CHAPTER 4
NUMERICAL INTEGRATION AND
COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION30
4 NUMERICAL INTEGRATION AND COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION
InChapter 3, the principle ofminimum potential energy was used to derive the element
stiffness equations for a simple rod element. ‘To deduce these equations it is necessary to
perform integrations over the volume of atypical element. Even forsimple elements these
{integrations become quite complex. In this Chapter we describe how analytic integration
may be avoided by the use of coordinate transformation and numerical integration.
[Numerical integration is now standard in most finite element codes and will be used
throughout the remaining Chapters. The advantages of using numerical integration, as
‘opposed to analytic integration, are as follows:
‘+ All integrations are carried out by the computer. For many types of elements,
especially those involving two or three dimensions, analytic integration is both
tedious and impractical
+ Elements with curved boundaries can be developed. Analytic integration for these
‘ypes of elements is usually intractable in two or three dimensions,
+ Properties such as Young's modulus and cross-sectional area may be allowed to vary
throughout each element. Because numerical integration permits the material
‘properties to vary from point to point inside an element, itisalso possible to deal with
nonlinear problems ina straightforward manner.
Although there area number of methods avilable for evaluatingintegrals numerically, the
‘one most often used in finite element analysis is due to Gauss. This method will be used
exclusively in the remaining Chapters.
4.1 One-dimensional Gauss Integration
Gauss’s formulae are writen for finite integrals over the interval (—1, 1] and specify @
set of coordinates and weights. In one dimension these rules are ofthe form.
| Fea = Speeym, (aay
‘where nis the numberof integration (or Gauss) points ,isthe-coordinate for integration
point i, and ws the weight for integration point
“umber of points coordinate weight exact for polynomial
a x om of degree
T 0 z T
We 1
a Ue 1 0
59
3 59 5
6 5/9
‘Table 4.1 Data for Gaussian integration
The rules ae designed for cases where f(a) is polynomial. Indeed, a rule with n points
is exact fora polynomial integrand of degree 2n~1 of less. For example, a one-point rulea
gives no error for a constant or linear function, Whereas a two-point rule gives no error for
«polynomial up to and including a cubic. Gauss rules may also be used for cases where the
integrand isnot spolynomialbut the result wil, n general, be inexact. The sampling points
and weights for various Gauss formulae are shown in Table 4.1. Other formulae for higher
order polynomial integrands are also available and are given in many numerical analysis
tems
‘illustrate the use of these rules, consider the third degree polynomial
$0) = 48 +32 +21
‘The exact analytical solution forthe integral of f(x) Over [—1, 1s
["Wosatrnetans
Since f(a) is of degree three, a two-point Gauss rule is needed to evaluate this integral
without error. Using the two-point rule we see that
J fede = > Fea)w; = 0/8) x 1+ FCA 3) x1
(«07
y+ 3.8) + 21/08) + 1)
(4-218) + 347.8) + 264.8) + 1)
“[F)o (Fe)
land the Gauss rule performs the integration exactly,
42 Numerically Integrated Elastic Rod Element
To evaluate the integrals that are necessary to form the element stiffness equations it
is convenient to introduce a coordinate transformation, 1n this procedure we map the
“real” clement onto a “model” element using a standard transformation. ‘The model
clement is chosen so that all of the required integrations can be done nuerically in a
SMraightforward manner. The shape functions and integrations, which were previously
expressed in terms of the real coordinates, are now evaluated in terms of the model
coordinates. To illustrate the process, consider the linear two-noded rod element that was,
considered in Section 3.2,
real coordinates model coordinates
Figure 4.1: Coordinate transformation for numerical integration32
‘The model coordinate, is chosen to range from —1 19 +1 so that Gaussian integration
‘may be applied easly. To derive the shape functions in terms ofthe model coordinate, we
again use Lagrangian interpolation.
For the shape function associated with node one we we know N, = Oat = 1 andthus
guess that
My = Ny) = AG -1)
‘where 4 isa constant to be determined. Using the condition that Ny = 1 when &
gives 4 = -1/2, and thus
46-1 (42)
Similarly, forthe shape funetion associated with node wo, weknow Ny = Oat § = ~1 and
sess that
Ny = NG) = 1G +1)
In this case Ny = Lwhen § = 1 and hence 2 = 1/2, This gives
N,=3E+1) (43)
The displacement at any point inside each rod clement is again given by the equation
an + Nat = [Me safe] Nu= INT “s
where u, and ware the nodal displacements, N, and Nare respectively given by (8.2) and
(43), and
no [Mi A]
{in addition to using the shape functions to define the displacements, we also use them to
define the coordinates. The 3-coordinate at any point within the element can be written
in a similar form tothe displacement according to
NT (as)
=n n= [Mi maf} x
where
xTe fs *]
and and 3p ae the nodal cordnates. Substituting for the shape fictions and
rearranging, we see that the model coordinate & is related to real coordinate x according.8
Bonn by my
fe gee
‘When the same shape functions are used for both the coordinates andthe displacements,
as in equations (4,4) and (4.5), the element is said to be isoparametric. Numerically
integrated elements are often called isoparametric elements in the literature and the two
terms are used synonymously. 1t should be pointed here that itis not necessary to use the
same shape functions to model the displacements and the coordinates. For example, with
' quadratic rod element, itis possible to use quadratic shape functions to model the
displacements bu linear shape functions to model the coordinates. Such an element is said
tobe subparamettic. Thistype of element i often used where the geometry ofthe problem
is simple and a high order is not required to model the coordinates, Its also possible to
use superparametric elements, where the expansion used to model the coordinates is of
higher order than the expansion used to model the displacements. Both ofthese types of
elements, however, ae much less common than isoparametric elements.
