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/

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Intro to FEM: The Direct Approach
• Consider a linear spring with `nodes’ 1 and
2: F F
1 2
o o
1 2
1 2

• The force on the spring at node 1 is: F1  k (1   2 )

• Similarly the force at node 2: F2  k ( 2  1 )
F1  k (1   2 )   F2

• We can re-write the above equations in

matrix form as:  F1  k  k  1 
    
 F2   k k   2 

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 The Direct Approach
F1 F2
o o
1 2
1 2

 F1   k  k  1 
    
 F2   k k   2 

Load vector Displacement

Stiffness matrix
vector

• We can generalize this equation for a linear

spring as:  F1  k11 k12  1 
   
 F2   k21 k22   2 
kij: force on ith node induced by a unit displacement in the jth node

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 Direct Method
• Let us consider the analysis of the following
loaded system of linear springs (each with 2
nodes)
1 4
2 2 F
1 3 4

• This system has 4 linear spring elements

and there are 4 global nodes.
• Node 1 is fixed but node 4 can slide under
the (known) applied load F.
We are interested to compute the nodal displacements 1, 2, 3, 4
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 Direct Method

• We know the behavior of each `element’, e.g.

Element Local Global
 F   k
(1) (1)
k   
(1) (1)
Node Node
 (1)    (1)
1 11 12 1
(1)   (1) 
 F2   k21 k22   2 
1 1 1
2 2
1(1) Displacement of local node 1 of element 1

 2(1) Displacement of local node 2 of element 1

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 Direct Method

• For `element’ 2:
Element Local Global
 F   k
(2) (2)
k(2)
  
(2)
Node Node
 (2)    (2)
1 11 12 1
(2)   (2) 
 F2   k21 k22   2 
2 1 2
2 3
1(2) Displacement of local node 1 of element 2

 2(2) Displacement of local node 2 of element 2

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 Direct Method

• For `element’ 3:
Element Local Global
 F   k
(3) (3)
k   
(3) (3)
Node Node
 (3)    (3)
1 11 12 1
(3)   (3) 
 F2   k21 k22   2 
3 1 2
2 3
1(3) Displacement of local node 1 of element 3

 2(3) Displacement of local node 2 of element 3

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 Direct Method

• For `element’ 4:
Element Local Global
 F   k
(4) (4)
k(4)
  
(4)
Node Node
 (4)    (4)
1 11 12 1
(4)   (4) 
 F2   k21 k22   2 
4 1 3
2 4
1(4) Displacement of local node 1 of element 4

 2(4) Displacement of local node 2 of element 4

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 Connectivity Matrix

• Connectivity matrix T: Global nodes

of element 2
1 2 2 3 
T  
 2 3 3 4 
e=2
One column for
each element

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 Summary

 F   k
(1) (1)
k  d1 
(1)  F1(2)   k11(2) k12(2)  d 2 
 (1)    (1)
1 11 12
 (2)    (2) (2)   
(1)   
 F2   k21 k22   3 
d
 F2   k21 k22   2 
d

 F1(3)   k11(3) k12(3)  d 2   F1(4)   k11(4) k12(4)  d3 

 (3)    (3) (3)     (4)    (4) (4)   
 F2   k21 k22   3 
d  F2   k21 k22   4 
d

• We use d1 , d2 , d3 , d4 from now on to denote the global

degrees of freedom.
• Let us re-write each of these equations to include in the
displacement vector all nodal displacements of our system
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 Local to Global Transformation

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   F1(1) 

 F1(1)   k11(1) k12(1)  d1   (1)     (1) 
 (1)    (1)
(1)
0 0  d 2   F2 
(1)     k21 k22
 F2   k21 k22   2 
d 0    
0 d
0 0  3  0 
 
Global node 0 0 0 0  d 4  0 
displacements
0 0 0 0  d1  0 
 F   k
(2) (2)
k (2)
 d 2       (2) 
 (2)    (2)
1 11 12 (2) (2)
(2)    0 k11 k12 0  d 2    F1 
 F2   k21 k22   3  0 k (2) k (2) 0  d3   F (2) 
d
 21 22
   2 
0 0 0 0  d 4  0 
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 Local to Global Transformation

0 0 0 0  d1  0 
 F1(3)   k11(3) k12(3)  d 2   (3) (3)     (3) 
 (3)    (3) (3)     0 k11 k12 0  d 2    F1 
 F2   k21 k22   3 
d 0 k (3) k (3) 0  d3   F (3) 
 21 22
   2 
0 0 0 0  d 4  0 
0 0 0 0  d1  0 
 F   k
(4) (4) (4)
 d3  0 0  d 2  0 
k
 (4)    (4)
1 11 12
(4)    0 0
    (4) 
 F2   k21 k22   4 
d
0 (4)  
0 k11(4) k12  d3   F1 
 
0 0 (4)
k21 k22  d 4   F2(4) 
(4) 

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 [ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
Assembly: e e

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   F1(1) 

