ME300 - Finite Element Analysis

Prof. Subrata Kumar Panda

Contact: 9658583368
pandask@nitrkl.ac.in
call2subrat@gmail.com
 Syllabus and references
Introduction, brief history of development, advantages, disadvantages of finite
element analysis, basic steps and limitations, error and accuracy in finite element
analysis, structural stiffness and network analysis, assembly and analysis of a
structure, finite element analysis of an elastic continuum, displacement approach,
minimization of total potential energy, convergence criteria, generalization of finite
element concepts, alternative approach to finite element formulation, plane stress and
plane strain analysis, element characteristics, triangular, rectangular and
isoparametric elements, some practical applications, axisymmetric stress analysis,
some illustrative examples, computer methods and computer programmes, data
input, stiffness generation, assembly and solution of equations and output of results,
application of FEM to structural, plastic deformation, fluid flow and heat transfer
problems, FEM software packages, modeling capabilities, preprocessors and
postprocessors, modern trends in finite element analysis.
Essential Reading:
1. Schaum’s outline of Finite Element Analysis, MGH 2008.
2. Finite Element Analysis by University Press, 2004.

Supplementary Reading:
1. O. C. Zienkiewicz, The Finite Element Method in Engg Science, TMH, 2006.
2. S. S. Bhavikati, Finite Element Analysis, New Age, 2005.
 uniform loading
• Approximate method
• Geometric model
Fixed boundary

Element • Node
Finite element • Element
Cantilever plate
model • Mesh
in plane strain
• Discretization

Node
Problem: Obtain the
stresses/strains in the
plate
Basic Concepts
Why Finite Element Method?

Applications of FEM in Engineering

A brief History of the FEM

Can drop test

FEM in Structural Analysis (The Procedure)

Example:

FEM model for a gear tooth

Computer Implementations

Available Commercial FEM Software Packages

Objectives of the FEM Course

FEA of an Unloader Trolley

Linear Algebra Recap
 What is a matrix?
A rectangular array of numbers (we will concentrate on
real numbers). A n×m matrix has ‘n’ rows and ‘m’
columns
 M11 M12 M13 M14  First row
M 3x4 
 M 21 M 22 M 23 M 24 
Second row
M 31 M 32 M 33 M 34  Third row

First Second Third Fourth

column column column column
Row number
M12 Column number
What is a vector?

A vector is an array of ‘n’ numbers

A row vector of length ‘n’ is a 1×n matrix

a 1 a2 a3 a4
A column vector of length ‘m’ is a mx1 matrix

a1
a 
 2
a3 
Special matrices
Zero matrix: A matrix all of whose entries are zero

0 0 0 0 
03x 4  0 0 0 0 
0 0 0 0 
Identity matrix: A square matrix which has ‘1’ s on the
diagonal and zeros everywhere else.

1 0 0 
I3x 3 
 0 1 0 
0 0 1
Matrix operations Equality of matrices

If A and B are two matrices of the same size,

then they are “equal” if each and every entry of one
matrix equals the corresponding entry of the other.

 1 2 4 a b c 

A   3 0 7  
B  d e f  
 9 1 5   g h i 
a  1, b  2, c  4,
A  B  d  3, e  0, f  7,
g  9, h  1, i  5.
Matrix operations Addition of two matrices

If A and B are two matrices of the same size,

then the sum of the matrices is a matrix C=A+B whose
entries are the sums of the corresponding entries of A and
B
 1 2 4   1 3 10 
  
A   3 0 7 B   3 1 0  
 9 1 5  1 0 6 
 0 5 14 

C  A  B   6 1 7  
 10 1 11 
 Addition of matrices
Matrix operations
Properties

Properties of matrix addition:

1. Matrix addition is commutative (order of
addition does not matter)
A B B  A
2. Matrix addition is associative
A  B  C    A  B   C
3. Addition of the zero matrix
A 0  0 A  A
Matrix operations Multiplication by a
scalar

If A is a matrix and c is a scalar, then the product cA is a

matrix whose entries are obtained by multiplying each of
the entries of A by c

1 2 4

A   3 
0 7 c  3
 9 1 5
 3 6 12 

cA    9 0 21 
 27 3 15 
 Multiplication by a scalar
Matrix operations
Special case

If A is a matrix and c =-1 is a scalar, then the product

(-1)A =-A is a matrix whose entries are obtained by
multiplying each of the entries of A by -1

 1 2 4

A    3 0 7  c  1
 9 1 5
1 2  4

cA  -A   3 0  7
  9 1  5
Matrix operations Subtraction

If A and B are two square matrices of the same

size, then A-B is defined as the sum A+(-1)B

 1 2 4   1 3 10 
  
A    3 0 7 B    3 1 0  
 9 1 5  1 0 6 
 2  1  6

C  A  B  0  1 7  
8 1  1
Note that A - A  0 and 0 - A  -A
Special Transpose
operations
If A is a mxn matrix, then the transpose of A is
the nxm matrix whose first column is the first
row of A, whose second column is the second
column of A and so on.

