Module 3: Element Properties

Lecture 7: Stiffness Matrix of Isoparametric Elements

48

3.7.1 Evaluation of Stiffness Matrix of 2-D Isoparametric Elements

For two dimensional plane stress/strain formulation, the strain vector can be represented as
ì ü ì ü
ïïï ¶u ïïï ï ï
ï J11* ⋅
¶u
+ J12* ⋅
¶u ï
ï
ï
ï ¶x ï ïï ï ¶x ¶h ï
ïìï ex ïüï ï ï ï ï ï
ï
ïï ïï ï ¶v ï ïï ï ï ¶ v ¶ v ïï
{e} = í e y  = í =í
*
J 21 ⋅ + J 22 ⋅*
 (3.7.1)
ïï ïï ïï ¶y ïï ïï ¶x ¶h ï
ï
ïîïg xy ïï ïï ï ï ïï ï
ï
ïï ¶ v ¶ u ïï ï ¶ v ¶ v ¶ u ¶ u ï
+ ï ï * *
J11 ⋅ + J12 ⋅ *
+ J 21 ⋅ + J 22 ⋅ ï
*
ï
ï ¶x ¶y ï
îï
ï
ï ï
ïî ¶x ¶h ¶x ¶h ï ï
ï


The above expression can be rewritten in matrix form

ìï ¶u ü
ïï ï ï
ïï ¶x ï ï
ïï ï ï
é J11* ¶u ï
ê J12* 0 0 ùú ïïï ï ï
ï
* ú ï ¶h ï
{e} = êê 0 ïí ï (3.7.2)
*
0 J 21 J 22 ú
êJ * ï ¶v ïï
ê 21
*
J 22 J *
11 J12* úú ï ï ï
ë û ï ¶x ïï
ï
ïï ï
ïï ¶v ï ï
ïï ï ï
îï ¶h ï
ï
n
For an n node element the displacementu can be represented as, u = å N i ui and similarly for v&w.
i =1

Thus,

ìï ¶u üï é ¶N1 ¶N n ù
ïï ï ï êê ¶x  0  0 ú
ïïï ¶x ïï ¶x ú ïìïu ü ï
ê ú ï 1 ïï
ïï ¶u ï ïï ê ¶N1 ¶N n ú  ïï
ï
ïï ïï ê  0  0 ú ïï ï
ï ¶ h ï ê ¶h ¶h úï ïun ïï
ï
íï ï = êê úí ï (3.7.3)
ï ¶v ï ¶N1 ¶N n úú ïï v1 ï
ïïï ïïï êê 0  0  ï ï ï
¶x ¶x ¶x úú ïï  ï
ïïï ïïï ê ï ï ï
ïïï ¶v ïïï ê 0
ê ¶N1 ï vn ï
¶N n úú îïï ï
ï

 0 
ïîï ¶h ïï êë ¶h ¶h úû

As a result, eq.(3.7.2) can be written using eq. (3.7.3) which will be as follows.
 49

é ¶N1 ¶N n ù ìïu1 üï
ê  0  0 ú ïï ïï
ê ¶x ¶x ú ïï: ïï
ê ú ïï ïï
é J11
* * ù ê ¶N ¶N n ú ï: ï (3.7.4)
ê J12 0 0 úê 1  0  0 ú ïï ïï
ê úïu ï
{e} = êê 0 0 J*21 J*22 úú ê ¶h ¶h
ú ïí n ï
ê J* * úê ¶N1 ¶N n ú ïïv1 ïï
ê 21 J*22 *
J11 J12 ú êê 0  0  úï ï
ë û ¶x ¶x ú ïï: ïï
ê úï ï
ê ¶N1 ¶N n ú ïï: ïï
ê 0  0  úï ï
ëê ¶h ¶h úû ïïïv n ïïï
î 
Or,
{e} = [ B]{d} (3.7.5)

Where {d} is the nodal displacement vector and [B] is known as strain displacement relationship
matrix and can be obtained as
é ¶N1 ¶N n ù
ê  0 0 ú 
ê ¶x ¶x ú
ê ú
é J11
* * ù ê ¶N ¶N n ú (3.7.6)
J12 0 0 úê 1  0  0 ú
ê
* ê ¶h ¶h ú
[ B] = êê 0 0 J 21 J 22 úú êê
*
ú
ê J* J * J * J* ú ê 0 ¶N1 ¶N n ú
ê 21 22 11 12 ú ê  0  ú
ë û ¶x ¶x ú
ê ú
ê ¶N1 ¶N n ú
ê 0  0  ú
êë ¶h ¶h úû
It is necessary to transform integrals from Cartesian tothe natural coordinates as well for calculation
of the elemental stiffness matrix in isoparametric formulation. The differential area relationship can
be established from advanced calculus and the elemental area in Cartesian coordinate can be
represented in terms of area in natural coordinates as:
dA = dx dy = J dx dh (3.7.7)

