Finite element method

Dr.Nuha Moawia Akasha

 1- Basic concepts:
1.1. Introduction:
It is a numerical technique for finding
approximate solutions to partial
differential equation (PDE) or ordinary
differential equation (ODE).
D.E to be solved must be integral forms:
 node
Ai

node
Imaginary line

Ai

n
A   A
i i
i 1
•Structure assumed to be an assembly of elements
(known as finite elements) connected at nodes
only.
•Any continuous solution field such as stress,
displacement temperature, pressure, etc. can be
approximated by a discrete model composed of a
set of piecewise continuous functions defined over
a finite number of sub-domains.
•Application of FEM:
•Structural area: stress analysis including beam,
truss, frame, 2D, 3D
•Non-structural area: heat transfer, fluid flow,
electric and magnetic problems.
AE
du
dx 1.2: fundamental concepts of FEM:
many engineering problems can be
expressed by governing equation and
boundary conditions such as:
•axial element:
D.E AE du B.C uo  a (1)
dx

q
plate:   ;
4  4 w  2 4 w   4 w  q
(2)
D x  x y y
4 2 2 4 D
•the governing equation is often in the
form of D.E which can be converted into
matrix equation using FEM.
Ku f
•Solution is: u  K 1 f
Where:
K=stiffness (the property)
U=displacement (the behavior)
F=force (the action)
1-3: General steps of the FEM:
(1) discretize and select the element types:
The problem (domain or structure) is
divided into a small elements or shapes.
The choice of elements analysis depends on
the physical make up of the body under
actual loading conditions and how close the
actual behavior the analyst wants the
results to be.
 Geometric
Finite element
model
discretization
using elements Mesh element
and nodes

Node
Element
Element types:
y

x
1 2

•bar or (truss), beam element

•bar in 2D, D.o.f u,v
•beam in 2D ,D.o.f u,v,θz
• 2D plane stress/strain, plate, shell
• 3D plane stress/strain, plate, shell
 u
x 
(2) Select a displacement function:
x
,

Choosing a suitable displacement function,

,

the function is defined within the element

using the nodal values of the element.
(3) Define strain/displacement and
stress/strain relationship:
•Strain/ displacement:

 x  u  y  v ε  w
• x , y , z z
 
•Stress/strain: = x  E x

(4)drive the element stiffness matrix:

Alternative method used – FEM
formulation:
1- direct method:
Stiffness matrix and element equation
relating nodal forces to nodal
displacement.
2- variational approch (weak form)
•the principal of virtual work (using
virtual displacement)
•principal of minimum potential energy
3-method of weighted residual approch
(weak form)
Using any of the method outlined above
will produce the equations to describe
the behavior of an element equation in
matrix form as:
 e e e




f 



 K







d







     

 
e
Where: f 



Vector of element nodal forces

 
e


K 
 Element stiffness matrix
 


d vector of unknown element nodal




d.o.f or generalized displacement
(actual displacement, slops)
5- assemble the element equations to
obtain the global or total equations and
introduce boundary condition using
direct stiffness method. The final
assemble write in matrix form:




F  K d










 


    


Where: F  Vector of global nodal forces

K  total stiffness matrix



 
d vector of known and unknown





structure nodal d.o.f or generalized

displacement
(6) Solve for the unknown degrees of
freedom (or generalized displacement)

Solution technique such as:

-Elemenation method. (Gau's method.)
-Itarative method.
1




dK




F












   
(7) Solve for the element strains and stresses.

2-Element formulation:
2-1: steps for formulation of specific FE. :-
(1) discritize:
The more element use the more accurate results
obtained.
(2)Choice of a suitable displacement function.

d  N ue ---------------






















(1)
   
  
d Displacement at any point within




element
 


N Matrix of shape function








ue Element nodal displacement.