 1 2 4 1  3 9

A   3 0 7  
 A  2
T
0 1 
 9 1 5   4 7 5 
If A is a square matrix (mxm), it is called
symmetric if
A  A
T
 Scalar (dot) product of
Matrix operations two vectors

If a and b are two vectors of the same size

 a1   b1 
  
a   a 2 ; b  b 2  
 a 3  b 3 
The scalar (dot) product of a and b is a scalar
obtained by adding the products of
corresponding entries of the two vectors
a b   a 1b 1  a 2 b 2  a 3 b 3 
T
Matrix operations Matrix multiplication

For a product to be defined, the number of columns

of A must be equal to the number of rows of B.

A B = AB
mxr rxn mxn
inside

outside
 Matrix operations Matrix multiplication

If A is a mxr matrix and B is a rxn matrix, then the

product C=AB is a mxn matrix whose entries are
obtained as follows. The entry corresponding to row ‘i’
and column ‘j’ of C is the dot product of the vectors
formed by the row ‘i’ of A and column ‘j’ of B
 1 2 4  1 3 
A 3x3   3 0 7  B3x2   3 1 
 9 1 5   1 0 

 3  1
T
5  1
C3x2  AB  10 9  notice  2   3   3
 
 7 28   4   1 
 Multiplication of matrices
Matrix operations
Properties

Properties of matrix multiplication:

1. Matrix multiplication is noncommutative
(order of addition does matter)
A B  B A in g e n e ra l
 It may be that the product AB exists but BA
does not (e.g. in the previous example
C=AB is a 3x2 matrix, but BA does not
exist)
 Even if the product exists, the products AB
and BA are not generally the same
 Multiplication of matrices
Matrix operations
Properties

2. Matrix multiplication is associative

A B C    A B  C
3. Distributive law
A B  C   AB  AC
B  C A  BA  CA
4. Multiplication by identity matrix
A I  A ; IA  A
5. Multiplication by zero matrix A 0  0 ; 0 A  0
6.
A B  T
B A
T T
 Miscellaneous
Matrix operations properties

1. If A , B and C are square matrices of the

same size, and A  0 then A B  A C
does not necessarily mean that B  C
2. A B  0 does not necessarily imply that
either A or B is zero
Inverse of a Definition
matrix

If A is any square matrix and B is another

square matrix satisfying the conditions

AB  BA  I
Then
(a)The matrix A is called invertible, and
(b) the matrix B is the inverse of A and is
denoted as A-1.

The inverse of a matrix is unique

Inverse of a Uniqueness
matrix

The inverse of a matrix is unique

Assume that B and C both are inverses of A

AB  BA  I
AC  CA  I
(BA)C  IC  C
B(AC)  BI  B
BC
Hence a matrix cannot have two or more
inverses.
Inverse of a Some properties
matrix

Property 1: If A is any invertible square

matrix the inverse of its inverse is the matrix A
itself
A 
-1  1
A
Property 2: If A is any invertible square
matrix and k is any scalar then

k A  1 1 -1
 A
k
Inverse of a Properties
matrix
Property 3: If A and B are invertible square
matrices then
1
A B  1
B A
-1

(AB) AB 
1
I
Premultiplying both sides by A-1
A (AB) AB   A 1
-1 1

A ABAB 
-1 1
 A 1
BAB   A 1
1

Premultiplying both sides by B-1

AB 1  B 1A 1
 What is a determinant?
The determinant of a square matrix is a number
obtained in a specific manner from the matrix.

For a 1x1 matrix:

A  a 1 1  ; d e t ( A )  a 1 1
For a 2x2 matrix:

 a11 a12 
A  ; det( A )  a 1 1a 2 2  a 1 2 a 2 1
a 21 a 22 

Product along red arrow minus product along blue arrow

Example
1 3 
Consider the matrix A 
 5 7 

Notice (1) A matrix is an array of numbers

(2) A matrix is enclosed by square brackets

1 3
det( A )   1  7  3  5  8
5 7

Notice (1) The determinant of a matrix is a number

(2) The symbol for the determinant of a matrix is
a pair of parallel lines
Computation of larger matrices is more difficult
Duplicate column method for 3x3 matrix
For ONLY a 3x3 matrix write down the first two
columns after the third column

 a 11 a 12 a 13   a11 a12 a13  a11 a12

A   a 21 a 22 a 23  a 
 21 a 22 a 23  a 21 a 22
 a 31 a 32 a 33  a 31 a 32 a 33  a 31 a 32
Sum of products along red arrow
minus sum of products along blue arrow

det( A )  a 1 1a 2 2 a 3 3  a 1 2 a 2 3a 3 1  a 1 3a 2 1a 3 2
 a 1 3a 2 2 a 3 1  a 1 1a 2 3a 3 2  a 1 2 a 2 1a 3 3
This technique works only for 3x3 matrices
Example

2 4 - 3  2 4  3 2 4
A   1 0 4 

1 0 
4 1 0
 2 - 1 2  
 2  1 2  2 1

0 -8 8 0 32 3

Sum of red terms = 0 + 32 + 3 = 35

Sum of blue terms = 0 – 8 + 8 = 0
Determinant of matrix A= det(A) = 35 – 0 = 35
 Finding determinant using inspection
Special case. If two rows or two columns are proportional
(i.e. multiples of each other), then the determinant of the
matrix is zero

2 7 8
3 2 4 0
2 7 8

because rows 1 and 3 are proportional to each other

If the determinant of a matrix is zero, it is called a

singular matrix
 Cofactor method What is a cofactor?

If A is a square matrix
 a 11 a 12 a 13 
A   a 21 a 22 a 23 
 a 31 a 32 a 33 
The minor, Mij, of entry aij is the determinant of the submatrix
that remains after the ith row and jth column are deleted from A.
The cofactor of entry aij is Cij=(-1)(i+j) Mij

a 21 a 23 a 21 a 23
M 12   a 21a 33  a 23a 31 C 12   M 12  
a 31 a 33 a 31 a 33
What is a cofactor?

Sign of cofactor  - 
-  - 
 

 - 
Find the minor and cofactor of a33
2 4 - 3 
A   1 0 4 
 Minor 2 4
 2 - 1 2  M 33   2  0  4  1  4
1 0

Cofactor C  (  1 ) ( 3  3 ) M
33 33  M 33   4
 Cofactor method of obtaining the
determinant of a matrix

The determinant of a n x n matrix A can be computed by

multiplying ALL the entries in ANY row (or column) by
their cofactors and adding the resulting products. That is,
for each 1  i  n and 1  j  n

Cofactor expansion along the jth column

d e t ( A )  a 1 j C 1 j  a 2 j C 2 j    a n jC n j

Cofactor expansion along the ith row

d e t ( A )  a i 1C i 1  a i 2 C i 2    a i n C i n
 Example: evaluate det(A) for:
1 0 2 -3

A= 3 4 0 1
det(A) = a11C11 +a12C12 + a13C13 +a14C14
-1 5 2 -2
0 1 1 3

4 0 1 3 0 1 3 4 1
det(A)=(1) 5 2 -2 - (0) -1 2 -2 +2 -1 5 -2
1 1 3 0 1 3 0 1 3
3 4 0
- (-3) -1 5 2 = (1)(35)-0+(2)(62)-(-3)(13)=198
0 1 1
 Example : evaluate
1 5 -3
det(A)= 1 0 2
3 -1 2
By a cofactor along the third column

det(A)=a13C13 +a23C23+a33C33

4 1 0 1 5 1 5
det(A)= -3* (-1) +2*(-1)5 +2*(-1)6
3 -1 3 -1 1 0

= det(A)= -3(-1-0)+2(-1)5(-1-15)+2(0-5)=25
Quadratic form

The scalar U d k d
T d  v ector
k  square m atrix
Is known as a quadratic form

If U>0: Matrix k is known as positive definite

If U≥0: Matrix k is known as positive semidefinite
Quadratic form

 d1   k 11 k 12 
Let d  k  
Symmetric
d 2   k 21 k 22  matrix

Then
 k11 k12   d 1 
U  d k d  d 1 d 2 
T
  
k12 k 22  d 2 
 k11d 1  k12 d 2 
 d 1 d 2  
k12 d 1  k 22 d 2 
 d 1 ( k11d 1  k12 d 2 )  d 2 ( k12 d 1  k 22 d 2 )
 k11d 1  2k12 d 1 d 2  k 22 d 2
2 2
Differentiation of quadratic form

Differentiate U wrt d1
U
 2 k11d 1  2 k12 d 2
d 1
Differentiate U wrt d2
U
 2 k12 d 1  2 k 22 d 2
d 2
Differentiation of quadratic form

Hence

 U 
U  d 1   k11 k12   d 1 
   2   
 d  U   k12 k 22  d 2 
 d 2 
2k d
Types of Finite Elements
Spring Element
One Spring
Element
Spring System
Example
Example
Role of FEM simulation in
Engineering Design
 Role of simulation in design:
Boeing 777

Source: Boeing Web site (http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/commercial/).

