FINITE ELEMENT : TECHNOLOGY

Georges Cailletaud
Ecole des Mines de Paris, Centre des Materiaux
UMR CNRS 7633

Contents

1/41

Contents
Gauss integration
Definition
4-node quadrilateral
Quality of the integration
Patch test
Rigid body mode
Locking
Spurious modes

Contents
Gauss integration
Definition
4-node quadrilateral
Quality of the integration
Patch test
Rigid body mode
Locking
Spurious modes

Gauss integration
r -point Gauss integration on a [-1:+1] segment:
Z

+1

f ()d
1

r
X

wi f (i )

gives exact result for a (2r 1) order polynom

Evaluation at sampling points i , combined with weigthing coefficients
wi
Example, order 2:
f () = 1 :
2 = w1 + w2
f () = :
0 = w1 1 + w2 2
f () = 2 :
2/3 = w1 12 + w2 22
f () = 3 :
0 = w1 13 + w2 23

then w1 = w2 = 1, and 1 = 2 = 1/ 3

Gauss integration

4/41

Onedimensional Gauss integration

One integration point
5

f (x) = x 5 + x 3 + 3x 2 1/2
Gauss approximation

4
3
f(x) 2
1
0

-1
-1

-0.5
Z

0
x

0.5

f ()d 2 f (0 )
1

Gauss integration

5/41

Onedimensional Gauss integration

Two integration points
5

f (x) = x 5 + x 3 + 3x 2 1/2
Gauss approximation

4
3
f(x) 2
1




0
-1
-1

-0.5

0
0.5
x

f ()d 1 f (1/ 3) + 1 f (1/ 3)

Gauss integration

6/41

Onedimensional Gauss integration

Three integration points
5

f (x) = x 5 + x 3 + 3x 2 1/2
Gauss approximation

4
3

f(x) 2
1

-1
-1
Z

-0.5

f ()d =
1

Gauss integration

0
x

0.5

p
5
8
5 p
f ( 3/5) + f (0) + f ( 3/5)
9
9
9

7/41

Gauss integration in a N-dimensional space

f (, , )ddd =
1

d
1

d
1

f (, , )d
1

Respectively r1 , r2 , r3 Gauss points in each direction, so that:

Z

f (, , )ddd =
1

r1 X
r2 X
r3
X

wi wj wk f (i , j , k )

i=1 j=1 k=1

Usually, r1 = r2 = r3
Special integration rules for triangles

Gauss integration

8/41

Contents
Gauss integration
Definition
4-node quadrilateral
Quality of the integration
Patch test
Rigid body mode
Locking
Spurious modes

4-node quadrilateral (1)

Bilinear interpolation of the geometry and of the unknown function

x = N1 x1 + N2 x2 + N3 x3 + N4 x4
ux = N1 qx1 + N2 qx2 + N3 qx3 + N4 qx4
Shape functions
N1 (, ) = (1 )(1 )/4
N1 (, ) = (1 + )(1 + )/4
Jacobian
matrix

[J] =

1
4

y = N1 y1 + N2 y2 + N3 y3 + N4 y4
uy = N1 qy 1 + N2 qy 2 + N3 qy 3 + N4 qy 4

N2 (, ) = (1 + )(1 )/4
N2 (, ) = (1 )(1 + )/4

x1 + x2 + x3 x4 + (x1 x2 + x3 x4 )
x1 x2 + x3 + x4 + (x1 x2 + x3 x4 )

Gauss integration

y1 + y2 + y3 y4 + (y1 y2 + y3 y4 )
y1 y2 + y3 + y4 + (y1 y2 + y3 y4 )

10/41

4-node quadrilateral (2)

Determinant of the Jacobian matrix: terms in and
8J =(y4 y2 )(x3 x1 ) (y3 y1 )(x4 x2 )
+ ((y3 y4 )(x2 x1 ) (y2 y1 )(x3 x4 ))
+ ((y4 y1 )(x3 x2 ) (y3 y2 )(x4 x1 ))
Inverse of the jacobian matrix: homographic function in and
4 y y + y + y + (y y + y y )
1
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
[J]
=
J +y1 y2 y3 + y4 (y1 y2 + y3 y4 )

x1 x2 + x3 + x4 + (x1 x2 + x3 x4 )
+x1 x2 x3 + x4 (x1 x2 + x3 x4 )

