Re: Infantile authours degrading this NG.

From: Han de Bruijn (Han.deBruijn_at_DTO.TUDelft.NL)
Date: 12/07/04 

Date: Tue, 07 Dec 2004 11:34:47 +0100

David Kastrup wrote:

> Han de Bruijn <Han.deBruijn@DTO.TUDelft.NL> writes:
>
>>David Kastrup wrote:
>>
>>>Han de Bruijn <Han.deBruijn@DTO.TUDelft.NL> writes:
>>>
>>>>Depends. I routinely replace delta functions by bell-shapes (or even
>>>>triangular shapes _/\_) in my numerical work. And got no problems at
>>>>all.
>>>
>>>Just tell me what kind of bridges are designed with that kind of
>>>mathematics so that I can remember to avoid them.
>>
>>Poor you! Almost every bridge in modern times is designed with just
>>that kind of mathematics, as embedded in some Finite Element Method.
>
> But by people that have a clue about just what they are doing.

http://huizen.dto.tudelft.nl/deBruijn/sunall.htm

> Numerics is not "we'll try something and hope it will be close
> enough". Numerics is about _knowing_ what kind and size of errors you
> introduce.

Numerical Analysis is about bringing theoretical mathematics back to
earth in the first place. Most practical problems are too complicated
to enable a decent error analysis. Your statement is wishful thinking;
it bears little resemblance to Numerics in practice.

> Anyway, most bridges are calculated completely with a beam model under
> load where finite elements do not really come into play.

Han de Bruijn

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