Another success ..in failure:
Airbus A380

http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a380/
Drag Force Analysis
of Aircraft

• Question
What is the drag force distribution on the aircraft?
• Solve
– Navier-Stokes Partial Differential Equations.
• Recent Developments
– Multigrid Methods for Unstructured Grids
 San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge

Before the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge

After the earthquake

San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge

A finite element model to analyze the

bridge under seismic loads
Courtesy: ADINA R&D
Crush Analysis of
Ford Windstar

• Question
– What is the load-deformation relation?
• Solve
– Partial Differential Equations of Continuum Mechanics
• Recent Developments
– Meshless Methods, Iterative methods, Automatic Error Control
Engine Thermal
Analysis

Picture from
http://www.adina.com

• Question
– What is the temperature distribution in the engine block?
• Solve
– Poisson Partial Differential Equation.
• Recent Developments
– Fast Integral Equation Solvers, Monte-Carlo Methods
Electromagnetic
Analysis of Packages

Thanks to
Coventor
http://www.cov
entor.com

• Solve
– Maxwell’s Partial Differential Equations
• Recent Developments
– Fast Solvers for Integral Formulations
Micro machine Device
Performance Analysis

From www.memscap.com

• Equations
– Elastomechanics, Electrostatics, Stokes Flow.
• Recent Developments
– Fast Integral Equation Solvers, Matrix-Implicit Multi-level Newton
Methods for coupled domain problems.
 Radiation Therapy of
Lung Cancer

http://www.simulia.com/academics/research_lung.html
Virtual Surgery
Engineering design General scenario..

Physical Problem

Question regarding the problem

...how large are the deformations?
...how much is the heat transfer?

Mathematical model Assumptions regarding

Geometry
Governed by differential Kinematics
equations Material law
Loading
Boundary conditions
Etc.
 Engineering design Example: A bracket
Physical problem

Questions:
1. What is the bending moment at section AA?
2. What is the deflection at the pin?
Finite Element Procedures, K J Bathe
 Engineering design Example: A bracket
Mathematical model 1: beam

Moment at section AA M  WL
 27,500 N cm
1 W (L  rN )3 W (L  rN )
Deflection at load  at load W  
3 EI 5
AG
6
How reliable is this model?  0.053 cm

How effective is this model?

 Example: A bracket
Engineering design Mathematical model 2: plane
stress

Difficult to solve by hand!

Engineering design ..General scenario..

Physical Problem

Mathematical model
Governed by differential
equations

Numerical model
e.g., finite element
model
 ..General scenario..
Engineering design
Finite element analysis

PREPROCESSING
1. Create a geometric model
2. Develop the finite element model

Solid model Finite element model

 ..General scenario..
Engineering design
Finite element analysis
FEM analysis scheme

Step 1: Divide the problem domain into non

overlapping regions (“elements”) connected to
each other through special points (“nodes”)
Element
Node

Finite element model

 ..General scenario..
Engineering design
Finite element analysis

FEM analysis scheme

Step 2: Describe the behavior of each element

Step 3: Describe the behavior of the entire body by

putting together the behavior of each of the
elements (this is a process known as “assembly”)
 ..General scenario..
Engineering design
Finite element analysis

POSTPROCESSING

Compute moment at section AA

 ..General scenario..
Engineering design
Finite element analysis

Preprocessing
Step 1

Step 2
Analysis
Step 3

Postprocessing
 Example: A bracket
Engineering design Mathematical model 2: plane
stress

FEM solution to mathematical model 2 (plane stress)

Moment at section AA M  27 ,500 N c m
Deflection at load  at load W  0 . 064 c m

Conclusion: With respect to the questions we posed, the

beam model is reliable if the required bending moment is to
be predicted within 1% and the deflection is to be predicted
within 20%. The beam model is also highly effective since it
can be solved easily (by hand).
What if we asked: what is the maximum stress in the bracket?
would the beam model be of any use?
 Example: A bracket
Engineering design Summary

1. The selection of the mathematical model

depends on the response to be
predicted.
2. The most effective mathematical model
is the one that delivers the answers to
the questions in reliable manner with
least effort.
3. The numerical solution is only as
accurate as the mathematical model.
Modeling a physical Example: A bracket
...General scenario
problem
Physical Problem Change
physical
problem

Mathematical Improve
Model mathematical
model

Numerical model

No!
Does answer
Refine analysis
make sense?

