INTRODUCTION TO FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Introduction to FEM
The Finite Element Method (FEM) is a numerical technique for finding
approximate solution of partial differentially equation (PDE) as well as
integral equation.
The finite element method is a good choice for solving partial differential
equations more complicated the domains, when the domains changes,
when the desired precision varies over the entire domains, or when the
solution lacks smoothness.
The final element method originated from the need for solving complex
elasticity and structural analysis in civil and aeronautical engineering. Its
development can be traced back to the work by Alexander Hrennikoff and
Richard Courant. While the approaches used by the pioneers are
dramatically different, they share one essential characteristic: mesh
discretization of continuous domains into a set of the sub-domains, usually
called elements.
Plate
Add Plate:
This option allows you to Triangular or Quadrilateral plate elements by
connecting existing nodes. To add quadrilateral plate, select Quad from
the sub-menu. For triangular plates, select Triangle from the sub-menu .
The cursor changes to Quad plate or Triangular Plate shapes. To create
new elements, simply click on the existing nodes in the right sequence. A
rubber banded area shows the boundary of the plate being generated.
Set New Plate Attribute:
Similar to the Set New Member Attribute command in which the user is
in can define the property, material and releases to each new plate
element as it is created, has been introduced.
In order to define the attributes for plate element before they are created,
go to Geometry Add Plate Set New Plate Attributes from the
main menu.

A dialogue box will prompt for various attributes of the plate to be predefined. A summary of a specific attributes are defined in the table below.

Button
Create New Property

Create New Material

Create New Release

Function
Prompts the plate
thickness dialogue box
that the thickness of the
plate at each of the
common node can be
defined.
Defined the various
material properties of the
plate including poison
ratio, modulus of
elasticity, shear modulus,
etc.
Define the degree of

freedom to be released at
each node of the plate to
the plane stress no in
plane rotation or no
stiffness.
Multiple properties, releases and materials can be created and saved for
future use. To choose from various pre-defined types, simply select the
appropriate definition using the Select Property, Select Material or the
Plate Release drop-down boxes.
For the program to recognize the pre-defined attributes, the Assign these
attributes while creating a new plates check box must be checked. Any
new plate element created from here on will now possess these attributes.
How to Sketch Plates:
1. Click the plate icon

2. Now automatically beam cursor will change into plate cursor and nodes
in the structure are visible.

3. Plate can drawn only clicking the four node points.

4. After placing the plate, click Commands menu Member Property
Plate Thickness. Now the Properties Whole Structure dialog box appears.

5. Click Thickness button, now the Plate Element/ Surface Property dialog
box appears, where you add different types of member properties of plate
and surface element.

6. Type respective value of thickness for the plate element. Click Add
button.
7. Now click Select menu Plate cursor.
8. Now select the plates and select the radio button Assign to selected
plates and click Assign button.

9. Now open the 3D rendering page. You can see the Plate with defined
thickness.

Surface
Add Surface:
Adding surface is similar to the adding plates where the plates can be
placed by clicking only 4 node points while the surface can be placed by
clicking more than 4 node points. Finally you have to click the node point
where you start placing the surface.
How to Add surface in the structure:
1. Click Add Surface icon or Click Geometry menu Add Surface.
2. Now the beam cursor changes into surface cursor.
3. Place the surface by clicking the node points and finally click the node
point where begin.

4. As usual define the property for surface. Type the respective thickness
value for surface member.

5. Now Assign the member property to the surface by selecting the

surfaces using the surface cursor.

6. Now Open 3d Rendering View.

Meshing
Meshing is the process of creating a finite element mesh over the
respective member. The nodes that form the corners of the polygon
representing the super element must already exit on the drawing before
the facility can be availed. They can be selected in a sequence and the
process launched.
Meshing can be done over the plate and surface they can be classified
into two are
1. Plate mesh.
2. Surface mesh.

Plate Meshing:
This is an utility meant for taking an existing plate element and
subdividing into a set of smaller elements. Consequently, a plate element
must already exist on the drawing in order for this facility to be enabled.
Using the Plate Cursor, Click the right mouse button on the element and
select Generate Mesh. Alternatively select the Geometry menu
Generate Plate Mesh.
If the element being meshed is triangular, the polygonal mesh feature
described in the previous section will automatically become activated. If
the element is quadrilateral, the user have to choose between polygonal
and quadrilateral meshing.
1. Select the plate element, right click in the selected element.
2. Click Generate Plate Meshing. Now the Meshing type dialog box
appears.

3. Choose the type of meshing, Click Polygonal Meshing and click OK

4. Now the Define Mesh Region dialog box appears, user have to define
the boundary of the meshing surface. Click OK button.

5. Now the meshing surface is visible, then apply the plate load and
proceed analysis.

Polygonal Meshing.

Quadrilateral Meshing.

Surface Meshing:
Surface meshing is similar to the process of plate meshing. Same
procedure is followed for the surface meshing. Click Geometry menu
Generate Plate Mesh. Now select the surface element and provide
respective boundary condition. Click OK button. Now you get the surface
mesh.