Finite Element Analysis for

Mechanical and Aerospace Design

Prof. Nicholas Zabaras
Materials Process Design and Control Laboratory
Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
101 Frank H. T. Rhodes Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-3801

Email: zabaras@cornell.edu
URL: http://mpdc.mae.cornell.edu/

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 Remaining topics for the class
• In the remaining ~6 lectures, we will cover a random
collection of topics that you can further explore on your
own. They include (not necessarily in this order):
– Finite elements in 3D (solid elements)
– Transient problems, Dynamics
– Non-linear problems (material and geometric non-linearities)
– Advection-diffusion, Fluid Mechanics
– Optimization and Design
• These presentations will not be an overview of these
subject areas. We will rather discuss and solve some
simple problems that bring up these topics and the need for
further studies in FEM.

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 Elastic deformations in 3D
• Extension to 3D is very easy. For example, the equilibrium
equations take the form:
∂ ∂ ∂  σ xx 
 ∂x 0 0 ∂y ∂z 0  σ 

yy
  
 ∂ ∂ ∂ σ zz 
σ + b 0, where
∇TS= = : ∇TS  0 0 0  =
and σ  

∂y ∂x ∂z
 σ xy 
 ∂ ∂ ∂ σ 
 0 0 0  xz 
∂z ∂x ∂y  σ yz 
• The traction/stress relation is now:
 t x  σ xx σ xy σ xz   nx 
    
=t =
ty  σ xy σ yy σ yz   n y 
t    
 z σ
 xz σ yz σ zz   nz 

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Elastic deformations in 3D
∂ 
• The strain/displacement  ∂x 0 0 
 
0 ∂ 0
relation is simply:  ∂y  ε xx 
ε 
 
0 0 ∂  ux   yy 
 ∂z     ε zz 
ε=
∂ ∂ u
 y =
∇ u , where ε = 
γ xy 
S
 0  u 
 ∂y ∂x  z  γ 
∂  xz 
∂ γ yz 
 0 
 ∂z ∂x 
 ∂ ∂
 0 ∂z ∂y 
 
• The isotropic Hooke’s law takes the form: σ = Dε
1 − υ υ υ 0 0 0 
 υ 1−υ υ 0 0 0 
 
 υ υ 1−υ 0 0 0 
 1 − 2υ 
D=
E  0 0 0 0 0 
(1 + υ )(1 − 2υ )  2 
 1 − 2υ 
 0 0 0 0 0 
 2 
 1 − 2υ 
 0 0 0 0 0
2 

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Standard 3D solid element geometries

Tetrahedron (tet) Pentahedron (wedge) Hexahedron (brick)

These are element geometries with corner nodes only

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 Solid elements with midpoints

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 3D Finite Elements: Hexahedral elements
• This is an 8-node element. The shape functions are
constructed by tensor product of 1D linear shape functions.

1 1
N1(e) = (1 − ξ )(1 − η )(1 − ζ ), N 2(e) = (1 + ξ )(1 − η )(1 − ζ )
8 8
1 1
N3(e) = (1 + ξ )(1 + η )(1 − ζ ), N 4(e) = (1 − ξ )(1 + η )(1 − ζ ) or in compact format :
8 8
1
1 1 Ni(e) =(1 + ξξ i )(1 + ηηi )(1 + ζζ i ), i =1,...,8
N5(e) = (1 − ξ )(1 − η )(1 + ζ ), N 6(e) = (1 + ξ )(1 − η )(1 + ζ ) 8
8 8
(ξ i ,ηi , ζ i ) : master coordinates of node i
1 1
N 7(e) = (1 + ξ )(1 + η )(1 + ζ ), N8(e) = (1 − ξ )(1 + η )(1 + ζ )
8 8

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3D Finite Elements: 20 nodes Serendipidy element
• This is a 20-node hexahedron element. This element is not
capable of accommodating a full tri-quadratic expansion in
(ξ ,η , ζ ) , that is 1, ξ ,η , ζ ,..., ξ 2 ,η 2 , ζ 2 . For that we need a 27
node hexahedron
element.

In compact format :
1
Ni(e) = (1 + ξξ i )(1 + ηηi )(1 + ζζ i )(ξξ i + ηηi + ζζ i − 2), i = 1,...,8
8
1
Ni(e) = (1 − ξ 2 )(1 + ηηi )(1 + ζζ i ), i =9,11,17,19
4
1
Ni(e) = (1 − η 2 )(1 + ξξ i )(1 + ζζ i ), i =10,12,18, 20
4
1
Ni(e) = (1 − ζ 2 )(1 + ξξ i )(1 + ηηi ), i = 13,14,15,16
4

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 3D Finite Elements: 27 node Hexahedron
• A 27-node hexahedron can be constructed by adding 7
more nodes:6 one each face center and 1 interior node at
the hexahedron center.
• In elasticity application such an element has 27×3=81
degrees of freedom!

