This paper deals with adaptive finite element analysis of linearly elastic structures using different error estimators based on flux projection (or best guess stress values) and residual methods. Presentations are given on a typical h-type adaptive analysis, a mesh refinement scheme and the coupling of adaptive finite element analysis with automatic mesh generation. Details about different error estimators are provided and their performance, reliability and convergence are studied using six node quadratic triangular elements. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the reliability of different error estimators.