Numerical Manifold Method  Introduction to Numerical Manifold
Method  Aiming global analysis, the well known mathematical
manifold is perhaps the most important subject of modern
mathematics. Based upon mathematical manifold, this numerical
manifold method is a newly developed general numerical method.
This method computes the movements and deformations of
structures or materials. The meshes of the numerical manifold
method are finite covers. As the material domains, the finite
covers overlapped each other and covered the entire material
volume. On each cover, the manifold method defines a independent
cover displacement function. The cover displacement functions on
individual covers are connect together to form a global
displacement function on the entire material volume.  The global
displacement function are the weighted averages of local
independent cover functions on the common part of several
covers. Using the finite cover systems, continuous, jointed or
blocky materials can be computed in a mathematicall