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 27 node Hexahedron
• The derivatives of the shape functions can be computed as
usual:
 ∂Nie   ∂ξ ∂η ∂ζ   ∂Nie 
    
∂  ∂ξ
 x   ∂x ∂x ∂x   
 ∂Nie   ∂ξ ∂η ∂ζ   ∂Nie 
 =  

 ∂y   ∂y ∂y ∂y   ∂η 
 ∂N e   ∂ξ ∂η ∂ζ   ∂N e 
 i    i 
 ∂ ∂ ∂ 

 ∂x    ∂ζ 
z
−1
z z
J : inverse Jacobian

 ∂x ∂y ∂z 
 ∂ξ ∂ξ ∂ξ 
 
 ∂x ∂y ∂z  How do you
J = 
Jacobian  ∂η ∂η ∂η  compute J?

 ∂x ∂y ∂z 
 ∂ζ ∂ζ ∂ζ 

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 27 node Hexahedron
• The Jacobian can be computed using the isoparametric
map:
 ∂ ∑ xi Nie ∂ ∑ yi Nie ∂ ∑ zi Nie 
 i i i 
 ∂ξ ∂ξ ∂ξ 
 
 ∂ ∑ xi Ni ∂ ∑ yi Ni ∂ ∑ zi Ni 
e e e
= i i i 

J
 ∂η
Jacobian ∂η ∂η 
 e
∂
 ∑ i i
x N e
∂ ∑ i i
y N e
∂ ∑ i i 
z N
 i i i 
 ∂ζ ∂ζ ∂ζ 
 
 ∂Nie ∂Nie ∂Nie 
 ∑ xi ∑ yi ∑ zi  Gauss integration using a tensor product of
i ∂ξ i ∂ξ i ∂ξ 
 ∂Nie ∂Nie ∂Nie 
1D integration rules will finally give:
=  ∑ xi ∑ yi ∑ zi 
∂η ∂η ∂η 
( )(ξ ,η ,ζ )
i i i N N N
K = ∑ ∑ ∑ WiW jWk B D e B e | J |
e e
Gauss Gauss Gauss T

 
 ∑ xi ∂N i
e
∂Nie ∂Nie  =i 1 =j 1 =
∑ yi ∑ zi k 1 i j k

 i ∂ζ i ∂ζ i ∂ζ 

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 The linear tetrahedron
• This is not used in deformation
problems (poor performance).
• We use natural coordinates as
for the 3 node triangular element.
• The volume of the tetrahedron
is given as:
1 1 1 1
x x2 x3 x4 
6V= det  1 =  x21 ( y23 z34 − y34 z23 ) +
 y1 y2 y3 y4 
z Phase 123 seen from
 1 z2 z3 z4 
node 4
x32 ( y34 z12 − y12 z 34 ) + x43 ( y12 z23 − y23 z12 ), where : zij =
zi − z j , yij =
yi − y j , xij =
xi − x j , i, j =
1,.., 4
• For V>0, the nodes need to be numbered properly:
 (I) Pick a corner (any corner) as initial one. Here this is that numbered 1.
 (II) Pick a face to contain the first three corners. The opposite corner is numbered 4.
 (III) Number those three corners in a counterclockwise sense when looking at the face from the
opposite one.
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 Linear tetrahedron:tetrahedral coordinates
• The four natural coordinates are related
as ζ 1 + ζ 2 + ζ 3 + ζ 4 =
1

• Each ζ i is 1 at node i
and zero at the
remaining nodes and
varies linearly as we transverse the distance from the
corner i to the face.
• These coordinates can be easily computed in terms of x,y,z
as follows: = a1 y42 z32 − y32 z42
1  ζ1  = b1 x32 z42 − x42 z32
1  1 1 1 ζ1   6V01 a1 b1 c1   1 
x x x2 x3 x4  ζ 2  ζ  6V a2 b2 c2   x  = c1 x42 y32 − x32 y42 , etc.
   1   ⇒  =
2 1  02  
 y  y1 y2 y3 y4  ζ 3  ζ 3  6V  6V03 a3 b3 c3   y  zij = zi − z j , yij =
yi − y j ,
z z z4  ζ 4  ζ  6V   xij= xi − x j
   1 z2 z3  4  04 a4 b4 c4   z 
6V01= x2 ( y3 z4 − y4 z3 ) + x3 ( y 4 z2 − y2 z4 ) + x4 ( y2 z3 − y3 z2 ), etc.
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 Linear tetrahedron:computing derivatives
ζ1   6V01 a1 b1 c1   1 
ζ  6V a2 b2 c2   x 
 2 = 1  02  
ζ 3  6V  6V03 a3 b3 c3   y 
ζ  6V c4   z 
 4  04 a4 b4

