a question which is normally asked -whether caesarii can be catagorised as FEA package ? or it runs on finite difference methods ?
please clarify/ advice.

CAESAR takes your stick model and splits it up into even smaller sticks. In that regard, it meets the definition of finite element analysis, but is not what most people envision a finite element analysis package to accomplish.

dave or richard - some information please- question is totally academic and many times asked by many in the industry.

the people who ask may not be knowing anything about what theory is behind FEA or finite difference or finite volume . But they have ( unfortunately) all the power to judge you based on how confidently you answer.

CAESAR II is a Finite Element program - it's just that CAESAR II is limited to one element, the 3D Beam Element. The solution performed is the usual [K]{x}={f}, followed by the application of the Piping Codes to determine stresses.