Why was the finite element method developed for Boeing jet wing designs?

The finite element method (FEM) was developed in the 1950s by aeronautical engineers, including Harold Martin, specifically to assist the Boeing Company in analyzing stress forces on new jet wing designs.12

While the method was later adopted across many fields of engineering and science, its origins were rooted in the practical need for systematic structural analysis of complex frameworks. By dividing a complex, continuous structure into a finite number of simpler elements, engineers could interpolate displacement fields and calculate stresses more effectively. This approach allowed for the generation of simultaneous equations that could be solved using computers, providing a robust numerical solution for the intricate structural challenges posed by modern aircraft development.12