Pre-Analysis

1. Mathematical model
2. Numerical solution procedure
3. Hand-calculations of expected results/trends

Example: Steady One-Dimensional

Heat Conduction in a Bar
y

x
z
L
We are interested in finding the temperature
distribution in the bar due to heat conduction

1
 Energy Conservation for an
Infinitesimal Control Volume
Infinitesimal
Control Volume

Mathematical Model: Governing

Equation and Boundary Conditions
Governing equation
+ = 0, 0
Boundary conditions
0 =
q L = q =
Exact solution is straightforward

2
 Numerical Solution:
Discretization
Reduce the problem to determining temperature
values at selected locations (nodes)
T

1 2 3 4 x

x
We have assumed a shape for ( ) consisting of piecewise
polynomials

How to Find Nodal

Temperatures ?
System of
Mathematical Model Invert Nodal
algebraic
(Boundary Value temperatures
equations in nodal
Problem)
temperatures
Post
Piecewise
={ } processing
polynomial
approximation for T
( )
Each algebraic
equation will
relate a nodal
1 2 3 4 temperature to
its neighbors

3
 How to Derive System of Algebraic
Equations?
Piecewise Weighted Integral Piecewise polynomial
polynomial Form approximation for T
approximation for T

+ =0
(x) is an
+ =0 + =0 arbitrary piecewise
polynomial function
( ) is an
System of algebraic arbitrary function
eqs. in nodal System of algebraic eqs.
temperatures in nodal temperatures

How to Derive System of Algebraic

Equations?
Piecewise polynomial
approximation for T

+ dx = 0
(x) is an
arbitrary piecewise
polynomial function

System of algebraic eqs. x

in nodal temperatures

4
 Integration by Parts

+ =0

w k k +
=0

dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

w + + 0.5 +

+ + + +

+ + + +

w + + 0.5 + =0

5
 dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

+w + + 0.5 +

dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

6
 dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

w + + 0.5 +

+ + + +

+ + + +

w + + 0.5 + =0

={ }

dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

={ }

7
 dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

w + + 0.5 +

+ + + +

+ + + +

w + + 0.5 + =0

dT dT
w k k + =0

1 2 3 4

+ = 0.5 ={ }

+ + =

+ + =

+ = 0.5 +

8
 Essential Boundary Conditions

=T + = 0.5Q

+ + =

+ + =

+ = 0.5 +

Comparison of Finite-Element and Exact

Solutions
Nodal temperature values are exact
Unusual property of 1D FE solution
Temperature boundary condition is
satisfied exactly
Flux boundary condition is satisfied
approximately

9
 Comparison of / between Finite-
Element and Exact Solutions
Error in / > Error in
Energy is not conserved for
each element

Reaction at Left Boundary

= =
5.5 W/m
Energy is
conserved for
the bar

10
 How to Improve the Polynomial
Approximation?
Increase no. of elements Original Mesh
Increase order of polynomial 4
1 2 3
within each element
Use more nodes per Refined Mesh
element
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Second-Order Element

Error Reduction: Results

1 element, second-
3 elements 6 elements
order polynomial

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 Finite-Element Analysis: Summary of
the Big Ideas
Mathematical model to be solved is usually a boundary value
problem
Reduce the problem to solving selected variable(s) at selected
locations (nodes)
Assume a shape for selected variable(s) within each element
Derive system of algebraic equations relating neighboring nodal
values
Invert this system to determine selected variable(s) at nodes
Derive everything else from selected variable(s) at nodes

Finite-Element Analysis: Summary of

the Big Ideas
Reduce error by using more elements and/or
increasing the order of interpolation
Finite-element solution doesnt satisfy the
differential equation(s)
Satisfies a special weighted integral form
Essential boundary conditions are satisfied
exactly
Natural or gradient boundary conditions are
satisfied approximately

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