FEM packages

[Jeffrey Marans]

The geotech section here does ground temperature calculations using
non-linear FEM thermal analysis, and is thinking about buying an SS1.
They've asked me to find out what kind of software is out there that
represents a fairly complete package, which I suspect includes lots of
graphics, lots of bells and whistles, and handles phase changes as well as
transients.

They'd like to consider PD as well as commercial packages, and if there's
enough response I'll summarize.  Any comments from people using SS1's to
do FEM calculations would also be appreciated.

Jeffrey Marans, Structures, IRC, NRC, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
jeff at nrcvm01.ca (e-mail) 613-993-3804 (voice) 613-954-9584 (fax)