Error Estimation and Mesh Optimization for Classical Finite Elements

We present several applications for 2D or axisymmetric elasticity problems of a method to control the quality of a finite element computation, and to optimize the choice of meshes. The method used, which is very general, is based (i) on the concept of error in constitutive relation and (ii) on explicit techniques to construct admissible fields. Illustrative examples are shown for several 2D or axisymmetric elements (3 or 6 node triangles, 4 or 8 node quadrilaterals). They have been achieved with our code ESTEREF, a post‐processor of error computation and mesh optimization which can be interfaced with any finite element code.