1D BAR ELEMENT

FE FORMULATION FROM GDE

FINITE ELEMENT FORMULATION FOR A ONE DIMENSIONAL BAR
EXAMPLE 1: Let us consider a cantilever beam subjected to a linearly varying load q(x) = q0.
The governing differential equation is given by:
d 2u q(x) = q0
AE 2  q( x)  0 With the boundary conditions:
dx
u 0  0, AE
du x L
0
dx x L
(i) Through Finite Element formulation find out the element level characteristic equations
leading to estimation of nodal degrees of freedoms (considering the bar to be consisting of
“n‟ numbers of finite elements).
(ii) Considering the bar to be consisting of two numbers of finite elements, calculate the nodal
degrees of freedom: (a) through assembling of the element level characteristic equations
(b) through first principle (finite element formulation)
(I) FORMATION OF ELEMENT LEVEL CHARACTERISTIC EQUATIONS
Let the entire domain of the beam be divided into „n‟ Step-1: Formation of Finite Elements
number of sub-domains or in other words it may be said
that let the beam be discretized into „n‟ number of finite x=0 x=l
elements. 1 2 3 k k+1 n n+1
Let us use the symbol “X” 1 2 k n
for global coordinate running X
along the length of the entire L
beam ( X = 0 to X = L)
X=0 X=L
Let us use “x” for local coordinate system prevailing within each element/sub-domain of the
entire beam (x = 0 to x = l).
Step 2: Weighted Residual Statement for “kth” finite element
Let us consider the “kth” sub-domain/finite element from the total “n” numbers of finite
elements considered in the bar domain.
x=0 x=l
• Let uˆk ( X ) be the trial 1 2 3 k k+1 n n+1
displacement field (trial 1 2 k n
solution) satisfying the
X
GDE in the kth finite
element/sub-domain only.
L
• Substituting trial solution X = 0 X=L
th
k Sub-domain end points
in GDE we get Residual
for the kth sub-domain/FE k k+ 1
as: k
d2
Rd k ( X )  AE 2
(uˆk ( X ))  q( X ) X k x=0 x=l
dX uk uk+1 Nodal DOF
• Now the Weighted
X k+1 Fk Fk+1 Nodal Forces
Residual Statement for
the kth finite element can
be formed as below:
X K 1 X k 1
d2
W ( X )R
XK
k dk ( X )dX  
Xk
Wk ( X )[ AE
dX 2
(uˆk ( X ))  q( X )]dX  0

Step 3: Weak formulation of the Weighted Residual Statement for the “kth” finite element
• Weighted residual statement for the kth finite element may be brought to weak form through
integration by parts:
 X K 1
d2

XK
Wk ( X )[ AE 2 (uˆk ( X ))  q( X )]dX  0
dx
X K 1 X k 1
d2
 
XK
Wk ( X )  AE 2 (uˆk ( X ))dX 
dx  W ( X )q( X ) dX  0
XK
k

Using the standard formula for integration by parts (for a definite integral):
  

      v  du [uv]  [uv]   v  du

u dv [uv ]
  
X K 1 X k 1
d d
 
XK
Wk ( X ) 
dX
( AE
dX
(uˆk ( X ))  dX   W ( X )q( X )  dX  0
XK
k

duˆk ( X )
Applying integration by parts u  Wk ( X ), v  AE
dX
X X k 1
duˆk ( X ) X k 1 k 1 duˆk dWk
 [Wk ( X ) AE ] X k   AE   dX   Wk ( X )  q( X )  dX  0
dX Xk
dX dX Xk
Natural boundary conditions (secondary variables) have become a
part of the WRS at this stage.
Essential boundary conditions (imposed upon primary variables: nodal degrees of freedom/
nodal displacements: uk, uk+1) Natural boundary conditions (imposed upon secondary variables:
nodal forces: Fk, Fk+1) for the “kth” sub-domain/finite element are not known, hence can not be
applied at this stage.
Step 4: Suggest trial solution satisfying essential boundary conditions for kth finite element
It may be noted here that, our trial solution uˆk ( X ) for the weak form of the WRS need only
be once differentiable (If the trial solution would have been suggested based on the WRS, it must
have to be at lease two times differentiable)
X K 1 X k 1
d2
W ( X )Rk dk ( X )dX   Wk ( X )[ AE
dX 2
(uˆk ( X ))  q( X )]dX  0 WRS
XK Xk
uˆk ( X )  C0  C1 X  C2 X 2
X k 1 X k 1 Weak form of WRS
duˆk ( X ) X k 1 duˆk dWk
 [Wk ( X ) AE
dX
]X k  
Xk
AE 
dX dX
 dX   W ( X )  q( X )  dX  0
Xk
k

A once differentiable trial solution is applicable for this weak form: uˆk ( X )  C0  C1 X
The trial solution for the kth finite element has to satisfy the
essential boundary conditions: X  X : uˆ ( X )  u ; X  X : uˆ ( X )  u
k k k k 1 k k 1
So trial solution for the kth
finite element can be assumed as a linear interpolation of the actual
functional values (uk and uk+1) at nodes.
uˆk ( X ) u  uˆ k 1 k 1
kth Sub-domain end points
uk  uˆk Actual displacement field (u(X))
k k+ 1 Trial displacement field uˆk ( X )
k
X
x=0 x=l x=0 x=l
uk uk+1
k k+ 1
Fk Fk+1 Xk k
x=0 x=l
X k+1
 Actual displacement field (u(X))
uˆk ( X ) uk 1  uˆk 1
Function values at the ends of the sub-domain
uk  uˆk
uˆk ( X )
y2  y1
Trial displacement field

