Finite Element Method

A Practical Course

CHAPTER 6:

FEM FOR 3D SOLIDS

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
TETRAHEDRON ELEMENT
Shape functions
Strain matrix
Element matrices

HEXAHEDRON ELEMENT

Shape functions
Strain matrix
Element matrices
Using tetrahedrons to form hexahedrons

HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

ELEMENTS WITH CURVED SURFACES
CASE STUDY

INTRODUCTION
For

3D solids, all the field variables are dependent

of x, y and z coordinates most general element.

The

element is often known as a 3D solid element

or simply a solid element.

3-D solid element can have a tetrahedron and

hexahedron shape with flat or curved surfaces.

At

any node there are three components in x, y and

z directions for the displacement as well as forces.

TETRAHEDRON ELEMENT
3D

solid meshed with tetrahedron elements

TETRAHEDRON ELEMENT
Consider a 4 node tetrahedron element
u1
v
1
w 1

u2
v2

w 2
de
u3
v3

w 3
u
4
v4
w
4

w4

node 1

4=

v4

w1

w3

u4

node 2

v3

1=

u1

z=Z

node 3

fsz
w2

fsy
fsx

y=Y

node 4

x=X

z =

3=

u3

v1

2=
u2

u2
j

Shape functions
U h ( x, y, z ) N( x, y, z )d e
node
6 44
7 4148

where

N1

N 0
0

0
N1
0

0
0
N1

node
6 44
7 42 48

6 4node
4 7 43 48

node
6 44
7 44 48

N2
0
0

N3
0
0

N4
0
0

0
N2
0

0
0
N2

0
N3
0

0
0
N3

0
N4
0

0
0
N 4

Use volume coordinates (Recall Area coordinates for

2D triangular element)

V P 234
L1
V1234

1=i

4=l

3=k

z
x

2=j

Shape functions
Similarly, L2

VP134
V
V
, L3 P124 , L4 P123
V1234
V1234
V1234

Can also be viewed as ratio of distances

d
d
d
d
L1 P 234 , L2 P 134 , L3 P 124 , L4 P 123
d1 234
d1 234
d1 234
d1 234

L1 L2 L3 L4 1

(Partition of unity)

1=i

since

VP 234 VP134 VP124 VP123 V1234

4=l

3=k

z
x

2=j

Shape functions
1
0

Li

at the home node i

(Delta function property)

at the the remote nodes jkl

x L1 x1 L2 x 2 L3 x3 L4 x 4
y L1 y1 L2 y 2 L3 y 3 L4 y 4

L1 L2 L3 L4 1

z L1 z1 L2 z 2 L3 z 3 L4 z 4

1
x

y
z

1 1
x x
2
1
y1 y 2

z1 z 2

1
x3
y3
z3

1
x 4

y4

z 4

L1

L2

L3

L4

Shape functions
Therefore,

(Adjoint matrix)

L1
L
2

a1 b1

1 a 2 b2

6V a3 b3
L3

L4
a 4 b4

c1
c2
c3
c4

d1 1
d 2 x

d3 y

d 4 z

i= 1,2
l = 4,1

where

yj
ci det yk
yl

yj
yk
yl
1
1
1

z j
zk ,
zl

l
k

(Cofactors)
xj
ai det xk
xl

k = 3,4

1
1
bi det

yj
yk
yl

zj
z
k
zl

z j
yj
y
zk , di det
k

yl
zl

zj
zk
zl

1
1

j = 2,3

Shape functions

1
V det

1
1
1
1

xi y i
xj yj
xk y k
xl y l

zi
z j
zk

zl

(Volume of tetrahedron)

1
Therefore, N i Li
(ai bi x ci y d i z )
6V

Strain matrix
0
0
x
0

y
0

0
0
z

h
Since, U ( x, y, z ) N( x, y , z )d e

Therefore, LU LNd e Bd e where

B LN

b1
0

1 0
B

2V 0
d1

c1

0
c1
0
d1
0
b1

0
0
d1
c1
b1
0

b2
0
0
0
d2
c2

0
c2
0
d2
0
b2

0
0
d2
c2
b2
0

b3
0
0
0
d3
c3

0
c3
0
d3
0
b3

0
0
d3
c3
b3
0

b4
0
0
0
d3
c4

0
c4
0
d4
0
b4

0
0
d 4

c4
b4

(Constant strain element)

0
z y
z
0
x

y x
0

Element matrices
k e BT cBdV Ve BT cB
Ve

m e NT NdV
Ve

where

Ve

Ni N j

N ij 0
0

N11 N12
N
21 N 22
N 31 N 32

N 41 N 42
0
Ni N j
0

0
N i N j

N13 N14
N 23 N 24
dV
N 33 N 34

N 43 N 44

Element matrices
Eisenberg and Malvern, 1973 :

Ve

L1m Ln2 L3p Lq4 dV

m !n ! p !q !
6Ve
(m n p q 3)!

