. These might provide further enlightment on the software.

AUTHORS

The authors are, in alphabetical order:

• Dominique Bernardi <??>
• Frederic Hecht <Frederic.Hecht@inria.fr>mailto:Frederic.Hecht@inria.fr
• Castro J. Manollo <castro@gamba.cie.uma.es>mailto:castro@gamba.cie.uma.es
• Pascal Parole <pascal@area-mundi.fr>mailto:pascal@area-mundi.fr
• Olivier Pironneau <pironneau@ann.jussieu.fr>mailto:pironneau@ann.jussieu.fr
• Christophe Prud’homme <prudhomm@users.sourceforge.net>mailto:prudhomm@users.sourceforge.net

If you are interested in FreeFEM have a look at the web site kfem.sourceforge.nethttp://kfem.sourceforge.net. You can subscribe to various mailing lists and get the latest stuff from the FreeFEM world.