 (1)     (1) (3) 
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0  d 2   F2  F1  F1 
(2)

0 (4)      (2) (4) 

(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12  3   F2  F2  F1 
d (3)
 
0 0 (4)
k21 k22   4   F2(4)
(4)   d  

• What contributes to the global stiffness component
Kij, i.j=1,4?
Elements between nodes i and j.
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 [ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
Assembly: e e

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   F1(1) 

 (1)     (1) (3) 
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0  d 2   F2  F1  F1 
(2)

0 (4)      (2) (4) 

(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12  3   F2  F2  F1 
d (3)
 
0 0 (4)
k21 k22   4   F2(4)
(4)   d  

• What contributes to the global stiffness component
Kii,, i=1,4?
Elements that share node i.
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 [ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
Assembly: e e

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   F1(1) 

 (1)  d   (1) (3) 
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0  2  F2  F1  F1 
(2)

0     (2) (4) 
(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12(4)  d3   F2  F2  F1 
(3)
 
0 (4) (4)  d 4   F (4) 
0 k21 k22   2 
Displacement
Global stiffness matrix vector of global Global load vector
nodes

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 [ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
Assembly: e e

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   F1(1) 

 (1)     (1) (3) 
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0  d 2   F2  F1  F1 
(2)

0 (4)      (2) (4) 

(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12  3   F2  F2  F1 
d (3)
 
0 0 (4)
k21 k22   4   F2(4)
(4)   d  

• What is the total force acting on nodes 2(4)and 3?
(2) (3)
F2(1)  F1(2)  F1(3)  0 F2  F2  F1 0
(2)
F 1 F2(2)
F2(1) 2 F1(3) F2(3) 3 F1(4)
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 [ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
Assembly: e e

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   F1(1) 

 (1)    
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0   d 2  0 
0 (4)    
(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) d
k12  3   0 
 
0 (4)   d   (4) 
0 (4)
k21 k22   4   2 
F
• How about F1(1) and F2(4) ?
(4) Fr F1(1)
F 2 F
4 1

F2(4)  F  applied force (known) F1(1)  Fr  reaction force (unknown)

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 [ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
Assembly: e e

 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   Fr 

 (1)    
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0   d 2  0 
0 (4)    
(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12 d3  0 
 
0 0 (4)
k21 k22   4   F 
(4)   d 

• We have 4 equations with 5 unknowns: d1 , d2 , d3 , d4 , Fr

• We have not yet used the boundary condition: d1  0
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 Displacement Calculation

 k22
(1)
 k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0   d 2  0 
 (2) (4)     
 21
k  k (3)
21 k (2)
22  k (3)
22  k (4)
11 k12  d3   0 
0 (4)    F 
   
(4)
 k 21 k22  d 4

• This 3x3 system of eqs can be solved for: d2 , d3 , d4

• Once you do that, how do you compute the reaction
force at node 1?

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 Reaction Force Calculation
F

• Return to the 1st equation in the assembled system

before the application of the boundary condition:
 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0  d1   Fr 
 (1)    
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0   d 2  0 
0 (4)    
(2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12 d3  0 
 
0 (4)   d   F 
0 d1 
(4)
k21 k22   4 
d 
 2
 k11(1) k12(1) 
0 0     Fr  Fr  k11(1) d1  k12(1) d 2  k12(1) d 2
d3 
d 4 
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 Non-zero Displacement at Node 1: 1  

1 0 0 0  d1   
 (1)    
 k21
(1)
k22  k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0   d 2  0  system
      4 x 4
0 (2)
k21  k21
(3) (2)
k22  k22
(3)
 k11(4) k12(4)  d3  0  of Eqs
 
0 0 (4)
k21 k22   4   F 
(4)  d 

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 Non-zero Displacement at Node 1: 1  

 k22
(1)
 k11(2)  k11(3) k12(2)  k12(3) 0  d 2  k21(1)

 (2) (4)     
 21
k  k (3)
21 k (2)
22  k (3)
22  k (4)
11 k12  d 3   0   3x3 system
of Eqs
0 (4)    F 
 4 
(4)
 k 21 k22 d 
• The reaction force can be computed as before:
 
d 
 2
 k11(1) k12(1) 0 0     Fr  Fr  k11(1)   k12(1) d 2

d3 
d 4 
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 k  k 
Consider k (e)
 k, k(e)
k (e)
 k , for all elements e, i.e. K (e)
 

ii ij ji
 k k 

3k  2k 0  d 2  0  d1  0 
 2k 3k  k  d   0   d    Here we take :
 2  F / k 
  3        1    0
0 k k  d 4   F  d
 3  3 F / 2 k 
d 4  5 F / 2k 
Symmetric
stiffness

• The reaction force can then be computed as:

Fr  k11(1)   k12(1) d 2  k12(1) d 2  k F   F !
k
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 Revisiting the Assembly Process
[ K ]  [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ]  [ F ]( e )
e e