2 0

me

Ve
20

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

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

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

2 0 0 1 0
2 0 0 1

sy.
2 0 0

2 0
2
0

Element matrices
Alternative method for evaluating me: special natural
coordinate system
4=

=constant
3= k
1=

=0
z

P
y
x

2= j

=1

=1

Element matrices
4=

=constant
3= k
1=

=1

=0
P
z
y
x

2= j

=0

Element matrices
4=

l =0

=constant
R
1=

=1

=1

z
y
x

3= k

2= j

=1

Element matrices
xP ( x3 x2 ) x2

xB ( xP x1 ) x1 ( x3 x2 ) ( x2 x1 ) x1

yP ( y3 y2 ) y2

yB ( yP y1 ) y1 ( y3 y2 ) ( y2 y1 ) y1

z P ( z3 z2 ) z2

z B ( z P z1 ) z1 ( z3 z2 ) ( z2 z1 ) z1

x x4 ( x4 xB ) x4 ( x4 x1 ) ( x2 x1 ) ( x2 x3 )
y y4 ( y4 yB ) y4 ( y4 y1 ) ( y2 y1 ) ( y2 y3 )
z z4 ( z4 z B ) z4 ( z4 z1 ) ( z2 z1 ) ( z2 z3 )
4=

l =0

= constant

N1 (1 )
N 2 (1 )

O
1=

N 3
N 4 (1 )

i
=0
=0
=1

=constant
y

x
z=Z

3= k

=1
=1
=1

P [xP(x3x2)+x2, yP(y3y2)+y2,zP(z3z2)+z2]
B [xB(xPx1)+x1, yB(yPy1)y1, zB(zPy1)z1]

=1 2 = j = constant
=0
=1
O [x=(1)(x4xB)xB, y=(1)(y4yB)yB, z=(1)(z4zB)zB]

Element matrices
x

y
J

z

Jacobian:

x

y

z

x21 x31 x31 x41 x21 x31

det[J ] y21 y31 y31 y41 y21 y31 6V 2
z21 z31 z31 z41 z21 z31
m e N NdV
T

Ve

1 1 1

0 0 0

NT Ndet[J]d d d

N11
N
1 1 1
m e 6Ve 2 21
0 0 0
N 31

N 41

N12
N 22
N 32
N 42

N13 N14
N 23 N 24
d d d
N 33 N 34

N 43 N 44

Element matrices
f sx

T
fe [N]
f sy
2 3
l
f
sz

dl

For uniformly distributed load:

w4
4=

w1

v4
w3

u4

v3
1=
z=Z

v1

fsz

u1
w2

fsy
fsx

y=Y
x=X
z=Z

3=

u3

2=
u2

u2
j

0 3 1

f
sx
f sy

f sz
1
fe l23

2
f
sx
f sy

f sz
0
3 1

HEXAHEDRON ELEMENT
3D

solid meshed with hexahedron elements

P

Shape functions

U Nd e
d e 1
d
e 2
d e 3

d
d e e 4
d e 5
d e 6

d e 7
d
e 8

displacement components at node 1

displacement components at node 2
displacement components at node 3
displacement components at node 4
displacement components at node 5
displacement components at node 6
displacement components at node 7
displacement components at node 8

u1

d ei v1
w
1

N N1

N2

N3

N4

N5

N6

7
1
z

0
fsx

fsy

Ni
N i 0
0

(i 1, 2,L ,8)

fsz

N7

0
Ni
0

N8

0
0
N i

(i 1,2, ,8)

Shape functions
(-1, -1, 1)5
5

8(-1, 1, 1)

8
(1, -1, 1)6

6
1
z
0

fsz

7
fsx

x N i ( , , ) xi
i 1
8

y N i ( , , ) y i

(-1, -1, -1)1

7 (1, 1, 1)

4(-1, 1, -1)

fsy

(1, -1, -1)2

3(1, 1, -1)

