Electromagnetic forces and their finite element computation

Abstract This paper introduces the concepts of differential geometry that are necessary to establish a systematic definition for electromagnetic forces by means of a natural thermodynamic approach. It is shown that standard electromagnetic force formulae used in finite element computational electromagnetism are particular instances of that general approach. Finally, the paper offers a complete conceptual framework, as well as a mathematical toolbox, to derive electromagnetic force formulae for multi‐physics finite element models with complex materials.