YES! Design improvements

Structural optimization
Happy 
Modeling a physical Example: A bracket
problem Verification and validation

Physical Problem
Validation
Mathematical
Model
Verification

Numerical model
 Critical assessment of the FEM
Reliability:
For a well-posed mathematical problem the numerical
technique should always, for a reasonable discretization,
give a reasonable solution which must converge to the
accurate solution as the discretization is refined.
e.g., use of reduced integration in FEM results in an
unreliable analysis procedure.

Robustness:
The performance of the numerical method should not be
unduly sensitive to the material data, the boundary
conditions, and the loading conditions used.
e.g., displacement based formulation for incompressible
problems in elasticity

Efficiency:
 Basic Steps of the FEM
 There are a number of steps in the solution procedure using finite element methods. All
finite element packages require the user to go through these steps in one form or another.
 Specify Material Properties and Units - In an elastic analysis of an isotropic solid
material properties are: the Young's modulus and the Poisson's ratio. The units of
Young's modulus E must agree with proper dimension units and force units.

 Specify Geometry of Model - we can import geometry from CAD programs or create
geoetric model from begining by tools of preprocessor.

 Specify Properties of Finite Elements - We must select types of finite elements, (beam,
rod, plate, solid, ...) considering the shape of geometric model and the type of strains
and stesses.

 Generate the Mesh of elements - We only define minimal size of element and minimal
number of elements and we select one of FE properties (defined in previous step) -
then the geometric model of structure is broken (or meshed) automatically into
small elements connected by nodes. .

 Define Constraints (Boundary Conditions) - by subtracting Degrees of Freedom

(DoF's) for selected nodes or elements.
 Define External Loads - forces, moments or other for selected nodes or elements. After every
step we can save the model onto disk file.

 Calculate a Solution - by exporting the model to solver (processor), run solving, and importing
results to postprocessor.

 Postprocessing - Based on the initial conditions and applied loads, data is returned after a
solution is processed. This data can be viewed in a variety of graphs and displays.

 Refine the Mesh - Finite element methods are approximate methods and, in general, the
accuracy of the approximation increases with the number of elements used. The number of
elements needed for an accurate model depends on the problem and the specific results to be
extracted from it. Thus, in order to judge the accuracy of results from a single finite element
run, you need to increase the number of elements in the object and see if or how the results
change.

 Interpreting Results - This step is perhaps the most critical step in the entire analysis because it
requires that the modeler use his or her fundamental knowledge of mechanics to interpret and
understand the output of the model. This is critical for applying correct results to solve real
engineering problems and in identifying when modeling mistakes have been made (which can
easily occur).

 The steps mentioned above have to be carried out before any meaningful information can be
obtained regardless of the size and complexity of the problem to be solved. However, the
specific commands and procedures that must be used for each of the steps will vary from one
finite element package to another.
 Limitations of Finite Element Methods
 Finite element methods are extremely versatile and powerful and can enable designers
to obtain information about the behaviour of complicated structures with almost
arbitrary loading. In spite of the significant advances that have been made in
developing finite element packages, the results obtained must be carefully examined
before they can be used. This point cannot be overemphasized.
 The most significant limitation of finite element methods is that the accuracy of the
obtained solution is usually a function of the mesh resolution. Any regions of highly
concentrated stress, such as around loading points and supports, must be carefully
analysed with the use of a sufficiently refined mesh. In addition, there are some
problems which are inherently singular (the stresses are theoretically infinite). Special
efforts must be made to analyse such problems.
 An additional concern for any user is that because current packages can solve so many
sophisticated problems, there is a strong temptation to "solve" problems without doing
the hard work of thinking through them and understanding the underlying mechanics
and physical applications. Modern finite element packages are powerful tools that have
become increasingly indispensible to mechanical design and analysis. However, they
also make it easy for users to make big mistakes.
 Obtaining solutions with finite element methods often requires substantial amounts of
computer and user time. Nevertheless, finite element packages have become
increasingly indispensable to mechanical design and analysis.
 Bar and Beam Elements

Linear Static Analysis

Bar Element
Stiffness Matrix – Direct Method
Stiffness Matrix – A Formal Approach
Example
Example
Distributed Load
Bar Elements in 2-D and 3-D Space
2-D Case
Transformation
Stiffness matrix in the 2-D Space
Example
Example (Multipoint constraint)
 Penalty Approach for Handling BC’s and MPC’s

3D Case