Derivative of the shape functions:

N1 /x
N1 /
(1 )/4
= [J]1
= [J]1
N1 /y
N1 /
(1 )/4
Terms in

1
(1, , , , 2 )
B
C
(1, , )
C
=B
@ (1, , , , 2 ) A
0

N1 /x
N1 /y

= 1
J

(1, )
(1, )

(1, )
(1, )

(1 )/4
(1 )/4

(1, , )
Gauss integration

11/41

4-node quadrilateral (3)

The jacobian is an homographic function for a generic quad.
R
[K ] is obtained by Gauss integration, [K ] = [B]T [D][B]d
Z

[K ] =

[B] [D][B]Jdd =
1

p X
p
X

wi wj J((i , j )[B] (i , j )[D][B](i , j )

i=1 j=1

The stiffness matrix includes terms like

(1, , , , 2 , ..., 4 , 4 , 2 2 )
(1, , )

For a generic quad, the integration of [K ] is never exact

The internal forces are computed as:

Z
p X
p
X
[Fint ] =
[B]T []d =
wi wj J((i , j )[B]T (i , j )[(i , j )]

i=1 j=1

The determinant at the denominator of [B] vanishes with the

determinant due to elementary volume
The internal forces ( constant) include terms like
(1, , , , 2 , ..., 2 , 2 , 2 , 2 )
Internal forces are integrated with a 2 2 rule

Gauss integration

12/41

4-node quadrilateral (4)

If the real world quad is a parallelogram, the relation (x, y ), are linear and
not bilinear, so that the partial derivatives x/, etc. . . are constant. The
jacobian is also constant.
The following terms are present in
derivatives:
[N]
[N/]
[N/]

the interpolation functions and their

1
0
0

1
0

0
1

[K ] is obtained by Gauss integration, using a constant J.

The product [B]T (i , i )[D][B](j , j ), and also the stiffness matrix,

include terms like i j with i + j 6 2
[K ] is exactly integrated with a 2 2 rule

The internal forces present only linear terms

Only one Gauss point is needed for constant stress state, and 2 2 for linear stresses

Gauss integration

13/41

Contents
Gauss integration
Definition
4-node quadrilateral
Quality of the integration
Patch test
Rigid body mode
Locking
Spurious modes

Number of Gauss points for an exact integration (1)

The following terms are present in the interpolation functions and their
derivatives:
For generic geometries, the computation of [B] involves derivatives
of the shape functions and partial derivative of the coordinate of the
physical space wrt the reference coordinates:
Ni
Ni
=
x
x

1 y
=
x
J
1 Ni y
A typical term of [B] is then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J

2
1 Ni y
A typical term of [K ] is then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J

Ni y
A typical term of [Fint ] is then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A typical space derivative term is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gauss integration

15/41

Number of Gauss points for an exact integration (2)

For linear geometries, and constant jacobian matrix (introducing the

constant a):
Ni
Ni
=a
x

Ni


2
Ni
A typical term of [K ] is then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ni
A typical term of [Fint ] is then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A typical term of [B] is then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gauss integration

16/41

Rectangular C2D8 element

Uniform jacobian
The following terms are present in the interpolation functions and their
derivatives:
[N]
[N/]
[N/]

1
0
0

1
0

0
1

2
2
0

2
0
2

2
2
2

2
2
2

The product [B]T [D][B] includes terms like i j with i + j 4

3 3 points for a full integration (too much, exact until 5)
2 2 points are for reduced integration

