FiniteElementsfor2DProblems

GeneralFormulafortheStiffnessMatrix f ff
Displacements(u,v)inaplaneelementareinterpolatedfromnodaldisplacements
(ui,vi)usingshapefunctionsNiasfollows,
where N is the shape function matrix, u the displacement vector and d the nodal
displacement vector. Here we have assumed that u depends on the nodal values of u
only, and v on nodal values of v only. Most commonly employed 2D elements are
linear or quadratic triangles and quadrilaterals. linear or quadratic triangles and quadrilaterals.
ConstantStrain Triangle(CSTorT3)
This is the simplest 2D element which is also called linear triangular element Thisisthesimplest2 Delement,whichisalsocalledlineartriangularelement.
For this element, we have three nodes at the vertices of the triangle, which are For this element, we have three nodes at the vertices of the triangle, which are
numbered around the element in the counterclockwise direction. Each node has
two degrees of freedom (can move in the x and y directions). The displacements u
and v are assumed to be linear functions within the element, that is,
wherebi(i =1,2,...,6)areconstants.Fromthese,thestrainsarefoundtobe,
whichareconstantthroughouttheelement.
Thedisplacementsshouldsatisfythefollowingsixequations,
Solvingtheseequations,wecanfindthecoefficientsb1,b2,...,andb6intermsof
nodaldisplacementsandcoordinates.
Thedisplacementscanbeexpressedas
Theshapefunctions(linearfunctionsinxandy)are
d and
is the area of the triangle. istheareaofthetriangle.
Thestraindisplacementrelationsarewrittenas
wherexij =xi xj andyij =yi yj (i,j=1,2,3).Again,weseeconstantstrainswithin
theelement.Fromstressstrainrelation,weseethatstressesobtainedusingthe
CSTelementarealsoconstant.
TheelementstiffnessmatrixfortheCSTelement,
inwhichtisthethicknessoftheelement.NoticethatkforCSTisa6by6
i i symmetricmatrix.
TheNaturalCoordinates
Weintroducethenaturalcoordinatesonthetriangle,thentheshapefunctions
canberepresentedsimplyby,
Noticethat,
whichensuresthattherigidbodytranslationisrepresentedbythechosenshape
functions.Also,asinthe1Dcase,
andvarieslinearlywithintheelement.
TheplotforshapefunctionN1isshowninthefollowingfigure.N2andN3havesimilar
features.
Wehavetwocoordinatesystemsfortheelement:theglobalcoordinates(x,y)andthe
naturalcoordinates.Therelationbetweenthetwoisgivenby
wherexij =xi xj andyij =yi yj (i,j=1,2,3)asdefinedearlier.
Displacementuorvontheelementcanbeviewedasfunctionsof(x,y)or.
Usingthechainruleforderivatives,wehave, g
h J i ll d h J bi i f h f i d i d whereJiscalledtheJacobian matrixofthetransformation,andisexpressedas
where andAistheareaofthetriangularelement.
Similarly,
Usingtherelations,weobtainthestraindisplacementmatrix,
ApplicationsoftheCSTElement:
Useinareaswherethestraingradientissmall.
Useinmeshtransitionareas(finemeshtocoarsemesh). ( )
AvoidusingCSTinstressconcentrationorothercrucialareasinthe
structure,suchasedgesofholesandcorners.
RecommendedforquickandpreliminaryFEanalysisof
2 D problems 2Dproblems.
LinearStrainTriangle(LSTorT6)
Thiselementisalsocalledquadratictriangularelement.
Therearesixnodesonthiselement:threecornernodesandthreemidsidenodes.Each
nodehastwodegreesoffreedom(DOF)asbefore.Thedisplacements(u,v)areassumed
tobequadraticfunctionsof(x,y),
wherebi(i =1,2,...,12)areconstants.
Thestrainsarefoundtobe,
whicharelinearfunctions.Thus,wehavethelinearstraintriangle(LST),which
providesbetterresultsthantheCST.
Inthenaturalcoordinatesystemwedefinedearlier,thesixshapefunctionsfortheLST
elementare,
inwhich
Eachofthesesixshapefunctionsrepresentsaquadraticformontheelementasshownin
thefollowingfigure.
Displacementscanbewrittenas, p ,
LinearQuadrilateralElement(Q4)
Therearefournodesatthecornersofthequadrilateralshape.Inthe
naturalcoordinatesystem,thefourshapefunctionsare,
atanypointinsidetheelement.
Thedisplacementfieldisgivenby
whicharebilinearfunctionsovertheelement.
QuadraticQuadrilateralElement(Q8) Q Q (Q )
Thisisthemostwidelyusedelementfor2Dproblemsduetoitshighaccuracyin
analysisandflexibilityinmodeling.
Thereareeightnodesforthiselement,fourcornersnodes
andfourmidsidenodes.
Inthenaturalcoordinatesystem theeightshapefunctionsare,
Again we have at any point inside the element Again,wehaveatanypointinsidetheelement.
Thedisplacementfieldisgivenby
whicharequadraticfunctionsovertheelement.Strainsandstressesoveraquadratic
quadrilateralelementarequadraticfunctions,whicharebetterrepresentations.
Notes:
Q4andT3areusuallyusedtogetherinameshwithlinearelements.
Q8andT6areusuallyappliedinameshcomposedofquadraticelements.
Quadraticelementsarepreferredforstressanalysis,becauseoftheirhigh
accuracyandtheflexibilityinmodelingcomplexgeometry,suchascurved
boundaries.
StressCalculation
Thestressinanelementisdeterminedbythefollowingrelation, y g
whereBisthestrainnodaldisplacementmatrixanddisthenodaldisplacement
vectorwhichisknownforeachelementoncetheglobalFEequationhasbeensolved.
Stressescanbeevaluatedatanypointinsidetheelement(suchasthecenter)orat
thenodes.ContourplotsareusuallyusedinFEAsoftwarepackages(duringpost p y p g ( g p
process)foruserstovisuallyinspectthestressresults.
ThevonMises Stress:
The von Mises stress is the effective or equivalent stress for 2 D and 3 D stress ThevonMises stressistheeffectiveorequivalentstressfor2Dand3Dstress
analysis.
inwhich andarethethreeprinciplestressesatthe
consideredpointinastructure.
For2Dproblems,thetwoprinciplestressesintheplanearedeterminedby
Thus,wecanalsoexpressthevonMises stressintermsofthestresscomponentsinthe
xy coordinatesystem.
Forplanestressconditions,wehave,