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Reading assignment:
Chapter 2: Sections 2.1-2.5 + Lecture notes
Summary:
Developing the finite element equations for a system of
springs using the direct stiffness approach
Application of boundary conditions
Physical significance of the stiffness matrix
Direct assembly of the global stiffness matrix
Problems
F1x
F2x
k1
F3x
k2
Problem
Analyze the behavior of the system composed of the two springs
loaded by external forces as shown above
Given
F1x , F2x ,F3x are external loads. Positive directions of the forces are
along the positive x-axis
k1 and k2 are the stiffnesses of the two springs
F1x
F2x
k1
F3x
k2
Solution
Step 1: In order to analyze the system we break it up into smaller
parts, i.e., elements connected to each other through nodes
F1x
k1
1
Node 1
F2x
d1x
Element 1
d2x
k2
F3x
3
Element 2
d3x
F1x
k1
1
Node 1
F2x
d1x
Element 1
d2x
k2
F3x
3
Element 2
d3x
Solution
Step 2: Analyze the behavior of a single element (spring)
Two nodes: 1, 2
Nodal displacements: d1x d 2x
Nodal forces: f1x f2x
Spring constant: k
F
d
f1x
f2x
2002 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning
f2x k (d 2x d1x )
Eq (1)
Force equilibrium for our spring element (recap free body diagrams)
f1x f2x 0
f1x f2x k (d 2x d1x )
Eq (2)
Element force
vector
f1x
k - k d1x
f k d
- k k d 2x
f 2x
Element nodal
Element
stiffness
matrix
displacement
vector
Note
T
det ( k ) k 2 k 2 0
The consequence is that the matrix is NOT invertible. It is not
possible to invert it to obtain the displacements. Why?
The spring is not constrained in space and hence it can attain
multiple positions in space for the same nodal forces
e.g.,
f1x
2 - 2 1 - 2
f 2x
- 2 2 2 2
f1x
2 - 2 3 - 2
f 2x
- 2 2 4 2
Solution
Step 3: Now that we have been able to describe the behavior of
each spring element, lets try to obtain the behavior of the original
structure by assembly
Split the original structure into component elements
Element 2
Element 1
k1
1
2
k2
2
(1)
f2x(1) d 2x
(1)
f1x(1) d1x
f1x(1)
k1 - k1
(1)
k
k
f 2x
1 1
(1 )
k
(1)
f
Eq (3)
(1)
d1x
(1)
d 2x
(1 )
d
3
(2)
f2x(2) d 2x
(2)
f1x(2) d1x
f1x(2)
k2 - k2
(2)
k
k
f 2x
2
2
(2)
(2)
f
Eq (4)
(2)
d1x
(2)
d 2x
(2)
d
Node 1
1
d1x
Element 1
d2x
Element 2
(1)
d1x
d1x
(2) d
d (1)
d
2x
1x
2x
d (2) d
2x
3x
Eq (5)
d3x
f1x(1)
k1 - k1
(1)
k
k
f 2x
1
1
d1x
d 2x
f1x(2)
k2
(2)
f 2x
- k2
- k 2 d 2x
k 2 d 3x
f1x(1)
k1 k1 0
(1)
-k
k
0
f
2x
1
1
0
0
0 0
f
(1) e
(1) e
Eq (6)
k (1) e
f (1) e
d1x
d
2x
d 3x
0
0
f (2)
0
1x
f (2)
0
2x
(2)e
f
0 d1x
d
k 2 k 2 2x
- k 2 k 2 d 3x
0
(2)e
k
Eq (7)
d1x
D3
2 C
d2x
d3x
2
F1x
f1x(1)
f2x(1)
F2x
3
f1x(2)
2x
(2)
f2x
F3x
f1x(1)
F1x
(1) (2)
F F2x f 2x f1x
F
(2)
f
2x
3x
f (1) e
f1x(1)
0
( 2)e
(1)
f (2)
f 2x and f
1x
0
f (2)
2x
Hence, the global force vector is simply the sum of the expanded
element nodal force vectors F
1x
(1) e
( 2)e
F2x f f
F3x
But we know the expressions for the expanded local force vectors
from Eqs (6) and (7)
F f
(1) e
( 2) e
(1)e
d k
(2)e
(1)e
(2)e
d k k d
FKd
F Global nodal force vector
d Global nodal displacement vector
K Global stiffness matrix
sum of expanded element stiffness matrices
For our original structure with two springs, the global stiffness
matrix is
k 1 k 1 0 0
K - k1 k1 0 0
0
0 0 0
(1 ) e
k
k1
- k1
0
k1
k1 k 2
- k2
0
0
k 2 k 2
- k 2 k 2
(2)e
k
0
k 2
k 2
NOTE
1. The global stiffness matrix is symmetric
2. The global stiffness matrix is singular
F1x k1
F2x - k1
F 0
3x
FKd
k1
k1 k 2
- k2
imply
0
k 2
k 2
d1x
d 2x
d
3x
F1x
1 A
k1
d1x
k2
F2x
B
F3x
D3
2 C
d2x
x
d3x
2
F1x
f1x(1)
f2x(1)
F2x
3
f1x(2)
(2)
f2x
F3x
Notice that the sum of the forces equal zero, i.e., the structure is in
static equilibrium.
