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FEM Terminology
Degrees of freedom (DOF)
State (primary) variable:
displacement in mechanics
Conjugate variable:
force in mechanics
Stiffness matrix
Forcing vector f
represents
Mechanical force
Heat conduction
Temperature
Heat flux
Acoustic fluid
Displacement potential
Particle velocity
Potential flows
Pressure
Particle velocity
General flows
Velocity
Fluxes
Electrostatics
Electrical potential
Charge density
Magnetostatics
Magnetic potential
Magnetic intensity
Mathematical Model
Traditional
definition
Simulation
oriented
definition
ELEMENTS
Substructures
Continuum Elements
Special Elements
Macro Elements
Substructures
Substructures
FEM
Simplicity
In production design situation
Several FEM models of increasing refinement will be
set up as design evolves
Do not overkill at the beginning
MESH
In 2D
Quadrilaterals over Triangles
In 3D
Bricks over Wedges
LOADS
Load Types
Concentrated / Point Loads
Distributed Loads (more common in structural problems)
Surface
Loads
Wind / Water
Pressure
Snow Weights on
Roofs
Volume
Loads
Weight
Inertia
Lift in Airplanes
Centrifugal
Live Loads on
Bridges
Thermal
Prestress
Electromagnetic
Line
Loads
Integration of
surface loads
along a
transverse
direction
Integration of
volume loads
along two
transverse
directions
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Boundary Conditions
The most difficult topic for FEM program users
the devil hides in the boundary
Essential
Two Types
Natural