Gauss integration

17/41

Number of Gauss points needed

Gauss integration

Element
C2D4
C2D4
C2D4
C2D4

Geometry
Linear
Bilinear
Linear
Bilinear

Loading
Constant
Constant
Linear
Linear

[K ]
4
NO
4
NO

[Fint ]
1
1
4
4

C2D8
C2D8
C2D8
C2D8

Linear
Bilinear
Bilinear
Generic

Constant
Constant
Linear
Constant

4
NO
NO
NO

4
4
4
4

C3D8
C3D8

Linear
Trilinear

Constant
Constant

8
NO

1
8

C3D20
C3D20
C3D20
C3D20

Linear
Trilinear
Trilinear
Generic

Constant
Constant
Linear
Constant

27
NO
NO
NO

8
8
27
27

18/41

Precision of the Gauss integration method

y


[J] =

a(1 + ( 1)) a( 1)
0
a

1
I = 2
a

+1

+1

Compute I =
1

1
dd
J

Using a mapping on a square

[0..1]:
x = (1 + ( 1))a
y = a

Order
1
2
3
exact

Z
0

d
1 + ( 1)

=2
0.66666
0.69231
0.69312
0.69315

=5
0.33333
0.39130
0.40067
0.40236

= 10
0.18182
0.23404
0.24962
0.25584

Analytic expression:
log
I = 2
a ( 1)
(after Dhatt and Touzot)

Gauss integration

19/41

Global algorithm

For each loading increment, do while k{R}iter k > EPSI :

iter = 0; iter < ITERMAX ; iter + +
1
Update displacements: {u}iter +1 = {u}iter + {u}iter
2
Compute {} = [B].{u}iter +1 then
for each Gauss point

3
Integrate the constitutive equation:

, I ,

4
Compute int and ext forces: {Fint ({u}t + {u}iter +1 )} , {Fe }
5
Compute the residual force: {R}iter +1 = {Fint } {Fe }
6
New displacement increment: {u}iter +1 = [K ]1 .{R}iter +1

Gauss integration

20/41

Convergence
Value of the residual forces < R , e.g.
!1/n
||{R}||n =

Rin

||{R}|| = max |Ri |

Relative values:
||{R}i {R}e ||
<
||{R}e ||
Displacements

{U}

k+1


{U}k n < U

Energy

T
{U}k+1 {U}k . {R}k < W

Gauss integration

21/41

The concept of patch (engineering version)

Apply a given displacement field on the external (blue) nodes

Check the results in the internal (red) nodes
For instance, uniform strain; or shear, or bending
Check with a bending displacement field: ux = xy and
uy = 0.5(x 2 + y 2 ), assuming bilinear geometry (with term)
The resulting displacement for uy should have terms like (a + b + c + d)2 . A
nine node quad will pass, but not an eight-node quad (missing 2 2 term in the
polynomial base).
The eight-node pass, provided the edges are straight
This demonstrates also the limitations of high order elements. For them, a complex
shape (terms in 3 , 3 for a cubic interpolation introduces terms like 6 2 ,
etc. . . for a correct patch test simulation. They are not in the polynomial basis...

Patch test

22/41

Rigid body mode (1)

Example of a 2D plane element

Zero strain:
u1,1 = 0

u2,2 = 0 ;

u1,2 + u2,1 = 0

Possible displacement field:

u1 = A Cx2

2 translations

Patch test

1
0

u2 = B + Cx1

3rigid body
 modes:



0
x1
and
; 1 rotation
1
x2

23/41

Rigid body mode (2)

Example of a 2D axisymmetric element

Zero strain:
r = ur ,r = 0 ;

ur
=0
r

uz,z = 0

Possible displacement field:

uz = A

Only 1 rigid body modes: 1 translation

Rigid body mode

0
1

24/41

Rank sufficiency/deficiency

No zero-energy mode other than rigid body modes

r is the rank of the elementary stiffness matrix (number of
evaluations)
Check r with respect to nF nR (nF is the number of element DOF,
nR is the number of rigid body modes)
Rank sufficient element iff r > nF nR
Rank deficiency, d in the case d = nF nR r > 0
Each Gauss point adds nE to the rank of the matrix (nE is the order
of the stress-strain matrix, nG the number of Gauss points),
r = nE nG
RULE:

nE nG > nF nR

Rigid body mode

25/41

Rank-sufficient Gauss integration

Element
3-node triangle
6-node triangle
4-node quadrilateral
8-node quadrilateral
9-node quadrilateral
8-node hexahedron
20-node hexahedron