∂ζ i ai ∂ζ i bi ∂ζ i ci
• From the above expression, note that:= = , = ,
∂x 6V ∂y 6V ∂z 6V

• Thus differentiation with respect to x,y,z can proceed as:

∂ ∂ ∂ζ 1 ∂ ∂ζ 2 ∂ ∂ζ 3 ∂ ∂ζ 4
= + + + =
∂x ∂ζ 1 ∂x ∂ζ 2 ∂x ∂ζ 3 ∂x ∂ζ 4 ∂x
∂ a1 ∂ a2 ∂ a3 ∂ a4
= + + + , etc.
∂ζ 1 6V ∂ζ 2 6V ∂ζ 3 6V ∂ζ 4 6V

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 Linear tetrahedron: Constant strain
∂ 
 ∂x 0 0 
• Recall that the strains are computed as:  
0 ∂ 0
 ∂y  ε xx 
  ε 
 0 0 ∂  ux   yy 
 ∂z     ε zz 
ε=
∂ ∂ ∇ S u , where ε =
 u y  =  
 γ xy 
 0  u 
 ∂y ∂x   z   γ xz 
∂  
∂ γ yz 
 0 
 ∂z ∂x 
 ∂ ∂
• The displacements are approximated as:  0 ∂z ∂y 
 

 u x1 
u 
 y1 
 u z1 
 
ux 2 
 ... 
 u x  ζ 1 0 0 ζ 2 0 0 ζ 3 0 0 ζ 4 0 0  
    
0 
..
u y  =  0 ζ 1 0 0 ζ 2 0 0 ζ 3 0 0 ζ 4  
  ζ 4   
 u z   0 0 ζ 1 0 0 ζ 2 0 0 ζ 3 0 0  
 
 
ux 4 
u 
 y4 
 u z 4 

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 Linear tetrahedron: Constant strain
• Thus the B matrix is:
∂ 
 ∂x 0 0 
 
0 ∂ 0
 ∂y 
 
0 0 ∂  ζ 1 0 0 ζ 2 0 0 ζ 3 0 0 ζ 4 0 0 
 ∂z   
B =∂ ∂   0 ζ1 0 0 ζ 2 0 0 ζ 3 0 0 ζ 4 0 
 0   0 0 ζ 1 0 0 ζ 2 0 0 ζ 3 0 0 ζ 4 
 ∂y ∂x 
∂ ∂
 0 
 ∂z ∂x 
 ∂ ∂
 0 ∂z ∂y 
 
 a1 0 0 a2 0 0 a3 0 0 a4 0 0
0 b 0 0 b2 0 0 b3 0 0 b4 0
 1 
1  0 0 c1 0 0 c2 0 0 c3 0 0 c4 
=  = const.
6V  b1 a1 0 b2 a2 0 b3 a3 0 b4 a4 0 
 c1 0 a1 c2 0 a2 c3 0 a3 c4 0 a4
 
 0 c1 b1 0 c2 b2 0 c3 b3 0 c4 b4 

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 Linear tetrahedron: Constant strain
• For calculating volume integrals, the following rule is very
useful:
i ! j !k !l !
∫ ζ 1iζ 2jζ 3k ζ 4l d=
Ω 6V , i, j , k=
, l non − negative int egers
Ω e
(i + j + k + l + 3)!

• For example, for constant body forces, you will need

integrals of the form:
1! 1 V
∫ ζ=
md Ω = 6V = 6V
Ω e
(4)! 1× 2 × 3 × 4 4

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 Quadratic tetrahedron
• The shape functions are written in terms of natural
coordinates as:

In compact format :
N1(e) =ζ 1 (2ζ 1 − 1), N 2(e) =ζ 2 (2ζ 2 − 1)
N3(e) = ζ 3 (2ζ 3 − 1), N 4(e) = ζ 4 (2ζ 4 − 1)
= ζ 1ζ 2 , N 6(e) 4ζ 2ζ 3
N5(e) 4=
= ζ 3ζ 1 , N8(e) 4ζ 1ζ 4
N 7(e) 4=
= ζ 2ζ 4 , N10
N9(e) 4= (e)
4ζ 3ζ 4

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Quadratic tetrahedron: Partial derivative calculation
• Consider the interpolation of any arbitrary function w.