Here J is the determinant of the Jacobian matrix. The stiffness matrix for a two dimensional
element may be expressed as
T
[ k ] = òòò [ B] [ D ][ B]dW = t òò [ B] [ D ][ B]dxdy
T (3.7.8)
W A

Here, [B] is the strain-displacement relationship matrix and t is the thickness of the element. The
above expression in Cartesian coordinate system can be changed to the natural coordinate system as
follows to obtain the elemental stiffness matrix
 50

+1 +1
T
[k ] = t ò ò [B] [D ][B] J dxdh (3.7.9)
-1 -1

Though the isoparametric formulation is mathematically straightforward, the algebraic difficulty is

significant.

Example 3.7.1:
Calculate the Jacobian matrix and the strain displacement matrix for four nodetwo dimensional
quadrilateral elements corresponding to the gauss point (0.57735, 0.57735) as shown in Fig.3.6.4.

Fig.3.7.1 Two dimensional quadrilateral element

Solution:
The Jacobian matrix for a four node element is given by,
é n ¶N i n ù
¶N i
êå x å ¶x yi ú
ê i=1 ¶x i ú
[ J ] = êê n i =1
ú
ê å ¶N i xi
n
¶N i úú
ê i=1 ¶h å
i =1 ¶h
yi ú
ë û

For the four node element one can find the following relations.
(1 - x)(1 - h) ¶ N1 1 - h ¶ N1 1- x
N1 = , =- , =-
4 ¶x 4 ¶h 4
(1 + x)(1- h) ¶N 2 1 - h ¶N 2 1+ x
N2 = , = , =-
4 ¶x 4 ¶h 4
(1 + x)(1 + h) ¶N 3 1 + h ¶N 3 1 + x
N3 = , = , =
4 ¶x 4 ¶h 4
 51

(1- x)(1 + h) ¶N 4 1 + h ¶N 4 1 - x
N4 = , =- , =
4 ¶x 4 ¶h 4
Now, for a four node quadrilateral element, the Jacobian matrix will become
é ¶N ¶N 2 y1 ù
¶N 3 ¶N 4 ù é x1
ê 1 ú úê
ê ¶x ¶x y2 ú¶x ¶x ú ê x 2
[J] = ê ú úê
ê ¶N ¶N 2 y3 ú
¶N 3
ú ¶N 4 ú êê x 3
ê 1 ú
êë ¶h ¶h y 4 úû
¶h ¶h úû êë x 4
é 1- h 1- h 1 + h 1 + h ù éê x1 y1 ù
ú
ê- - úê
ê 4 4 4 4 ú êx2 y2 ú
=ê ú ú
ê 1- x 1 + x 1 + x 1 - x ú êê x 3 y3 ú
ú
ê- - ú
ë 4 4 4 4 û êë x 4 y 4 úû

Putting the values of ξ & η as 0.57735 and 0.57735 respectively, one will obtain the following.
¶N1 ¶N1
= -0.10566 = -0.10566
¶x ¶h
¶N 2 ¶N 2
= 0.10566 = -0.39434
¶x ¶h
¶N3 ¶N3
= 0.39434 = 0.39434
¶x ¶h
¶N 4 ¶N 4
= -0.39434 = 0.10566
¶x ¶h
4
¶N i
Hence, J11 = å xi = -0.10566´1 + 0.10566´ 3 + 0.39434´3.5 - 0.39434´1.5 = 1.0
i =1 ¶x
Similarly,J12 =0.64632, J21 =0.25462 and J22 =1.14962.
Hence,
é1.00000 0.64632ù
J=ê ú
êë 0.25462 1.14962 úû
Thus, the inverse of the Jacobian matrix will become:
é * J12* úù é 1.1671 -0.6561ù
é J * ù = ê J11 =ê ú
ëê ûú ê J * * ú
J 22 êë-0.2585 1.0152 úû
ë 21 û
Hence strain displacement matrix is given by,
 52

