FINITE ELEMENT METHODS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

IV YEAR B-Tech. CIVIL I-SEMESTER 2008

UNIT # I: RAYLEIGH-RITZS METHOD STEPS

1. Rayleigh-Ritz process of approximation frequently used in elastic analysis uses

precisely the principle of minimum potential energy as explained previously.
2. The total potential energy expression is formulated and the displacement pattern is
assumed to vary with a finite set of undetermined parameters.
3. A set of simultaneous equations minimizing the total potential energy with respect to
these parameters is set up.
4. Thus the finite element process as described so far is identically the Rayleigh-Ritz
process.
5. The difference is only in the manner in which the displacements are prescribed. In the
Ritz process traditionally used these are usually given by expressions valid
throughout the whole region thus leading to simultaneous equations in which no
banding occurs and the coefficient matrix is full. In the finite element process this
specification is usually piecewise, each nodal parameter influencing only adjacent
elements, and thus a sparse and usually banded matrix of coefficients is found.