Rigid body mode

n
3
6
4
8
9
8
20

nF
6
12
8
16
18
24
60

nF nR
3
9
5
13
15
18
54

Min ng
1
3
2
5
5
3
9

rule
1-pt
3-pt
2x2
3x3
3x3
2x2x2
3x3x3

26/41

Stiffness matrix of a rectangular element

rectangle [a, a/2]; E=96; =1/3

0

42
B 18
B
B 6
B
B 0
[K ] = B
B21
B
B18
B
@15
0

18
78
0
30
18
39
0
69

6
0
42
18
15
0
21
18

0
30
18
78
0
69
18
39

21
18
15
0
42
18
6
0

18
39
0
69
18
78
0
30

15
0
21
18
6
0
42
18

1
0
69C
C
18 C
C
39C
C
0 C
C
30 C
C
18A
78

Eigenvalues = { 223.4 90 78 46.36 42 0 0 0 }

(three rigid body modes)
Carlos Felippa

Rigid body mode

27/41

Stiffness matrix of a trapezoidal element

4

2a
2
E=4206384; =1/3
Rule Eigenvalues obtained with different Gauss rules (scaled by 106 )
1x1
8.77276 3.68059 2.26900
0
0
0 0 0
2x2
8.90944 4.09769 3.18565 2.64523 1.54678 0 0 0
3x3
8.91237 4.11571 3.19925 2.66438 1.56155 0 0 0
4x4
8.91246 4.11627 3.19966 2.66496 1.56199 0 0 0
Three rigid body modes, but a rank deficiency by TWO is too few Gauss points
are used
Carlos Felippa

Rigid body mode

28/41

Analysis of the locking penomenon

For bad reasons, the element becomes too stiff

Shear locking
Volumetric locking
Trapezoidal locking
Locking in fields

Locking

29/41

Alias functions

Function which tries to mimic a given function in one element

Basis for a C2D3: (1, , ), for a C2D4: (1, , , ),
for a C2D8: (1, , , 2 , , 2 , 2 , 2 ).
Alias for various functions:
Function
C2D3
C2D4
C2D8

Locking

1
OK

0
OK
OK

1
OK

2
0

OK

2
0

OK

30/41

Shear locking

C2D4, L x1 L, 1 x2 1
u1 = x1 x2
u2 = x12 /2
u
= x1 x2
Aliased field 1
u2 = L2 /2 !!
Actual field

Computed shear for the alias, 12 = x/2 !! (actual solution: 0)

Computed stored elastic energy We for the real field and Wa for the alias:
1 2
Wa
=1+
L
Wo
2
Solve the problem by computing shear on the middle of the element

Locking

31/41

Shear locking (2)

Analytic solution
11 =Ex2 /(1 2 )

11 = u1,1 = x2

22 =Ex2 /(1 2 )
12 =0

22 = u2,2 = 0
212 = u2,1 + u1,2 = 0

Solution with the alias

11 =Ex2 /(1 2 )

11 = u1,1 = x2

22 =Ex2 /(1 2 )
12 =(1/2)Ex1 /(1 + )

22 = u2,2 = 0
212 = u2,1 + u1,2 = x1

Wo =

Locking

1
2

:
d

32/41

Dilatational locking
C2D4, L x1 L, 1 x2 1
Actual field

Aliased field

u1

u2

u1

u2

x1 x2
x2

1
x2
2
2(1 ) 2
x1 x2
L2

!!
2
2(1 )

The computed stored elastic energy Wa for the alias tends to infinity if
tends to 0.5

Wa =

E
2(1 + )

1 2 x12
x +
1 2 2
2


instead of:

We =

E
x2
2(1 2 ) 2

Solve the problem by adding a non conform. displacement (x12 L2 , x22 1)

Locking

33/41

Dilatational locking (2)