F1x + F2x+ F3x =0
Given the nodal forces, can we solve for the displacements?
To obtain unique values of the displacements, at least one of the
nodal displacements must be specified.
Global
F1x
F2x
k1
1
d1x
Element 1
d2x
k2
F3x
3
Element 2
Local
1
(1)
f1x(1) d1x
Element 1
k1
2
(1)
f2x(1) d 2x
2
(2)
f1x(2) d1x
d3x
Element 2
k2
3
(2)
f2x(2) d 2x
(1)
k1 - k1 d1x
k
k
1 d2x
1
k ( 2 ) k 2
-k
2
k1
K - k1
0
- k1
k1 k 2
- k2
0
- k 2
k 2
d1x
d2x
d3x
- k 2 d2x
k 2 d3x
Example 2.1
22
K
0
2000
0
0
2000
0 d2x
2000 3000 3000 d3x
3000
3000 d
4x
Example 2.3
3
K -k1
0
-k1
k1 k 2 k 3
- k2 k3
- k 2 k 3
k 2 k 3
Consider 2 cases
Case 1: Homogeneous boundary conditions (e.g., d1x=0)
Case 2: Nonhomogeneous boundary conditions (e.g., one of the
nodal displacements is known to be different from zero)
Homogeneous boundary condition at node 1
k2=100N/m
k1=500N/m
1
2
Element 2
Element 1
d1x=0
d2x
F3x=5N
3
d3x
System equations
0
500 -500
-500 600 -100
0
-100 100
d 1x F1x
d 2 x 0
d 3 x 5
Global Stiffness Nodal Nodal
load
disp
matrix
vector vector
Note that F1x is the wall reaction which is to be computed as part
of the solution and hence is an unknown in the above equation
Writing out the equations explicitly
-500d 2x F1x
Eq(1)
Eq(2)
600d 2 x 100d3 x 0
100d 2 x 100d3 x 5
Eq(3)
Eq(2) and (3) are used to find d2x and d3x by solving
600 100 d 2 x
100 100 d
3 x
d 2 x
0.01 m
d
0.06
m
3 x
0
-100 100
600 100
100 100
NOTICE:
1. Take care of homogeneous boundary conditions
by deleting the appropriate rows and columns from the
global stiffness matrix and solving the reduced set of
equations for the unknown nodal displacements.
2. Both displacements and forces CANNOT be known at
the same node. If the displacement at a node is known, the
reaction force at that node is unknown (and vice versa)
System equations
0
500 -500
-500 600 -100
0
-100 100
d 1x F1x
d 2 x 0
d 3 x F3 x
0.06
Note that now F1x and F3x are not known.
Now use Eq(1) and (3) to compute F1x =-5N and F3x=5N
nodal
displacement
vector
f k e d
nodal
displacement
vector
F f
FKd
K k
K11 K12 d1 F1
K K d F
22
21
2
2
Solve for unknown nodal displacements
K 22 d 2 F2 K 21 d1
Compute unknown nodal forces
F1 K11 d1 K12 d 2
k1
F2x
2
1
Element 1
d1x
d2x
In general, we will have a
stiffness matrix of the form
(assume for now that we do not
know k11, k12, etc)
The finite element
force-displacement
relations:
k11
k
21
k 31
k2
F3x
3
Element 2
d3x
k11
K k 21
k 31
k12
k 22
k 32
k13
k 23
k 33
k12
k 22
k 32
k13
k 23
k 33
d1 F1
d 2 F2
d F
3 3
Force equilibrium
equation at node 1
k1
F2
2
1
d1
Element 1
d2
k2
F3
3
Element 2
d3
d (1)
2x
(1)
d1x
f1x(1)
k1
f2x(1)
(1) ) k (0 1) k
f2x(1) k1 (d (1)
d
2x
1x
1
1
f1x(1) f2x(1) k1
f1x(1)
Of course, F3=0
F2 =f2x(1) k1
F1 = k1d1 = k1=k11
F2 = -F1 = -k1=k21
F3 = 0 =k31
k1
k1
0
k1
1 k2
k2
k 2