• The partial derivatives are computed as:

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Quadratic tetrahedron: Partial derivative calculation
By taking
the transponse

• Now take w=x,y,z.

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Quadratic tetrahedron: Partial derivative calculation

• This is a linear system with the required unknowns in the

2nd matrix. However, the coefficient matrix is not square!
• Differentiate ζ 1 + ζ 2 + ζ 3 + ζ 4 =
1 wrt x, y ,z.
 ∂ζ ∂ζ 1 ∂ζ 1 
 1 1 1 1  1
 ∂x ∂y ∂z 
∂N ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni   
 ∑ xi i ∑ xi ∑ xi ∑ xi   ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ 2  0 0 0
 i ∂ζ 1 ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ 3 ∂ζ 4 
∂z  1 0 0
i i i
 ∂x ∂y
∂N ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni   = 
 ∑ yi i ∑ yi ∑ yi ∑ yi  ∂ζ ∂ζ 3 ∂ζ 3  0 1 0
 i ∂ζ 1 ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ 3 ∂ζ 4   3
∂z  0 0 1 
i i i
 ∂x ∂y
∂N ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni   
 ∑ zi i ∑ zi ∑ zi ∑ zi   ∂ζ ∂ζ 4 ∂ζ 4 
 i ∂ζ 1 ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ 3 ∂ζ 4   4
∂z 
i i i
 ∂x ∂y

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Quadratic tetrahedron: Partial derivative calculation

 ∂ζ ∂ζ 1 ∂ζ 1 
 1 1 1 1  1
 ∂x ∂y ∂z 
∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni   
 ∑ xi ∑ xi ∑ xi ∑ xi   ∂ζ ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ 2  0 0 0
 i ∂ζ 1 i ∂ζ 2 i ∂ζ 3 i ∂ζ 4   2
 ∂x ∂y ∂z  1 0 0
∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni   = 
 ∑ yi ∑ yi ∑ yi ∑ yi   ∂ζ 3 ∂ζ 3 ∂ζ 3  0 1 0
 i ∂ζ 1 i ∂ζ 2 i ∂ζ 3 i ∂ζ 4  
 ∂x ∂y ∂z  0 0 1 
∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni   
 ∑ zi ∑ zi ∑ zi ∑ zi   ∂ζ ∂ζ 4 ∂ζ 4 
∂ζ 1 i ∂ζ 2 i ∂ζ 3 i ∂ζ 4   4
 ∂z 
i
   ∂x ∂y
Jacobian Matrix J

• Once you solve these system of linear equations for the

derivatives on the 2nd matrix, you can then compute the
partial derivatives of w from an earlier equation as follows:

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 Quadratic tetrahedron: Jacobian

• For transforming integration from dΩe to d ζ 1d ζ 2 d ζ 3d ζ 4

you can show that
1
=dΩ =
Jd ζ 1dζ 2 dζ 3dζ 4 , J det( J )
e
6
 1 1 1 1 
 ∂N ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni 
 ∑ xi i ∑ xi ∑ xi ∑ xi 
 i ∂ζ 1 i ∂ζ 2 i ∂ζ 3 i ∂ζ 4 
J = det  ∂N ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni 
 ∑ yi i ∑ yi ∑ yi ∑ yi 
 i ∂ζ 1 i ∂ζ 2 i ∂ζ 3 i ∂ζ 4
 ∂N ∂Ni ∂Ni ∂Ni 
 ∑ zi i ∑ zi ∑ zi ∑ zi 
 i ∂ζ 1 i ∂ζ 2 i ∂ζ 3 i ∂ζ 4 

• Note that the definition of the Jacobian matrix is a little

different from what we have seen before resulting on the
factor 1/6 in the volume transformation.
MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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 Quadratic tetrahedron: Gauss integration
• One Gauss point integration is using the point
1 1 1 1
(ζ 1 , ζ 2 , ζ 3 , ζ 4 ) = ( , , , )
4 4 4 4
with weight W=1. This rule is exact for constant and linear
polynomials over plane-face tetrahedrals.
• The 4-point rule
(ζ 1 , ζ 2 , ζ 3 , ζ 4 ) = (α , β , β , β ),( β ,α , β , β ),( β , β ,α , β ),( β , β , β , α ), where :

