The Finite Element Method

A Practical Course

CHAPTER 4

FEM FOR FRAMES

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
FEM

EQUATIONS FOR PLANAR FRAMES

Equations in local coordinate system
Equations in global coordinate system
FEM EQUATIONS FOR SPATIAL FRAMES
Equations in local coordinate system
Equations in global coordinate system
CASE STUDY
REMARKS

INTRODUCTIO
N

Frame members are loaded axially and

transversely.

It is capable of carrying, axial, transverse

forces, as well as moments.

Frame elements are applicable for the analysis

of skeletal type systems of both planar frames
(2D frames) and space frames (3D frames).

Known generally as the beam element or

general beam element in most commercial
software.

FEM EQUATIONS FOR PLANAR

FRAMES
Consider
d 1
d
2
d
de 3
d 4
d 5

d 6

u1
v
1
z 1

u2
v2

z 2

a planar frame element

diplacement components at node 1

y, v

x, , u

diplacement components at node 2

Y, V

node 2
(u2, v2, z2)

z
node 1
(u1, v1, z1)

l=2a

X, U

Equations in local coordinate

system
Truss

y, v

+ beam

x, , u
node 2
(u2, v2, z2)

z
node 1
(u1, v1, z1)
d 1
d
2
d
de 3
d 4
d 5

d 6

u1
v
1
z 1

u2
v2

z 2

Truss

l=2a

From the truss element,

d1 u1

d 4 u2

Beam

AE
2a

truss
e

0
0

0 AE
2a
0
0
0

AE
2a

(Expand to 6x6)

sy.

0 0 d1 u1
0 0
0 0

0 0 d 4 u2
0 0

Equations in local coordinate

system

y, v

x, , u
node 2
(u2, v2, z2)

From the beam element

z

(Expand to 6x6)

node 1
(u1, v1, z1)

l=2a

d 2 (v1 ) d3 ( z1 ) d5 (v2 ) d 6 ( z 2 )
0

3 EI z

3 EI z

2 a3

2 a2
2 EI z

k beam

0
0
0 32EIa3z
0 32EIa2z

sy.

0
3 EI z
2 a3

3 EI z

d 2 v1

2 a2
EI z

d
3
z1

32EIa2z d5 v2
2 EI z
d6 z 2
a

Equations in local coordinate system

AE
2a

truss
e

AE
2a

AE
2a

sy.

0 0
0 0

0 0
0 0

AE
2a

k beam

3 EI z

2a
2 EI z

AE
2a

0
0

32EIa 3z

3 EI z

3 EI z

2a
EI z

2a2

3 EI z
2a

32EIa 2z

2 EI z
a

3 EI z

3 EI z
2 a2

2a

0
2a
EI z

3 EI z

sy.

3 EI z

sy.

2a
2 EI z

AE
2a

0
0
0 32EIa3z

3 EI z

ke

3 EI z

0
2a

0
2a

0 0

32EIa2z
2 EI z
a

Equations in local coordinate system

Similarly

so for the mass matrix

70

8a 2

0
0 35 0
0
78 22a 0 27 13a
8a 2 0 13a 6a 2

70 0
0
sy.
78 22a

me

Aa

105

And

for the force vector,

fe

f x a f sx1
f y a f sy1
f y a2

m
s1
3

f x a f sx 2
f y a f sy 2

f y a2
3 ms 2

Equations in global coordinate

system
Y
Coordinate

transformation
Similar to trusses

d e TD e

v1
global node i
local node 1

where

De

D3i 2
D
3i 1
D3i

D3 j 2
D3 j 1

D3 j

D3i 0

lx
l
y
0
, T
0
0

mx
my
0
0
0
0

0 0
0 0
1 0
0 lx
0 ly
0 0

0
0
0
mx
my
0

0
0
0

0
0

z2
D3j

D3i-1

D3j - 1

v2

u2
D3j -2

global node j
local node 2

u1

D2j

z1
D3i -2

2a

Equations in global coordinate

system
Y

v2

Direction cosines in T:
lx cos( x, X ) cos
mx cos( x, Y ) sin

z2
D3j

le
Y j Yi

v1

D3i-1

global node i
local node 1
D3i 0

z1

le

l y cos( y, X ) cos(90 ) sin

u1

D3i -2

Y j Yi
le

X j Xi

le ( X j X i ) 2 (Y j Yi ) 2

u2
D3j -2

global node j
local node 2

X j Xi

m y cos( y, Y ) cos

D3j - 1

le

(Length of element)

D2j
2a

Equations in global coordinate system

Finally, we have

lx
l
y

my

0
0

0 lx

mx

0 ly

my

K e T k eT

mx

M e T meT
T

Fe T f e
T

0
0
0

0
0
1

FEM EQUATIONS FOR

SPATIAL FRAMES
Consider
d1
d
2
d3

d 4
d5

d 6
de
d 7
d8

d9
d
10
d11
d
12

u1
v
1
w1

x1
y 1

z1

u2
v2

w2

x2
y2

z 2

a spatial frame element

v2

v1

Displacement
components at
node 1

u2

y2
2

x2
w2

y1
z2

u1

Displacement
components at
node 2

x1

w1

z1

y
x

Equations in local coordinate system

Truss

u1

v1

w1 x1

y1 z 1

AE
2a

v2

w2

x2

3 EI z

3 EI y

3 EI y

3 EI z

3 EI z

3 EI z

3 EI y

3 EI y

2 a3

u2

y2

AE
2a

2 a3

+ beam

GJ
2a

2 a2

sy.

2 a2

z2

u1

2 EI y

3 EI y

EI y

2 EI z

3 EI z

EI z

AE
2a

3 EI z

3 EI z

3 EI y

GJ
2a

2 EI y

2 a2

2a

3 EI y
2 a3

2 a2

x1

w1

z1

y
x
z

2a2

2 EI z
a

x2
w2

2a2

2a

2 a3

y1

ke

2 a3

u2

y2

v1

GJ
2a

2 a2

z2

v2

Equations in local coordinate

system
70 0 0

78 0

78

Aa

me
105

Ix
where r
A
2
x

0
0
0 35 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
22a 0 27
0
0
0
13a
0 22a 0
0 0
27
0
13a
0

70rx2
0
0
0 0
0
35rx2
0
0
8a 2
0
0 0 13a
0
6a 2
0
8a 2 0 13a
0
0
0
6a 2

70 0
0
0
0
0
78
0
0
0
22a
78
0
22a
0

sy.
70rx2
0
0
8a 2
0
8a 2

Equations in global coordinate system

D6j-4

D6j-1
d8
d11 d7

d10

d12

x
D6i-4

D6j-5

d9 D6j-2

D6j
D6i-1
d2
d5 d1
1

d4
d6

z
D6i-5

D6j-3
Y

d3 D6i-2

D6i
X
D6i-3

Equations in global coordinate system

Coordinate

transformation

d e TD e
where
D6 i 5
D
6i 4
D6 i 3

D6 i 2
D6i 1

T3
0

D6 i

D
6
j

, T 0

De

D6 j 4

D
6 j 3

D6 j 2

D6 j 1
D
6j

T3

T3

T3

lx
T3 l y
l z

mx
my
mz

nx

n y
n z

Equations in global coordinate system

Direction cosines in T3

lx

T3 l y
l z
lx cos( x, X ),

mx
my
mz

nx

ny
n z

mx cos( x, Y ), nx cos( x, Z )

l y cos( y, X ), m y cos( y, Y ), n y cos( y, Z )

lz cos( z , X ), mz cos( z , Y ),

nz cos( z , Z )

Equations in global coordinate

system
Vectors

for defining location and orientation of

2
frame element in space

V1 X 1 X Y1Y Z1Z

V2 X 2 X Y2Y Z 2 Z

V3 X 3 X Y3Y Z 3 Z

V3 V1

V2 V1

V2 V1 X 21 X Y21Y Z 21 Z

V3 V1 X 31 X Y31Y Z 31 Z

2
l 2a V2 V1 X 212 Y212 Z 21

X kl X k X l

Ykl Yk Yl
Z kl Z k Z l

V1

V3
Y

(V2 V1 ) (V3 V1 )

V2

k, l = 1, 2, 3

Equations in global coordinate system

Vectors

for defining location and orientation of

frame element in space (contd)

(V2 V1 ) X 21 Y21 Z 21
x
X
Y
Z
2
a
2
a
2
a
V2 V1
X 21
l x cos( x, X ) x X
2a
Y
mx cos( x, Y ) x Y 21
2a
Z
nx cos( x, Z ) x Z 21
2a


(V V ) (V3 V1 )
z 2 1

(V2 V1 ) (V3 V1 )

V3 V1

V2 V1
1

V1

V3

V2

(V2 V1 ) (V3 V1 )

1
{(Y21 Z 31 Y31 Z 21 ) X ( Z 21 X 31 Z 31 X 21 )Y ( X 21Y31 X 31Y21 ) Z }
2 A123

A123 (Y21 Z 31 Y31 Z 21 ) 2 ( Z 21 X 31 Z 31 X 21 ) 2 ( X 21Y31 X 31Y21 ) 2

Equations in global coordinate system

Vectors

for defining location and orientation of

frame element in space (contd)
v v
lz z X

1
(Y21Z 31 Y31Z 21 )
2 A123

v v
mz z Y

1
( Z 21 X 31 Z 31 X 21 )
2 A123

v v
nz z Z

1
( X 21Y31 X 31Y21 )
2 A123

y zx
l y mz nx nz mx
m y nz l x l z nx

V3 V1

V2 V1
1

V1

V3
Y

V2

(V2 V1 ) (V3 V1 )

n y l z mx mz l x
Z

Equations in global coordinate system

Finally, we have

K e T k eT
T

M e T meT

T3
0

T3

T3

0
0
0

T3

Fe T f e
T

lx
T3 l y
l z

mx
my
mz

nx

n y
n z

CASE
STUDY
Finite

element analysis of bicycle frame

CASE STUDY
Youngs modulus,
E GPa

Poissons ratio,

69.0

0.33

74 elements (71 nodes)

Ensure connectivity

CASE STUDY

Horizontal load
Constraints in all directions

CASE STUDY

M = 20X

CASE
STUDY
Axial stress
-9.68 x 105 Pa
-6.264 x 105 Pa
-6.34 x 105 Pa
9.354 x 105 Pa
-6.657 x 105 Pa

-5.665 x 105 Pa

-1.214 x 106 Pa