Integral Formulation for Numerical Solutions

OBJECTIVE: Use integral methods to obtain an approximate

solution to a physical problem.
EXAMPLE: Find a solution for a beam deflection.
H
M(x) = m
0
x
M(x)
EI
m
0
m
0
Differential
Equations
EI = beam stiffness
M(x) = bending moment
EI
d y
dx
M x
2
2
0 = ( )
x
*Approximate Beam deflection:
Integrating twice
*Exact Solution:
Using boundary conditions:
y(0) = y(H) = 0
y(0) = 0, x = 0 c
2
= 0
Exact
Solution.
d y
dx
M x
EI
2
2
=
( )
dy
dx
Mx
EI
c = +
y
Mx
EI
c x c = + +
2
1 2
2
0
2
2
1
= +
MH
EI
c H
c
MH
EI H
MH
EI
1
2
2 2
= =
y
Mx
EI
MHx
EI
=
2
2 2
y
MHx
EI
x H =
2
( )
y x
x
H
( ) sin =

VARIATIONAL METHOD
Given a differential equation such as:
The calculus of variations will generate a solution if the numerical
value of the integral is a minimum.
In other words, if a particular y = g(x) generates a minimum
for ; it is the solution of the differential equation.
D
d y
dx
Q
2
2
0 =
So, for the beam:
=
F
H
G
I
K
J

L
N
M
M
O
Q
P
P
z
EI dy
dx
M y dx
H
2
2
0
0
Consider the approximate function,
then evaluate .
Steps:
1. Write as a function of A
2. Minimize with respect to A
y x A
x
H
( ) sin =

y x A
x
H
( ) sin =

dy
dx
A
H
x
H
=

cos
VARIATIONAL METHOD
continued
=
L
N
M
O
Q
P
z
EI
M dx
H
2
2
0
0
b g
A
x
H
sin
A
H
x
H

cos
=
F
H
G
I
K
J
+
F
H
G
I
K
J
EI
H
A
M H
A

2
2
0
4
2
Minimizing :

=
F
H
G
I
K
J
+ =
A
EI
H
A
M H
2
4
2
0
2
0

A
M H
EI
=
4
0
2
3

y x
x
H
( ) sin =

4
0
2
3
M H
EI

Development of a Continuous Solution

in a 1 dimensional region

1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4
b g
b g
b g
b g
= + =
= + =
= + =
= + =
N N
N N
N N
N N
i i j j
i i j j
i i j j
i i j j
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )




N N
N N
N N
N N
1
1
1 2
1
2
2
2
2 3
2
3
3
3
3 4
3
4
4
4
4 5
4
5
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )




+
+
+
+
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1
2
3 4 5
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1
i
2
j
3
j
4
j
2
i
3
i
4
i
5
j
Apply shape
functions
concept to
each element

e
i
e
i j
e
j
N N
b g
= +
( ) ( )

General
Form
With Shape functions:
N
X x
X X
N
x X
X X
i
e
j
j i
j
e
i
j i
( ) ( )
=

&
Development of a Continuous Solution
in a 1 dimensional region
(continued)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1
i
2
j
3
j
4
j
2
i
3
i
4
i
5
j
N N
2
1
2
2 ( ) ( )

Grid Summary:
element nodes
# i j
(1) 1 2
(2) 2 3
(3) 3 4
(4) 4 5
Note: