FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

MATRICES
Matrices are represented by an alphabet within a parenthsis. Size of the matrices are idendified by
the number of rows and columns in it
[A] is rectangular matrix
ixj

Where i referes the number of rows and j referes the number of columns.

When i = j then it is a square matrix

a11 a12 a13 .................a1n
a21 a22 a23 .................a2n
a31 a32 a33 .................a3n
[ A ] = .......................................
nxn .......................................
.......................................
an1 an2 an3 .................ann

Matrices are also represented by an alphabet within a flower parenthsis as

b1
{B} = b2
nx1
.
bn

Which is used to represent a colum vector or column matrix which will have n number of rows but
only one column.

Row vector or row matrix are represented by

{B}T = b1 b2 b3 ...............bn
1xn

Which will have only one row but n number of columns

Most of the time in finite element method we come across square, column and row matrix

In a square matrix [A].

If aij ≠ 0 for i ≤ j
= 0 for i > j

Then the matrix will be an upper triangular matrix

a11 a12 a13
[A] = 0 a22 a23
0 0 a33

1
Dr. Jagadish. T, Former Professor and Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, BIT, Bengaluru
Presently Director, Research and Development, DHIO Research and Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru
 FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
In a square matrix [A]
If aij ≠ 0 for i ≥ j
= 0 for i < j

Then the matrix will be an lower triangular matrix

a11 0 0
[A] = a21 a22 0
a31 a32 a33

In a square matrix [A]

If aij ≠ 0 for i = j
= 0 for i >< j

Then the matrix will be a diagonal matrix

a11 0 0
[A] = 0 a22 0
0 0 a33

In a square matrix [A]

if aij = 1 for i = j
= 0 for i >< j

Then the matrix will be called as identity matrix

1 0 0
[I] = 0 1 0
0 0 1

In a square matrix [A]. If aij = aji then the matrix is symmetric matrix
if aij = -aji , then the matrix is skew symmetric matrix

DETERMINENT OF THE MATRIX IS REPRESENTED AS │A│

a11 a12 a13

│A│ = a21 a22 a23
a31 a32 a33

│A│ = a11(a22*a33-a32*a23) - a12(a21*a33-a31*a23) + a13(a21*a32-a31*a22)

2
Dr. Jagadish. T, Former Professor and Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, BIT, Bengaluru
Presently Director, Research and Development, DHIO Research and Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru
 FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
MATRIX ALGEBRA
Addition and Subtraction
[A] + [B] = [C]
Ixj ixj ixj
[A] - [B] = [C]
ixj ixj ixj
Multiplication
[A] x [B] = [C]
Ixj jxk ixk

If a set of Equation are represented by Matrix

[A] {X} = {B}
ixj jx1 jx1
Then the unknown {X} can be written as
{X} = [A]-1 {B}
ixj jx1 jx1
Then [A]-1 is called as Inverse of the Matrix [A]

BANDED MATRIX

When all the non-zero elements of the matrix are concentrated parallel to the diagonal elements
and outside the band all elements are zero such matrices are called as banded matrix. The number
of rows parallel to diagonal on either side including the diagonal is known as the band width (BW)
of the matrix. Since in finite element analysis most of matrices which we come across are square
and symmetric matrix it is always convenient to store only the upper diagonal element along with
the diagonal element which is known as semi band width (BW) of the matrices.
Thus if ‘N’ is band width of the matrix then the semi band with SBW = (N+1)/2

x x x x x 0 0 0 0 0
x x x x x 0 0 0 0
x x x x x 0 0 0
x x x x x 0 0
x x x x x 0
Symmetry x x x x x
x x x x
x x x
x x
x SBW = 5

N = 2SBW - 1 = 2*5-1 = 9

3
Dr. Jagadish. T, Former Professor and Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, BIT, Bengaluru
Presently Director, Research and Development, DHIO Research and Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru