82 Finite Element Analysis

If only continuity of basic unknown (displacement) is to be satisfied, Lagrange polynomials can be used to
derive shape functions. Lagrange polynomial in one dimension is defined by
n
x xm
Lk x …(5.37)
m 1
xk xm
m k

Thus, if n = 5 and k = 3,

x x1 x x2 x x4 x x5
L3 x
x3 x1 x3 x2 x3 x 4 x3 x5
Obviously equation 5.37 takes the value equal to zero at all points except at point k. At point k its value
is unity.
This is exactly the property required for the interpolation functions. Hence Lagrange Polynomial can be
straight way used as shape functions for one dimensional problems. The following example illustrates it.
Example 5.16: Using Lagrange polynomial find shape functions for
(i) Two noded bar element
(ii) Three noded bar element and
(iii) Five noded bar element
Plot the variation of shape functions.
Solution: (i) Two noded bar element
The typical two noded bar elements is shown in Fig. 5.17 (a)
General Lagrange Polynomial is

Typical element

Variation of 1

Variation of 2

(a)

x x1 x x2 ... x xk 1 x xk 1 ... x xn
Lk
xk x1 x k x 2 ... x k xk 1 xk xk 1 ... xk xn

Now n = 2. Hence when k = 1

 Shape Functions 83

x x2 x2 x N
N1 L1 , same as found earlier
x1 x2 x2 x1 1 8
When k = 2,
x x1
N2 L2 , same as found earlier variation of N1 and N2 is also shown in Fig. 5.17 (a).
x2 x1
(ii) For Three Noded Element
n = 3. Hence when k = 1,

x x2 x x3
N1 L1
x1 x2 x1 x3
When k = 2

x x1 x x3
N2 L2
x2 x1 x 2 x3

x x1 x x2
and N3 L3
x3 x1 x3 x2

1 3 2
Typical 3 noded bar element

Variation of 1

Variation of 2

Variation of 3

The typical element and the variation of its shape functions are shown in Fig. 5.17 (b).
(iii) For Five Noded Element
n=5
x x2 x x3 x x4 x x5
N1 L1
x1 x2 x1 x 3 x1 x4 x1 x5
84 Finite Element Analysis

x x1 x x3 x x4 x x5
N2 L2
x2 x1 x 2 x3 x2 x4 x 2 x5

x x1 x x2 x x4 x x5
N3 L3
x3 x1 x3 x2 x 3 x4 x3 x5

x x1 x x2 x x3 x x5
N4 L4
x4 x1 x 4 x 2 x4 x3 x 4 x5

x x1 x x2 x x3 x x4
N5 L5
x5 x1 x5 x2 x5 x 3 x5 x4
The five noded bar element and variation of its shape functions are shown in Fig. 5.17 (c)

1 3 4 5 2

(a) Typical noded element

Variation of 1

Variation of 3

Variation of 4

Variation of 5

Variation of 2

Although Lagrangian interpolation functions are for only one dimension, we may extend the concept to two
and three dimensions by forming the product of the functions which hold good for the individual one
dimensional coordinate directions i.e.,
 Shape Functions 85

N1 L1 L1 …(5.38)
Thus for 4 noded rectangular element shown in Fig. 5.18,

2 4
N1 L1 L1
1 2 1 4

1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 4 4

4 (–1, 1) 3 (1, 1)

1 (–1, –1) 2 (1, –1)

1 3
N2 L2 L2
2 1 2 3

1 1 1 1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1 4 4

4 2
N3 L3 L3
3 4 3 2

1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 4

N4 L4 L4 3 1

4 3 4 1

1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 4 4

1 i 1 i
Thus Ni
4
Example 5.17: Using Lagrange functions write shape functions for the nine noded rectangular element shown
in Fig. 5.19.
86 Finite Element Analysis

8
7 9
(0, 1)
(–1, 1) (1, 1)

4
(–1, 0) 5 (0, 0) 6
(1, 0)

1 2 3
(–1, –1) (0, –1) (1, –1)

Solution: The natural coordinates of various nodes are as shown in the figure. For the Co continuity element
in two dimensions,
Ni Li Li
where Li refers to Langrangian function at node i. In this case there are 3 nodes in each direction. Hence n =
3 in Lagrange function