Analytic solution
11
22
33
212

= u1,1 = x2
= u2,2 = x2 /(1 )
= u3,3 = 0
= u2,1 + u1,2 = 0

11
22
33
12

=Ex2 /(1 2 )
=0
=
=0

Solution with the alias

11 = u1,1 = x2
22 = u2,2 = 0
212 = u2,1 + u1,2 = x1

Wo =
Locking

11 =E (1 )x2 /(1 + )(1 2)

22 =Ex2 /(1 + )(1 2)
12 =(1/2)Ex1 /(1 + )

1
2

:
d

34/41

Locking of the 8-node rectangle

Consider a rectangle of length 2 and width 2 (with > 1)

Displacement basis: 1, , , 2 , , 2 , 2 , 2
Try u1 = x12 x2 , u2 = x13 /3, so that 11 = 2x1 x2 , 22 = 0, 12 = 0.
In fact, u2 represented by its alias, x1 2 /3, so that the shear is
x12 2 /3
No lockingif the shear is evaluated at the second order Gauss point
(x1 = 1/ 3)
Underintegration is a good remedy to locking

Locking

35/41

Locking of the 8-node rectangle (2)

Analytic solution
11
22
33
212

= u1,1 = 2x1 x2
= u2,2 = 0
= u3,3 = 0
= u2,1 + u1,2 = 0

11
22
33
12

=2Ex1 x2
=0
=
=0

Solution with the alias (u1 = x12 x2 and u2 = x1 2 /3)

11 = u1,1 = 2x1 x2
22 = u2,2 = 0
33 = u3,3 = 0

11 =2Ex1 x2
22 =0
33 =0

212 = u2,1 + u1,2 = x12 2 /3

1
Wo =
2
Locking

12 =(1/2)(x12 2 /3)/(1 + )
Z

:
d

36/41

Trapezoidal locking
2 (1 )
y

2 (1+ )

Geometry: x1 = (1 ), and x2 = ; = x1 /(1 x2 ).

Displacement basis: 1, , , 2 , , 2 , 2 , 2
Try u1 = x12 x2 , u2 = x12 /2, so that 11 = x2 , 22 = 0, 12 = 0.
In fact, the solution with the alias is:

( )

11 =
22 = 2 212 = 1 +
1
1
All components are affected
Error on shear component suppressed if the evaluation is made at = 0
only.
Error on 22 cannot be easily suppressed
Locking

37/41

Dilatational locking on triangles

triangle C2D3

Incompressible, BL TR mesh.......

Incompressible, TL BR mesh.......

Compressible, BL TR mesh.........

Locking

38/41

Spurious modes of a C2D4

Find a displacement field which does not produce any strain on the Gauss
points

u21

u23

u11 = +a

u12 = a

u13 = +a

u14 = a

u22

u24

=0

C2D4 C2D4r C2D8 C2D8r

Spurious modes

39/41

Spurious modes

An element has internal degrees of freedom which allow deformation

process to occur in the element
Rigid body mode {o } such as: [K ] {o } = 0 everywhere
Spurious mode {o } such as: [K ] {o } = 0 in some places
The number of independent states is given by the total number of dof in
the element
Number of independent states - Rigid body mode - Number of evaluation
of the strain components = Number of spurious modes
For an element of degree p, the number of strain evaluations is:
3p 2 (reduced integration, 2D); 3(p + 1)2 (full integration, 2D); 6p 2
(reduced integration, 3D); 6p 2 (reduced integration, 3D).
The number of strain states is:
8p 3 (Serendip, 2D); 2(p + 1)2 (Lagrange, 2D); 36p 6 (Serendip, 3D);
3(p + 1)3 6 Lagrange, 3D).

Spurious modes

40/41

Spurious modes

Polynomial
degree p
1
2

Serendip 2D

Lagrange 2D

Serendip 3D

Lagrange 3D

2
1

2
3

12
6

12
27

For the 8-node underintegrated element, the following is a spurious mode:

u1 = k1 ( 2 1/3)
u2 = k2 ( 2 1/3)

Spurious modes

41/41