6.

3D Solids and Solids of

Revolution

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

6.1 Introduction
• Problems of beam bending, plane stress,
plates, etc. may be considered as special
cases of 3D solids.
• So why not use 3D solids all the time?
– Harder to prepare
– Harder to check for errors
– Much greater demand on computer resources

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

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 Introduction
• Stress can vary in all three directions
• Nodes are located in 3 space
• Nodes have displacements in 3 directions

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Stress-strain relations
• Stress-strain relations are now described
by a 6x6 matrix

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

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 Strain-Displacement Relations
• If strains are small:

• These are the most general equations. In deriving

previous elements we made assumptions about some of
these values (e.g. in plane strain we assumed εz=0)
MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Displacement Interpolation
• Displacements within an element are interpolated
from nodal displacements using u=Nd, as before,
however there are now interpolations in three
directions.

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

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 General Formula for k
• The general, energy-based formula for k is the
same as for previous elements, except that there
are more terms in the integration due to the
bigger matrices.

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

6.2 3D Solid Elements

• The 3D solid elements are analogous to
planar counterparts:
– Constant Strain Tetrahedron Å Const. Strain Triangle
– Linear Strain Tetrahedron Å Linear Strain Triangle
– Trilinear Hexahedron Å Bilinear Quadrilateral
– Quadratic Hexahedron Å Parabolic Quadrilateral

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

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 Constant Strain Tetrahedron
• As with the Constant Strain Triangle, it is
only accurate when strains are almost
constant over the element span.

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Trilinear Hexahedron
• Is also called the 8 node “brick” element.

• Solving for shape functions:

• Isoparametrically:
MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

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 Distributed Loading
• The work equivalent nodal loads for a
constant distributed pressure p are as
shown.

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

6.3 Axisymmetric Solid Elements

• In axisymmetric problems, the geometry is axisymmetric
and the loads and support are usually also axisymmetric,
but they do not need to be, if certain tricks are employed.
• Meshing is similar to plane problems, however each node
represents a circle and each element represents the
cross section of an annulus.

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

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 Axisymmetric Solid Elements
• Stress-strain relations

• Strain-displacement relations

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Axisymmetric Solid Elements

• Displacement interpolation

• General formula for k (axisymmetric stress field)

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 Axisymmetric Elements
• Except for circumferential strain of εθ=u/r, these
elements are similar to plane elements.
• Three node triangle is similar to constant strain
triangle:

• However, εθ is a function of r and z (it is not

constant strain).

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Axisymmetric Elements
• Because of εθ, axisymmetric elements will always
counteract radial forces and moments as shown.

• Note that:

• Isoparametrically:
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 Nonaxisymmetric Loads
• We can use Fourier Series to represent
loads as a function of θ!

MEEM4405 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Nonaxisymmetric Loads
• We can also use Fourier Series to
represent the displacements as functions
of θ!

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 Nonaxisymmetric Loads
• Each harmonic can be solved
independently.

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