é ¶N1 ¶N n ù
ê  0  0 ú
ê ¶x ¶x ú
ê ú
é J11
* * ù ê ¶N ¶N n ú
J12 0 0 úê 1  0  0 ú
ê ê ú
[ B] = êê 0 0 J*21 J*22 úú ê ¶h ¶h
ú
ê J* * úê ¶N1 ¶N n ú
ê 21 J*22 *
J11 J12 ú êê 0  0  ú
ë û ¶x ¶x ú
ê ú
ê ¶N1 ¶N n ú
ê 0  0  ú
êë ¶h ¶h úû
é 1.1671 -0.6561 0 0 ùú
ê
= êê 0 0 -0.2585 1.0152 úú ´
ê-0.2585 1.0152 1.1671 -0.6561úú
ëê û
é-0.10566 0.10566 0.39434 -0.39434 0 0 0 0 ù
ê ú
ê ú
ê-0.10566 -0.39434 0.39434 0.10566 0 0 0 0 ú
ê 0 0 0 0 -0.10566 0.10566 0.39434 -0.39434úú
ê
ê ú
ë 0 0 0 0 -0.10566 -0.39434 0.39434 0.10566 û

é-0.0540 0.3820 0.2015 -0.5294 0 0 0 0 ù

ê ú
=ê 0 0 0 0 -0.0800 -0.4276 0.2984 0.2092 ú
ê ú
ê-0.0800 -0.4276 0.2984 0.2092 -0.0540 0.3820 0.2015 -0.5294ú
ë û

3.7.2 Evaluation of Stiffness Matrix of 3-D Isoparametric Elements

Stiffness matrix of 3-D solid isoparametric elements can easily be formulated by the extension of the
procedure followed for plane elements. For example, the eight node solid element is analogous to the
four node plane element. The strain vector for solid element can be written in the following form.
 53

 u 
 x 
 
 u 
 y 
 
 u 
 z 
  x  1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   v 
   0  
 y  0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   x 
  z  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   v 
   
 xy  0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   y 
 yz  0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0   v 
    
 zx  0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0   z 
 w 
 x 
 
 w 
 y 
 
 w  (3.7.10)
 z 

The above equation can be expressed as

 u 
  
 
 u 
  
 u   
 x   u 
    
 v   
 y   J11* J12* J13* 0 0 0 0 0 0   v 
   
 w   0 0 0 *
J 21 *
J 22 *
J 23 0 0 0    
 
 z   0 * * * 
 v 
    u v    *
0 0 0 0 0 J 31 J 32 J 33
 
    J 21
*
J 22 *
J 23 J11* J12* J13* 0 0 0    
 y x   0 0 0 *
J 31 *
J 32 *
J 33 *
J 21 *
J 22 * 
J 23 v 
   *  
 v  w   J 31 J13    
* *
J 32 J 33 0 0 0 J11* J12* *

 z y   w 
   
 x  w    
 z x   w 
 
  
 v  (3.7.11)
 
  
 54

8
For an 8 node brick element u can be represented as, u = å N i ui and similarly for v&w.
i =1

u N
8
u N u N 8 8
  i ui ,   i ui &   i ui
 i 1   i 1   i 1 
v 8
N v 8
N v 8
N
  i vi ,   i vi &   i vi (3.7.12)
 i 1   i 1   i 1 

w 8 N i w 8 N i w 8
N
 wi ,  wi &   i wi
 i 1   i 1   i 1 

Hence eq. (3.7.11) can be rewritten as

 N i 
  0 0 
 
 N i 
J *
J *
J *
0 0 0 0 0 0   0 
0 

11 12 13
* * *   
0 0 0 J 21 J 22 J 23 0 0 0   N i 
8 
0 0  ui 
0 0 0 0 0 0 J* *
J 32 * 
J 33     (3.7.13)
    *    vi 
31

 J 21
* *
J11* J12* J13* 0 0 0  i 1  N i N i 
0   wi 
J 22 J 23
0 * * * * * *    
0 0 J 31 J 32 J 33 J 21 J 22 J 23  
 * 
 J 31
*
J 32 *
J 33 0 0 0 J11* J12* J13*   N i N i 
 0   
 
 N i N i 
  0
  
Thu, the strain-displacement relationship matrix [B] for 8 node brick element is
 55

 N i 
  0 0 
 
 N i 
J *
J *
J *
0 0 0 0 0 0   0 
0 

11 12 13
* * *   
0 0 0 J21 J22 J23 0 0 0   N i 
8 
0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 *
J 31 *
J 32 * 
J 33  
 B   *    (3.7.14)
 J 21
*
J 22 *
J 23 J11* J12* J13* 0 0 0  i 1  N i N i 
  0 
0 0 0 *
J 31 *
J 32 *
J 33 *
J 21 *
J 22 * 
J 23 
 *   
 J 31
*
J 32 *
J 33 0 0 0 J11* J12* J13*   N i N i 
 0   
 
 N i N i 
  0
  

The stiffness matrix may be found by using the following expression in natural coordinate system.
+1 +1 + 1
T T
[ k ] = òòò [ B] [ D ][ B]dW = òòò [ B] [ D ][ B]dxdydz = ò (3.7.15)
ò ò [B] [D][B]dxdhdz J
T

W V -1 -1 -1