2 3 4 7
N1
1 2 1 3 1 4 1 7

0 1 0 1 1 1
1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 4

1 3 5 8
N2
2 1 2 3 2 5 2 8

1 1 0 1 1 1 1
0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 2

1 2 6 9
N3
3 1 3 2 3 6 3 9

1 0 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 4

5 6 1 7
N4
4 5 4 6 4 1 4 7
 Shape Functions 87

0 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 2

4 6 2 8
N5
5 4 5 6 5 2 5 8

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1

4 5 3 9
N6
6 4 6 5 6 3 6 9

1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 2

8 9 1 4
N7
7 8 7 9 7 1 7 4

0 1 0 0 1 1
1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 4

7 9 2 5
N8
8 7 8 9 8 2 8 5

1 1 1 0 1 1 1
0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 2

7 8 3 6
N9
9 7 9 8 9 3 9 6

1 0 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 4
Thus in this case, for corner nodes,
1
Ni i i …(5.41)
4
For nodes 2 and 8 where 0;

1 1 i
Ni
2
88 Finite Element Analysis

For nodes 4 and 6, where i 0

i 1 1
Ni
2
and for central node,

1 1 1 1
N5
4

Example 5.18: Using Langrange functions, derive shape function for hexahedron (brick) element.
Solution: Typical hexahedron element is shown in Fig. 5.20.
The coordinates for various nodal points are
1 (1, –1, –1), 2 (1, 1, –1), 3 (1, 1, 1), 4 (1, –1, 1), 5 (–1, –1, –1), 6 (–1, 1, –1), 7 (–1, 1, 1), 8 (–1, –1, 1)
In general, shape function by Lagrange function for three dimensional case is given by
Ni Li Li Li
8

4
3

5
6

1
2

5 2 4
1 1 1 1 1 1
N1
1 5 1 2 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 8

N2 L2 L2 L2

6 1 3

2 6 2 1 2 3
 Shape Functions 89

1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 8

N3 L3 L3 L3

7 4 2

3 7 3 4 3 2

1 1 1 1 1 1
1 11 11 1 8

8 3 1
N4 L4 L4 L4
4 8 4 3 4 1

1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 11 1 8
N5 L5 L5 L5
1 6 8 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 1 5 6 5 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 8
N6 L6 L6 L6

2 5 7 1 1 1 1 1 1
6 2 6 5 6 7 1 11 1 1 1 8
N7 L7 L7 L7

3 8 6 1 1 1 1 1 1
7 3 7 8 8 6 1 11 11 1 8

N8 L8 L8 L8

4 7 5 1 1 1 1 1 1
8 4 8 7 8 5 1 1 1 11 1 8
In general it may be noted that,
1
Ni 1 i 1 i 1 i …(5.42)
8

Figure 5.21 shows Serendipity family elements. These elements may be called as boundary node family
elements also. In these elements nodes are only on the boundaries. Zienkiewcz called them as ‘Serendip
family’ elements by referring to the famous princess of Serendip noted for chance discoveries. The terms
linear, quadratic, cubic and quartic are used since the variation of shape functions about a boundary is of that
order. The shape functions are found from the consideration that Ni = 1 for ith node and is zero when referred
90 Finite Element Analysis

to any other node. Discovery of these elements clubbed with isoparametric concept (explained in ch.13) has
made major break through in the finite element analysis. In this article derivation of shape functions for this
family of elements is presented, through examples.

(a) Linear (b) Quadratic

(c) Cubic (d) Quartic

Example 5.19: Using ‘serendipity concept’ derive shape functions for 4 noded rectangular element.
Solution: Figure 5.22 shows the typical element in natural coordinate system.

4 (–1, 1) =1 3 (1, 1)

1 (–1, –1) 2 (1, –1)

N1 has to satisfy the conditions

(a) along 1, N1 = 0.
(b) along 1, N1 = 0
and (c) at 1, 1 N1 = 1.
 Shape Functions 91

Hence let
N1 C1 1 , where C is arbitrary constant.
Conditions (a) and (b) are satisfied.
Condition (c) gives,
1
1 C1 1 1 1 or C
4

1 1
N1
4
On the same lines we can get,

1 1
N2
4

1 1
N3
4

1 1
and N4
4
These are same as given in equations 5.26 and 5.40, which were derived from different approaches.
Example 5.20: Using serendipity concept find shape functions for quadratic serendipity family element.
Solution: Figure 5.23 shows a typical element of this type.
1 0
4 (–1, 1) 7 (0, 1)
3 (1, 1)

