Problem 2.

Obtain the total potential energy of the spring assemblage in

the Figure for Example 2.1 and find its minimum value. The
procedure of assembling element equations can then be seen
to be obtained from the minimization of the total potential
energy.
A force of 25 kN is applied at node 4 in the 𝑥 direction.
The spring constants given in the figure can be translated
into SI Units as: k1 = 200N/mm, k2 = 400N/mm, k3 =
600N/mm. Nodes 1 and 2 are fixed.

Solution
The potential energy πp for element 1 is:

(1) 1
𝜋𝑝 = 𝑘1 (𝑢3 − 𝑢1 )2 − 𝑓1𝑥 𝑢1 − 𝑓3𝑥 𝑢3
2
The potential energy πp for element 2 is:

(2) 1
𝜋𝑝 = 𝑘2 (𝑢4 − 𝑢3 )2 − 𝑓3𝑥 𝑢3 − 𝑓4𝑥 𝑢4
2

The potential energy πp for element 3 is:

(3) 1
𝜋𝑝 = 𝑘3 (𝑢2 − 𝑢4 )2 − 𝑓4𝑥 𝑢4 − 𝑓2𝑥 𝑢2
2

The total potential energy πp for the spring system is:

3
(𝑒)
𝜋𝑝 = ∑ 𝜋𝑝
𝑒=1

We can now minimize total potential energy at each node in

turn.
For node 1:

𝜕𝜋𝑝 ( )
= −𝑘1 𝑢3 + 𝑘1 𝑢1 − 𝑓1𝑥1 = 0
𝜕𝑢1

For node 2:

𝜕𝜋𝑝 ( )
= 𝑘3 𝑢2 − 𝑘3 𝑢4 − 𝑓2𝑥3 = 0
𝜕𝑢2

For node 3:

𝜕𝜋𝑝 ( ) (2)
= 𝑘1 𝑢3 − 𝑘1 𝑢1 + 𝑘2 𝑢3 − 𝑘2 𝑢4 − 𝑓3𝑥1 − 𝑓3𝑥 = 0
𝜕𝑢3

For node 4:

𝜕𝜋𝑝 ( ) (3)
= 𝑘2 𝑢4 − 𝑘2 𝑢3 + 𝑘3 𝑢4 − 𝑘3 𝑢2 − 𝑓4𝑥2 − 𝑓4𝑥 = 0
𝜕𝑢4

The matrix form of these equations is given as:

 𝐹1𝑥 𝑘1 0 −𝑘1 0 𝑢1
𝐹 0 𝑘2 0 −𝑘3 𝑢
{ 2𝑥 } = [ ] {𝑢2 }
𝐹3𝑥 −𝑘1 0 𝑘1 + 𝑘2 −𝑘2 3
𝐹4𝑥 0 −𝑘3 −𝑘2 𝑘2 + 𝑘3 𝑢4

Such that the force equilibrium equations are:

(1)
𝐹1𝑥 = 𝑓1𝑥

(3)
𝐹2𝑥 = 𝑓2𝑥

(1) (2)
𝐹3𝑥 = 𝑓3𝑥 + 𝑓3𝑥

(2) (3)
𝐹4𝑥 = 𝑓4𝑥 + 𝑓4𝑥

𝐹1𝑥 200 0 −200 0 𝑢1

𝐹 −600] {𝑢2 }
{ 2𝑥 } = [ 0 600 0
𝐹3𝑥 −200 0 600 −400 𝑢3
𝐹4𝑥 0 −600 −400 1000 𝑢4
The above equations are identical to those we obtained
through the direct stiffness method. From this point onwards
the solution follows the same procedure as in example 2.1
covered in Week 2, Lecture 2.