Differentiating (4.4) with respect tox, the axil strain i the od i given by
(46)
an
where
axial strain in rod
cy
2 8 nip ma
ut = (1; u;) = nodal displacements for rod
Inordertocomputethestran-dsplacement matrix andhence te strain at any point inside
am clement, we need to evaluate partial derivatives of the shape functions wth respect to
the real coordinate x. Since the shape funetios are now expressed in terms ofthe model
coordinate these derivatives ere found using the chain rule according 0
ANE _ d (1, de
Ba ebes)g -
aN, NodE | d (1, us
Ze Ea ~ Aa +o)s 2 BE
In the above, the quantity dx/d is found by differentiating (45) to give
a, ay, fay, avy] f) an,
em sty = Me, -[# ehh) 3s as)
= Ee be
"Note that dx/a is nown as the determinant of the Jacobian matrix and is usualy denoted
4s detJ. For a one-dimensional case the Jacobian is a 1x1 matrix and hence its
{determinant isequal:o the matriitset. Substituting forthe partial derivatives ofthe shapeu
functions in (4.8), we see that det J isin fact equal to L/2, where Lis the length of the rod
element.
(Once the strain has been computed, the ail stress inthe rod is given by the stress-strain
relation
o.= Ee
where F is Young’s modulus. This equation is often written in the more general form of
o=De a9)
where
stress-strain mati,
oT = (on)
axial sures vector
‘Te derive the stiffness equations for a numerically integrated element, we again invoke the
‘principle of minimum potential energy. Using the Jacobian transformation to change the
Integration variable the strain energy stored in atypical rod element may be written as
SHAY onde 4f ecteccersat
Substtingequstions (7) and earning es
54] cuyepe ons a
4[ erwrene cers
“
“
4o'[ won aaa a0)
‘The external work done by the body force on the element is
“
waa [Rude af aNee af xnecua
, a
4
Defining b?
(aan)
‘The element stiffness equations are again found using the principle of minimum potential
energy, This states that35
a
a
aly
Er
=0
Where a is the potential energy for the element. Inserting (4.10) and (4.11) and
differentiating we obtain the element stiffness equations as
where
k 4f BDB dets df an)
J NT b dots af (a3)
and
fe (44)
Equations (4.12) and (4.13) may be integrated numerically using the Gauss rule to give
Sere, oets,v, (as)
SINT b dots, (416)
k
f
‘here is the number of integration points, the value of the weight for integration
PointiB; = BCE, isthe strsin- [ee] xk kx? (423)
Lm)
ay fio] a2
au
ef} 425)
‘This is the same as the element force vector given in equation (3.17), which was derived
by exact integration.
44 Derivation of Stitfness Equations for Rod Element using Virtual Work
‘The governing equations for finite element analysis may also be derived from the
principle of virtual Work. Indeed, for many problems in structural mechanics, the virtual
work principle is simpler to apply than the principle of minimum potential energy and is
also more general
‘The principle of virtual work states that if@ and d--dd are any two displacements fickis
satisfying the displacement boundary conditions, then equilibrium is automatically
satisfied provided the following equation holds
[steer [ora [sas 25
{In the above we note that e isthe strain vector whose length equals the number of strain
‘components, isthe stress vector winose length equals the numberof stress components,
bis the imposed body force vector whose length equals the numberof foree componeats,
1 is the applied surface pressure vector whose length equals the number of force
components, Vis the volume ofthe body, and Sis the area of the body over which suface
pressures are applied.
It should be stressed that, provided the changes in geometry ae infinitesimal, equation
(426) is applicable to materials which have either linear or nonlinear stress-strain
‘elations. This means it can be used to derive the governing finite element equations for
avery general class of materials. The principle of minimum potential eneray, on the other
‘hand, is only applicable to linear elestc or nonlinear elastic materials which obey Hooke's
law.
‘ollustrat how the principle of virtual work canbe used to derive the element stiffness
{equations in structural mechanics, we again consider the rod element discussed in Sections
3:2and 42. In this ease the virtual work equation becomes
A [ ee (62n38
‘where the strain vector is ¢ = {e,}, the stress vectors 0
‘vector is 6d = {u), and the body force vector is b = [R}.
(og), the virtual displacement
Now from equation (4.7) it follows that
T= Bul = WaT
and hence
eT = duTBT (428)
‘Substituting (47), (4.9) and (428) into the lft hand side of (4.27) we see that
* et
af area =f de BB ude owtaf BIDBdets dw (629)
After isertng (4) ito the right hand sie of (427), we lo obtain
‘|
Combining (4.27), (4.29) and (430) gives
saToac =f aetwtnds = aota [" nr vaesae (420
asta f BTDBdet J dE w= owt [ NT b det dg
‘Since the variation duin the nodal displacementsis arbitrary andthe above equation must
hhold forall such variations, it follows that
af wopaudu =a [ NT bets df
‘This expression may be written in the usual form
ose
‘where the element stifiness matrix and force vector are defined as,
xeaf" oon aeaae
toa f Wrause
and the nodal displacement vectors
These stiffness equations are identical to those shown in (4.12), (413) and (4.14), which
were obtained using the principle of minimum potential energy.