1 0

8 ( –1, 0)
0 6 (1.0, 0)

1 0

1 (–1, –1) 2 (1, –1)

5 (0, –1)
1 0

The conditions to be satisfied by N1 are,

(a) along line 1, N1 = 0
(b) along line 1, N1 = 0
(c) along line 5–8, N1 = 0
92 Finite Element Analysis

i.e., 1 0.
(d) At 1 and 1 , N1 = 1
Hence let
N1 C1 1 1
It satisfies the requirements a, b, c. In other words it ensues N1 = 0 at nodes 2, 3, … 8.
From condition (d),
1
1 C 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C
4
For the corner node

1 1 1
N1
4
Similarly we can show that

1 1 1
N2
4

1 1 1
N3
4

1 1 1
and N4
4
For mid-side node 5, the conditions to be satisfied are
(a) Along 1 N5 = 0
(b) Along 1 N5 = 0
(c) Along 1 N5 = 0
(d) At node 5 where 0, 1 , N5 = 1

Let N 5 C 1 1 1
This form satisfies N1 = 0 at all nodes other than node 5. From the condition ‘d’ we get,
1 = C (1 – 0) (1 + 1) (1 + 0)
1
C
2
2
1 1 1
N5 1 1 1
2 2
Similarly it may be shown that
2
1 1
N6 …(5.44a)
2
 Shape Functions 93

2
1 1
N7 …(5.44b)
2
2
1 1
and N8 …(5.44c)
2

Example 5.21: Determine the shape functions for cubic serendipity family element.
Solution: Typical element is shown in Fig. 5.24. Shape functions for corner nodes:
N1 = 0 for all nodes except 1 and is 1 for node 1.
N1 = 0 is satisfied for nodes 2, 7, 8, 3 if 1 0
N1 = 0 is satisfied for nodes 3, 9, 10, 4 if 1 0

4 10 9 3

11 8

12 7

1 5 6 2

The points 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 lie on the circle shown in Figure. The radius of this circle
= OA
2
1 1 10
1 since A , 1 and O 0, 0
3 3 3
The equation of the circle is

2 2 10
3
94 Finite Element Analysis

2 2 10
0
3
Satisfies N1 = 0 for nodes 5 to 12.

2 2 10
N1 C 1 1 Satisfies N1 = 0 for all nodes except for node 1.
9
For node 1 N1 = 1.

2 2 10
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
9

But we know 1 1 1

10 32
1 2 2 1 1 C C
9 9

9
or C
32
9 2 2 10
N1 1 1
32 9

1 2 2
1 1 9 10
32
Similarly it may be shown that
1 2 2
N2 1 1 9 10
32
1 2 2
N3 1 1 9 10
32
1 2 2
N4 1 1 9 10
32
For mid side node 5,
1 0 ensures N5 = 0 at nodes 2, 7, 8, 3
1 0 ensures N5 = 0 at nodes 3, 9, 10, 4
1 0 ensures N5 = 0 at nodes 4, 11, 12, 1.
1 3 0 ensures N5 = 0 at node 6.

Let N 5 C 1 1 1 1 3

1
At node 5, , 1 and N 5 1
3
 Shape Functions 95

4 2
1 C 2 2
3 3
9
i.e., C
32
9
N5 1 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
1 1 1 3
32
9 2
Similarly, N6 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
N7 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
N8 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
N9 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
N10 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
N11 1 1 1 3
32
9 2
N12 1 1 1 3
32

Similar to Lagrangian functions for Co continuity elements, there are Hermite polynomials for cn continuity
elements. Hermite polynomial in one dimension is denoted as Hn(x). It is a polynomial of order 2n + 1. Thus
H1(x) is a first order polynomial which is cubic in x. H2(x) is a second order polynomial and is of 5th order.
The speciality of Hermite polynomials is their values and the values of their derivatives upto order n are
unity or zero at the end points of the interval 0 to 1. The elements of a set of Hermitian polynomials representing
n
these properties may be written as Hmi x where m is the order of derivatives, i the node number and n is the
order of the Hermitian function.
To illustrate it, let us take a two noded beam element (refer Fig. 5.25) in which nodal unknowns are the
w
displacement w and the slope . Since the element has four degrees of freedom, we have to select the
x
polynomial with only 4 constants i.e. the first order (cubic) Hermitian polynomials as shape function.