SELF ADJOINT EQUATIONS

A form of matrix products that preserves symmetry of equations. The product A*B*A(transpose) is self-adjoint if the matrix B is symmetric. The result of the product will be symmetric for any form of A that is of a size compatible with B. This form of equation occurs regularly within the finite element method. Typically it means that for a structural analysis the stiffness (and mass) matrices for any element or element assembly will be symmetric.