BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI

ME G512: FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION DEC 1, 2006
PART B (OPEN BOOK) (DURATION: Max 120 minutes) (Max Marks: 26)
Q1. For the beam problem shown in Fig1.use minimum number of Euler-Bernoulli elements and
calculate (a) The assembled stiffness matrix, force vector and banded matrix (b) Specified
boundary conditions (both primary and secondary, do not solve the problem). [6]
Q2. A Partial differential equation governing unsteady heat transfer in an insulated rod:

f
x
u
a
x t
u

,
_

for L x < < 0

, 0 ) , 0 ( t u

0
) 0 , ( u x u
,
L x
q u u
x
u
a

1
]
1

+ +

) (
=0
Develop FEM equation for a typical element. [3]
Q3. Consider heat transfer in a plane wall of total thickness 0.1 m. The left surface is maintained at
temperature 50
0
C and right surface is exposed to ambient temperature of 5
0
C with heat transfer
coefficient 25 W/m
2
.C and conductivity of the wall is 0.01W/m.C Use one quadratic element to
solve for nodal temperatures and heat input at left surface of the wall. [4]
Q4. For a beam as shown in Fig.2, one end is fixed other end is supported vertically by a linear
elastic spring. Using one Euler-Bernoulli beam element develop a FEM equation to calculate
the natural frequency, also write the characteristic equation to calculate natural frequency. [4]
Q5. 2-D element is shown in Fig. 3; evaluate the inverse of Jacobian (
1
] [

J ) for this element. [3]
Q6.A four-element model of a plane area is shown in Fig 4. For the element III determine
corresponding point in global system for
0 . 1
and
0 . 1
. [2]
Q7. Solve the Laplace equation for the unit square domain and the boundary conditions given in
(Fig5), use one rectangular element. [4]


0

x
u

2 +

u
y
u
0
2
u
0

x
u
1
x