In this lecture, we'll cover the following:

• Recap of the tools and skills developed throughout the course.
• Restate the importance of understanding finite element analysis (FEA) fundamentals.
• Introduction to the next step: extending from plate elements to shell elements.

In this lecture, we reflect on the journey through the course and consolidate what we have achieved. We highlight the practical skills we have developed, including working with tools such as OpenSeesPy, PyNite, Gmsh, and our own custom scripts. More importantly, we reinforced our understanding of how finite element analysis operates behind the scenes, with particular focus on how the Reissner–Mindlin formulation enables accurate modelling of both thick and thin plate behaviour.

We also look ahead to the natural progression of these ideas, noting that shell elements build directly on the plate formulations we have already developed. We recognise that much of the complexity has already been addressed, making the transition to shell analysis relatively straightforward. This lecture also includes a link to request your course completion certificate.