*Two method to define displacement

function (Shape function ):
(i) Generalized coordinate formulation.
(ii) Isoparametric formulation.
(3) Define the element strains:

u  

dv   
   
   
   

w






x  u ,
 y  v .
 z  w
x y z
 d  N ue










 ……. (2)

 

  B ue
   
       
         

x, y, z x, y, z
     
   
 

  B ue ………………. (3)






















 

 
 B 
Where 




 Strain matrix
(4) Definition of element stress:-
  E



  D  …………………(4)








 
 
 




 
Where : D modulus matrix





From equation (3)   D B ue  S ue

         
           
           
      
 
   
 


  S ue ……………….(5)
























S 

 
Where : S Stress matrix 




(5)Derivation of element stiffness matrix

T



Ke   B












D B dv …………….(6)









       
v
(6)Derivation of element nodal load
vector:
Re  Re  Rse  Rec - Rσo  Reε ------(7)
         
         
         
 b         
  
•Element nodal load vector due to body force
T
R  e νe N b dve
 


e









 b
   

•Element nodal vector load due to surface

fraction
T

Rs   s  N t ds

e 








 
 
 
e
T
•Due to initial strain : Rεe   B D ε dve 

















  o


ve
•Due to initial stress : T
Rδ   B δo dve





0













ve
 


Rc 

vector of concentrated nodal force :

2:2 Choice of suitable displacement function:-

Suitable or good displacement function the
solution must converging to the exact solution.
A good displacement function must be:
Complete and compatible:
(1)Complete: (i)able to represents all states
of rigid body motion.
(ii)able to represent all stresses
of constant strain.
(2)Compatible;
(i)The displacement functions and it's
derivatives defining strain must be
continuous within element.
(ii)The displacement function should
satisfy internal compatibility within the
element , and also maintain compatibility
of displacement between element
boundaries (adjacent element at nodes.)

4 5 6

1 2 3
2:3 Generalized coordinate element
formulation.
Consider 2D triangular element as shown

(x3 , y3)
3
v
u 2
1 (x , y)
(x1 , y1) (x2 , y2)
•Nodal coordinates (x1 , y1) ,(x2 , y2),(x3 , y3).
•Displacement at any point (x,y) has 2
component (u,v) .
Polynominal are used to defined function.

(1)Displacement function:
u  α  α x  α y - - - - - - -(1)
1 2 3
vα α xα y
4 5 6
Where α1 , α2 , …………. α6 are constant
Generalized coordinates.
Number of generalized coordinates
depends on:
-Number of degree of freedom.
-Number of nodal displacement.
Polynominal used to approximate
displacement - use Baskal triangular.
 1
x y
x2 Xy Y2
X3 X2y Xy2 Y3
xy X3y X2y Xy3 Y4

U1 = α1 + α2 x1 + α3 y1
V1 = α4 + α5 x1 + α6 y1 -------(2)
 For all nodes:

A
u 
 1 


 x y 0 0 0 


α 

1





 1 1 



1 

v
 0 


 0 0 1 x y 


α 

1





 1 1 



2 

u 
 1 


 x y 0 0 0 


α 


 ue  2 







 2 2 



3 - - - - -(3)


  v 
 0 


 0 0 1 x y 


α 

2





 2 2 



4 

u 
 1 


 x y 0 0 0 


α 

3





 3 3 



5 

v 
 0 


 0 0 1 x y 


α 

3
  
 3 3 

6 
α
ue  A α --------(4)











 
 
 



 

1 e
Solving for 


α  A u ---------(5)

















 

1 e

d  θ x,y α  θ x,y A










u  N ue - - -(6)

 
 
 











 























 

1
Where 


N  θ x,y A












 







matrix of shape function.

(2) strain:
Strains at point (x , y) are:
 

u
 
 
 εx 
 

x
 
   
   

ε  ε y  v
 
 
 
where u , v from eq (1)
y
 
   
   
 
γ xy u  v











y x
 



 α 



1 



α 




0 1 0 0 0 0 2 






 α 





 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 - - - - - -(7)









 α 






0 0 1 0 1 0 4 






α  



5 



α 



6  

ε E α



 
 



subs. for α from equ. (5) 





1 e
ε E A



u
















B 

 ≡ element strain matrix.    
1

 
 

E A 





   

 ε  B ue - - - - - - - - - -(8)













(3) stresses :
 
δx 



 

δ  δy  D ε ε  B ue
       
           
           
 
 
τ xy 



 

δ  D B ue 


















subs. equ. (8) δ  D B ue - - - - -(9) 


















(4) element stiffness matrix
T



K   B D B
e 




















dv
ve
(5) element nodal load vector
 
Re  

Re  Re  Rse - Re 
         
         

b
 
 σ0 ε


  







0 



As before

T
Re   N b dv - - - - - - - - - -(10)
     
     
 
 b ve

   

T



Rs   N t dx - - - - - - - - - - -(11)
e 








 
 
 
s
T T



Rσo   B σ
e 






dv - - - - - -(12)





o 
v
T



Rεo   B D εo dv - - - - - -(13)
e 












 
 


v