1
N i (1 i )(1 i )(1 i )
8

i 1
8

z N i ( , , ) z i
i 1

(Tri-linear functions)

Strain matrix
LU LNd e Bd e
B B1

B2

B3

B4

B5

B6

B7

B8

whereby

B i LN i

0
0
N i x

y
0
i

0
0
N i z

N i z

N i z N i y
0
N i x

N i y N i x

Note: Shape functions are expressed in natural

coordinates chain rule of differentiation

Strain matrix
N i N i

x
N i N i

x
N i N i

x N i

y
x N i

y
x N i

y N i z

z
y N i z

z
y N i z

N i
N i

x

N
N i

N i
N i

z

where

Chain rule of
differentiation

x
J

x

z

z

z

Strain matrix
Since,

i 1

i 1

i 1

x N i ( , , ) xi , y N i ( , , ) yi , z N i ( , , ) zi

N1

N1
J

N1

N 2

N 2

N 2

N 3

N 3

N 3

N i
x

i 1
8
N i
x

i 1
8
N i
x

i 1
8

or

N 4

N 4

N 4

N 5

N 5

N 5

N i
y

i 1
8
N i
y

i 1
8
N i
y

i 1
8

N 6

N 6

N 6

N 7

N 7

N 7

N i

i 1
8
N i
z

i 1
8
N i
z

i 1

zi

N 8

N 8

N8

x1
x
2
x3

x4
x5

x6
x
7
x8

y1
y2
y3
y4
y5
y6
y7
y8

z1
z2
z3

z4
z5

z6
z7

z8

Strain matrix

N i

1
i

J
y

N i

N i

N i

N i

Used to replace derivatives

w.r.t. x, y, z with derivatives
w.r.t. , ,
0
N i x

0
N i y

B i LN i

0
0

N i z

0
0

N i z

N i z N i y
0
N i x

N i y N i x

Element matrices
ke

Ve

B cBdV
T

B TcB det[J ]d dd

1 1 1

Gauss integration: I 1 1 1 f ( , )dd wi w j wk f ( i , j , j )

i 1 j 1 k 1

m e N NdV
T

Ve

1 1 1

NT Ndet[J]d d d

Element matrices
For rectangular hexahedron:

det[J] abc Ve / 8
m11

m12
m 22

me

sy.

m13 m14
m 23 m 24
m 33 m 34
m 44

m15
m 25
m35
m 45
m55

m16
m 26
m 36
m 46
m 56

m17
m 27
m 37
m 47
m 57

m 66

m 67
m 77

m18
m 28
m 38

m 48
m 58

m 68
m 78

m88

Element matrices
(Contd)
1

where m ij 1 1 1 abcN i N j ddd

1

abc

Ni
0

1 1 1

abc

0
Ni

0 Nj

0 0
N i 0
0

Ni N j

Ni N j

1 1 1

0
Nj
0
0

0 d d d
N j

0 ddd
N i N j

Element matrices
(Contd)
mij

or

m ij 0
0

where

mij
0

0
mij

mij abc

1 1

1 1

N i N j ddd

1
1
abc 1
(
1

)(
1

)
d

(
1

)(
1

)
d

(1 i )(1 j )d
i
j
i
j

1
64
hab

(1 13 i j )(1 13 i j )(1 13 i j )
8

Element matrices
(Contd)

abc
abc
1
1
1
(1 3 1 1)(1 3 1 1)(1 3 1 1) 8
E.g. m33
8
216
m11 m22 m33 m44 m55 m66 m77 m88

8 abc
216
4 abc
216
2 abc
m38 m45 m18
216

m12 m23 m34 m56 m67 m78 m14 m58 m15 m26 m37 m48
m13 m24 m16 m25 m36 m47 m57 m68 m27
m17 m28 m35 m46

1abc
216

Element matrices
(Contd)
4

abc
m ex
216

sy.

