Rectangular Plate With Hole

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

2.1. Introduction to FEM Approach:
2.1.1 Why Structural Analysis?

The aim of the analysis is usually to determine whether the element or collection of elements
usually referred to as a structure, can safely withstand the specified forces. This is achieved when the
calculated stress from the applied fore is less than the ultimate tensile strength, ultimate compressive
strength of fatigue strength the material is known to be able to withstand, though arbitrarily a factor of
safety is applied in design. Structural analysis often had done while designing to prevent failure. An
aircraft structure experiences different loads during its life time. Even a minor flaw arising can create
a huge problem, may be even destructive and in most cases, failures get initiated at the so called
“critical stress location” in the structure. Analysis gives us the information about these critical stress
locations which need to be attended. Static stress analysis involves analytical, FEM or experimental
methods.

An aircraft structure constantly encounters variable loads during its which implies the
structural analysis must be performed for dynamic loading conditions. However, static structural
analysis forms the strong foundation and the results obtained from the static analysis are used and
further analytic procedures are based there results to be evaluate the strength of the structure various
conditions. This necessarily must be within the allowable stress for the material considered.

From the results obtained in static analysis, it becomes very convenient for a signer to
identify the critical stress values and its locations which are potential regions one to crack or any kind
of failure in general. In addition to these, a designer can further concentrate on these critical location
for carrying out further procedures like evaluation of damaged tolerance, determination of further
methods for optimization etc.,

2.1.2. Stress analysis:

In continuum mechanics, stress is defined as a measure of the average force per unit area of
surface within a deformable body on which internal forces act. In other words it is a measure of the
intensity of the internal acting between particles of a deformable body across imaginary internal
surfaces. These internal forces are produced between the particles in the body as a reaction to external
forces applied on the body. External forces are either surface forces or body forces. Because the
loaded deformable body is assumed as a continuum, these internal forces are distributed continuously,

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within the volume of the material body, i.e., the stress distribution in the body is expressed as a
piecewise continuous function of space coordinates and time.

In case of a prismatic bar axially loaded, the stress is represented by a scalar engineering
stress or nominal stress the represents an average stress ( ) over the meaning that the stress in the
cross section is uniformly distributed. Thus we have,

I.e. to determine the stress distribution in the structure it is necessary to solve a boundary
problem by specifying boundary conditions i.e. displacements and/or the forces on the structure.
Approximate solutions for boundary-value problems can be obtained through the various numerical
methods such as Finite Element Method, which are implemented in computer programs. Analytical or
close-form solutions can be obtained for simple geometries, constructive structures and boundary
conditions.

In design of structures calculated stresses are restricted to be less than a specified allowable
stress, also known as working or designed stress Allowable stress is chosen as some fraction of the
yield strength or of the ultimate strength of the material of which the structure is made. The ratio of
ultimate stress to the allowable stress is defined as the factor of safety. Laboratory tests are usually
performed on material samples in order to determine the yield strength and ultimate strength that the
material can withstand before failure.

1.3 Finite Element Analysis:

The finite element is a mathematical method for solving ordinary and partial differential
equations. Because it is a numerical method, it has the ability to solve complex problems that can be
represented in differential equation form. As these types of equations occur naturally in virtually all
fields of the physical sciences, the applications of the finite element method are limitless as regards
the solution of practical design problems.

Due to the high cost of computing power of years gone by, FEA has a history of being used
to solve complex and cost critical problems. Classical methods alone usually cannot provide adequate
information to determine the safe working limits of a major civil engineering construction or an
automobile or an Aircraft. If a tall building, a large suspension bridge or an Automobile or a Nuclear
reactor failed catastrophically, the economic and social costs would be unacceptably high.

The finite element method is a very important tool those involved in engineering design: it is
now used routinely to solve problems in the following areas:

Structural strength design

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Structural interaction with fluid flows

Analysis of Shock (underwater & in materials)

Acoustics

Thermal analysis

Vibrations

Crash simulations

Fluid flows

Electrical analyses

Mass diffusion

Buckling problems

Dynamic analyses

Electromagnetic evaluations

Metal forming

Coupled analyses

Nowadays, even the most simple of products rely on the finite element method for design
evaluation. This is because contemporary problems usually cannot be solved as accurately & cheaply
using another method that is currently available. Physical testing was the norm in years gone by, but
now it is simply too expensive and time consuming.

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