5+3 5 5− 5
=α = ,β =
, with weights W 1/ 4.
20 20

• The stiffness matrix needs to be computed with Gauss

integration (note that B is now 6x30 matrix):
( )(ζ ,ζ ,ζ ,ζ )
N
K e = ∑ Wi B e D e B e J
Gauss T

i =1 1 2 3 4 i

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Patch test
• The patch test is useful in testing new elements. The crimes
that may be committed in the development of elements
include:
– Lack of completeness
– Lack of invariance: Element response depending on observer frame
– Rank deficiency
– Violation of inter-element continuity
– Inexact but rank sufficient numerical integration
– Etc. (for extensive discussion visit this web site)

• We test these crimes with the patch test. An element patch is the set of
all elements attached to a patch node (here denoted as i).

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U N I V E R S I T Y
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 Patch test
• A good finite element must solve simple problems exactly
whether individually, or as component of arbitrary patches.
• To create simple problems, think of a mesh refinement
process. For example, at the limit of refinement, the
stress/strain states are uniform within each element.
• The patch test has two dual forms:
– Displacement Patch Test : applies boundary displacements to patch
and verifies that the patch response reproduces exactly rigid body
modes and constant strain states.

– Force Patch Test: applies boundary forces to patch and verifies that
the patch response reproduces exactly constant stress states.

– There are also mixed patch tests that incorporate both force and
displacement BCs.
MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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Displacement Patch Test: translation in x-direction

• Pick a patch. At the external nodes of the patch apply rigid

body motion as prescribed displacements. Set forces at
interior DOFs to zero.
• Solve for the displacement components of the interior
nodes. These should agree with the value of the
displacement field at that node.
• Recover the strain field over the elements: all components
should vanish identically at any point.

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Displacement Patch Test: constant exx

• We apply a constant-strain-mode ux = x and uy = 0 at the

external nodes of the patch. This gives exx = ∂ux/∂x = 1, others
zero. We set the forces at the internal nodes to zero.
• We solve for the displacements of interior nodes. They should
agree with the value of the displacement field at that node.
• We need to also recover the strain field over the elements: all
components should vanish except exx = 1 at any point.
• If the displacement/strain states are reproduced correctly, the
patch test is passed.
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 A force patch test: sxx=1

• We consider a patch test with uniform stress σxx = 1, others

zero. On the boundary of the patch we apply a uniform traction
tx = σxx. Convert this to nodal forces using a consistent force
lumping approach. Forces at interior DOFs should be zero.
• We need to apply a minimal number of displacement BC to
eliminate rigid body motions.
• Solve for displacements, strains & stresses over the elements.
The computed stresses should recover exactly the test state.
• If all test states are reproduced, the test is passed.
MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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U N I V E R S I T Y
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 Stress recovery
• You already have noticed from the computer assignments
that the stresses are always computed at the Gauss points.
• Calculation of the derivatives of the basis functions (thus of
strains and stresses) at the Gauss points is optimal (see
Hughes for more details).
• How do we compute nodal stresses from the values of the
stresses at the Gauss points?
– We use a global least squares approach.
• Let us work with a particular stress component σ. We would
like to compute the nodal strsses σi from the Gauss stress
σG (known only at the Gauss points of each element).
1 N
min ∑ ∫ ( ∑ σ j N ej − σ ) 2 d Ωe
nodes

G
σ 2eΩ j =1
  Known
e
i

Finite element only at the

int erpolation Gauss po int s
of stresses

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Stress recovery
1 N
min ∑ ∫ ( ∑ σ j N ej − σ ) 2 d Ωe
nodes

G
σ 2eΩ j =1
  Known
e
i

Finite element only at the

int erpolation Gauss po int s
of stresses
• Taking the derivative with respect to each nodal stress σi to
be equal to zero results in the following:
N
∑ ∫ ( ∑ σ j N j − σ G ) Ni d Ω = 0 ⇒
enodes
e e
eΩ e
j =1
N
j dΩ σ j
∑ ∑ ∫ Ni N= ∫ σ G Ni =
d Ωe , i 1,.., N nodes
e e
nodes
e e
∑
e j =1 Ω Ω


 e


e e

Mass matrix Gaus s in tegration of this

force term requires
only the values of σ atG

the Gauss po int s !

• The force term is computed with Gauss integration using
the known Gauss stresses!
MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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U N I V E R S I T Y
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