2 4 4 2 1 2

4 2 2 4 2 1
8 4 1 2 4 2

8 2 1 2 4
8 4 2 4

8 4 2
8 4

(Rectangular hexahedron)

Note: For x direction only

Element matrices
f sx

f e [N ]T f sy dl
3 4
l
f
sz

For
uniformly
distributed
load:

0 31
0
31

f sx
f
sy
f sz
f
1

sx
f e l 3 4

f
2
sy
f sz
0
31

0 31

0
31

0 31

fsz

7
1
z
2

0
fsx

y
x

fsy

Using tetrahedrons to form hexahedrons

Hexahedrons

can be made up of several

tetrahedrons

8
5
4

Hexahedron
made up of 5
tetrahedrons:

8
4

6
2

3
6

6
1
3

3
2

Using tetrahedrons to form hexahedrons

Element matrices can

be obtained by
assembly of
tetrahedron elements

8
4

7
8

5
6

3
4

6
4
2

Hexahedron
made up of 6
tetrahedrons:

4
1

3
Break into three

5
1

4
6

HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

Tetrahedron

elements

10 nodes, quadratic:
4

N i (2 Li -1)Li
N 5 4 L2 L3
N 6 4 L1 L3
N 7 4 L1 L2
N8 4 L1 L4
N 9 4 L2 L4
N10 4 L3 L4

for corner nodes i 1,2,3,4

9

2
7

for mid-edge nodes

10
5

6
3

HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

Tetrahedron

elements (Contd)

20 nodes, cubic:
N i 12 (3Li 1)(3Li 2)Li
N 5 92 (3L1 1)L1 L3

for corner nodes i 1,2,3,4

N11 92 (3L1 1)L1 L4

N 6 92 (3L3 1)L1 L3 N12 92 (3L4 1)L1 L4

N 7 92 (3L1 1)L1 L2 N13 92 (3L2 1)L2 L4

9
2
9
2
9
2

for edge nodes

N 9 (3L2 1)L2 L3 N15 (3L3 1)L3 L4

N10 (3L3 1)L2 L3 N16 (3L4 1)L3 L4

N17 27 L2 L3 L4
N18 27 L1 L2 L3

N19 27 L1 L3 L4

N 20 27 L1 L2 L4

for center surface nodes

13

20
11

N8 (3L2 1)L1 L2 N14 (3L4 1)L2 L4

9
2
9
2
9
2

14

12

16

17

19
5 18 15

1
5

2
9
10
3

HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

Brick

elements

nd=(n+1)(m+1)(p+1) nodes

(n,m,p)

Lagrange type:
Ni N N N
1D
I

where
lkn ( )

1D
J

1D
K

(n,m,0)

l ( )l ( )l ( )
n
I

m
J

p
K

i(I,J,K)

(0,0,0)

( 0 )( 1 ) L ( k 1 )( k 1 ) L ( n )
( k 0 )( k 1 )L ( k k 1 )( k k 1 )L ( k n )

(n,0,0)

HIGHER ORDER
ELEMENTS

(-1, -1, 1)5

Brick

elements (Contd)

Serendipity type elements:

16
13

(1, -1, 1)6

20
17

20 nodes, tri-quadratic:

15

11(-1,0,-1)

12(0-1,-1)

N j 18 (1 j )(1 j )(1 j )( j j i 2)

14
3
19
7 (1, 1, 1)

18

(-1,-1,-1)1

(1, -1, -1)2

8(-1, 1, 1)

9(1,0,-1)

for corner nodes j 1, L , 8

N j 14 (1 2 )(1 j )(1 j )

for mid-side nodes j 10,12,14,16

N j 14 (1 2 )(1 j )(1 j )

for mid-side nodes j 9,11,13,15

N j 14 (1 2 )(1 j )(1 j )

for mid-side nodes j 17,18,19, 20

4(-1, 1, -1)

10(0,1,-1)
3(1, 1, -1)

HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

Brick

elements (Contd)

32 nodes, tri-cubic:
Nj

1
64

(1 j )(1 j )(1 j )(9 2 9 2 9 2 19)

for corner nodes j 1, L , 8

Nj

9
64

(1 2 )(1 9 j )(1 j )(1 j )

for side nodes with j 13 , j 1 and j 1

Nj

9
64

(1 2 )(1 9 j )(1 j )(1 j )

for side nodes with j 13 , j 1 and j 1

Nj

9
64

(1 2 )(1 9 j )(1 j )(1 j )

for side nodes with j 13 , j 1 and j 1

ELEMENTS WITH CURVED

SURFACES
4

4
9
10

7
6

13
5

12
6
17
20

5
6

3
15
7

1
13

10

14

16

20

11

12

17

10

14 11
4
18
16
19

10

15
7

18
19
8

CASE STUDY
Stress

and strain analysis of a quantum dot

heterostructure
E (Gpa)

GaAs

86.96

0.31

InAs

51.42

0.35

Material

GaAs cap layer

InAs wetting
layer
GaAs substrate

InAs quantum dot

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY
30 nm

30 nm

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY