This paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied to the analysis of ceramics and glass materials. The bibliography at the end of the paper contains references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations on the subject that were published between 1977-1998. The following topics are included: ceramics ± material and mechanical properties in general, ceramic coatings and joining problems, ceramic composites, ferrites, piezoceramics, ceramic tools and machining, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, applications of ceramic/composites in engineering; glass ± material and mechanical properties in general, glass fiber composites, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, and applications of glasses in engineering.The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at http://www.emerald-library.com Finite element modelling of ceramics 527 Wade J A et al 1994 Predicting creep behaviour of silicon nitride components using finite element techniques Life Predict. Meth. Data Ceramic Mater. (ASTM) pp 360-372. Wakino K et al 1993 New equation for predicting the dielectric constant of a mixture J. Amer. Ceram. Soc. 76 2588-94. Wang Z et al 1997 Optimum design of a ceramic tensile creep specimen using a finite element method J. Res. Nat. Inst. Stand. Tech. 102 15-28. Yamabuchi T and Kagawa Y 1989 Three-dimensional finite element simulation of polarization process in electrostrictive ceramic and its effect on the vibrator characteristics Int. Conf. Syst. Simul. Sci. Comp., (Beijing: Pergamon Press) pp 977-981. Ceramic coatings and joining problems Arai Y and Kobayashi H 1993 Influence of size of joint on elastic-plastic singularity of residual stresses of ceramic-metal joints Trans. Jpn. Soc. Mech. Eng., Ser A 59 627-633. Argyris J S et al 1994 Deduction of thermal properties of plasma sprayed ceramic coatings from the microstructure Energy-Sources Tech. Conf. (New Orleans) pp 303-318. Argyris J et al 1994 Studies on ceramic coatings. Deduction of mechanical and thermal properties from the microstructure of the material Comp. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng. 111 203-234.Bengtsson P et al 1994 The microstructure and residual stresses of thermally sprayed ceramic coatings 15th Riso Int. Symp. Mater. Sci. (Roskilde) pp 237-242. Bjorneklett A et al 1991 Thermally sprayed ceramic substrates: a thermal performance study utilizing test chips and numerical analysis Int. Electr. Packaging Conf. (San Diego) pp 176-189. Bucklow I A et al 1995 Development of a brazed ceramic-faced steel tappet TWI J. 4 258-316. Chang G C et al 1987 Behavior of thermal barrier coatings for advanced gas turbine blades Surface Coat. Tech. 30 13-28. Chung B T F et al 1985 Heat transfer in thermal barrier coated rods with circumferential and radial temperature gradients J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, ASME 107 135-141. Chung J H 1992 Compressive mechanical behaviour of hollow ceramic spheres and bondedsphere foams PhD Thesis, Georgia Inst. of Technology. De Wees...