• In the equations above, we imply that the

(e)
element stiffness [ K ] and load vectors [ F ]
(e)

are already written in the expanded global

node format.
• How do we write the above assembly
process if we want to use element
stiffness [ K ]' expressed in the local node
(e)

format?
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 Revisiting the Assembly Process

• Recall that e.g. element 1 in local format:

 F1(1)   k11(1) k12(1)  1(1) 
 (1)    (1)  (1) (1)
   [ K ' ]{d }
 F2   k21 k22   2 
(1) (1)

[ K '(1) ] {d (1) }

• We can write the following transformations:

d  1  F1(1)  1 0 
   d   (1)     F (1) 
 
(1)
  1 0 0 0  2  F2  0   1   [ L(1) ]T {F (1) }
{d (1) }   1(1)    1
   [ L ]{d },
(1)
  
 2  0 1 0 0  d3  0   0 0   F2(1) 
d 4  0  0 0


 
• Note that the matrix scatters the nodal [ L(1) ]T

forces into the global nodal form

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 Revisiting the Assembly Process

• But we have seen that from equilibrium of

each node:  F  0  0  0   F 
1
(1)
r
 (1)   (2)   (3)  0   
 F2   F1   F1    0 
    (2)    (3)    (4)     {f }
0   F2   F2   F1  0 
0  0  0   F (4)   F 
       2 

• If we call the applied external force vector

simply { f },we can summarize the above as:
[ L
e
] {F ( e ) }  { f }
(e) T

4x2 2 x1 4 x1

MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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 Revisiting the Assembly Process

• Return to the element equations


 F1    k11 1 
k12( e )  
(e) (e) (e)

{F }   ( e )    ( e )
(e)
    [ K '(e)
]{d (e)
}

 F2    k21 k22    2 
(e) (e)

and the transformations:
d1 
1( e )  1 0 0 0  d 2 
4

 (e)        [ L(e)
]{d }  [ L(e) T
] {F (e)
}{f }
 2  0 1 0 0  d3  e1

{d ( e ) }
d 4 

• Combining these 3 Eqs gives: [L ] [K ' ]{d ( e ) }  { f } 

(e) T (e)

[ L ] [ K ' ][ L ]{d}  { f }  { f }  [K ]{d}, where [ K ]  [ L

e
(e) T (e) (e) (e) T
] [ K '( e ) ][ L( e ) ]
4x4 e 4x2 2x4
2x2
K
MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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 Revisiting the Assembly Process

• Let us verify [ K (1) ]  [ L(1) ]T [ K '(1) ][ L(1) ] Transformation matrix from

local to global node
Element stiffness in global Stiffness in local format
node format node format

1 0  k11(1) k12(1)   k11(1) k12(1) 0 0 

0  (1)   
1   k11(1) k12(1)  1 0 0 0   k21 k22(1)  1 0 0 0   k21(1) k22(1) 0 0 
[K ]  
(1) 
(1)     0 1 0 0   
0 0   k21
(1)
k22  0 1 0 0  0 0    0 0 0 0
     
0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 

• This is indeed what we used before!

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 Revisiting the Assembly Process

[ L ] {F }  { f }
(e) T (e)
[ K ]  [ L( e ) ]T [ K '( e ) ][ L( e ) ]
e e
[ K (e) ]
[ K ]{d}  { f }
• We remind you that is the e-element
[ K (e) ]
'( e )
stiffness in global nodal notation and [K ]
the e-element stiffness in local element
nodal notation.

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 Another Example
1 4
2

1 2
4 3 3

• For the spring system above, compute the

– global stiffness and force vector
– partition the system and solve for the nodal
displacements
– compute the reaction forces

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 An Example
1 4

2
1 2 4 3 3
1 3 1 4
3  3 1 1  1 1
[K ' ]  k 
(1)
3 [K '(2)
]k 4
 3 3   1 1 
4 3 3 2
2  2 4 1  1 3
[K ' ]  k 
(3)
3 [K ' ]  k 
(4)

 2 2   1 1 
2
1 2 3 4
3  1 0 3 1  1
0 1 1 0 
  2
[K ]  k
 3 1 3  2 1  2  3
 
 1 0 2 1 2  4
MAE 4700 – FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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 An Example
1 4
2

1 2 4 3 3
4 0 3 1  d1  r1 
0 1  d  r 
  2    2 
1 0
k 
 3  1 6 2  d3  50 N 
   
 1 0 2 3  d 4  0 

• We partition and apply BCs: d1  d2  0

6  2  d3  50 N  d3  1 10.7143

k       N
 2 3  d 4  0  d 4  k 7.1429 

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 An Example
1 4
2

1 2 4 3 3
4 0 3 1  d1  r1 
0 1  d  r 
  2    2 
1 0
k 
 3  1 6 2  d3  50 N 
   
 1 0 2 3  d 4  0 

• Compute the reaction forces:

 3  1  d3  r1  r1  39.286 
k        N
 1 0  d 4  r2  r2  10.714 

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