( y  y1 )  ( )( x  x1 ) x=l
X
x2  x1
x=0

k k+ 1
Xk k
sub-domain end values x=0 x=l
X k+1
uˆ ( X ) X  X  uˆ ( X ) X  X
 (uˆk ( X )  uˆ ( X ) X  X )  ( k 1 k
)( X  X k )
k
X k 1  X k
uˆk 1  uˆk u u
 (uˆk ( X )  uˆk )  ( )( X  X k )  (uˆk ( X )  uk )  ( k 1 k )( X  X k )
X k 1  X k X k 1  X k
u u
 uˆk ( X )  uk  ( k 1 k )( X  X k ) [Trial solution in GCS]
X k 1  X k
Trial solution in Global coordinate system can be suitably converted into the local coordinate
system through the below mentioned substitution: X  x  X k
Limits of Global and Local coordinate systems can be defined as below:
X  X k : x  0; X  X k 1 : x  X k 1  X k  l
Limits of Global and Local coordinate systems can be defined Actual displacement field (u(x))
as below:
Function values at the ends of the sub-domain
uk 1  uˆk 1
uˆk ( x)
y2  y1
( y  y1 )  ( )( x  x1 ) uk  uˆk
x2  x1 Trial displacement field uˆk ( x)
x
x=0 x=l
sub-domain end values
u ( x ) x l  u ( x ) x  0 k
k
k+ 1
 (uˆk ( x)  u ( x) x 0 )  ( )( x  0)
l 0
x=0 x=l
uk 1  uk u  uk
 (uˆk ( x)  uk )  ( )( x  0)  uˆ ( x)  uk  k 1 x
l 0 l
uk 1  uk x x
 uˆk ( x)  uk  x  uˆk ( x)  [1  ]uk  [ ]uk 1 [Trial solution in LCS]
l l l
It may be noted here that, assumed trial solution for the kth finite element is a linear function of
“x” with two unknown coefficients.
x x
uˆk ( x)  [1  ]uk  [ ]uk 1 uˆk ( x)  C0  C1 x
l l
Here the unknown coefficients (C0 and C1) are nothing but the functional values corresponding
to end nodes of the kth finite element (uk and uk+1)
 Trial solution represented in terms of functional values at nodal end points with the help of
interpolation functions: [1-x/l] and [x/l]
% age contribution of the function value uk to the PCT
values within the sub-domain: Interpolation function-1

uˆk ( x)  [1  x / l ]  uk  [ x / l ]  uk 1
% age contribution of the function value uk 1 to
the PCT values within the sub-domain: Interpolation
function-2
kth
Local coordinate system (x)
Accordingly Weak form of the Weighted Residual Statement for the kth finite element can be
converted from GCS to LCS as below:
X k 1 X
duˆ ( X ) X k 1 duˆk dWk k 1

 [Wk ( X ) AE k
dX
]X k  
Xk
AE 
dX dX
 dX   Wk ( X )  q( X )  dX  0
Xk

X  x  X k X  X k : x  0; X  X k 1 : x  X k 1  X k  l
Substituting:
duˆk ( x) l l duˆk dWk l

 [Wk ( x) AE ]0   AE   dx   Wk ( x)  q( x)  dx  0
dx 0 dx dx 0
 A generic representation of interpolation of the field variable within an element valid for any
number of elements may be developed as:
 x x
Where, [N]: is the Shape function array and {u(cap)}k: is uk ( x)  [1  ]uk  [ ]uk 1  [ N ]{u}k
the DOF array l l
uk
 x x  x x
uk ( x)  [1  ]uk  [ ]uk 1  [ N ]{u}  uk (x)  [(1  ) ( )]
k

l l l l uk 1
As the Trial solution contains two unknown coefficients; we need two numbers of weighing
functions for formation of weak form based WRS. These two numbers of weighing functions are
to be selected from the expression of the trial solution.
The trial solution can be represented in terms of generalized form as below:
x x
uˆk ( x)  uk [1  ]  uk 1[ ]    C1 N1  C2 N 2
l l
 x x
uk ( x)  uk [1  ]  uk 1[ ]  C1 N1  C2 N 2
x l l
W1 ( x)  N1  [1  ] 0 < x < l
l
x
W2 ( x)  N 2  [ ] 0 < x < l
l
Step 5: Solving for unknown coefficients by putting the
trial solution in the weak form
Now lets us try to calculate the unknown coefficients
kth
by solving the weak formulation based WR statements.
 duˆk ( x) l l duˆk dWk l

 [Wk ( x) AE ]0   AE   dx  Wk ( x)  q( x)  dx  0
dx 0 dx dx 0
 x x
As the Trial solution contains two unknown coefficients: uk ( x)  [1  ]uk  [ ]uk 1
l l
Weak form of the weighted residual statement has to be made into two different equations:
l  l 
duk dW1 duk l
0 AE dx  dx  dx  0 W1 ( x)  q( x)  dx  [W1 ( x) AE dx ]0 .........(1)
l  l 
duk dW2 duk l
0 dx dx
AE   dx  0 2
W ( x )  q ( x )  dx  [W 2 ( x ) AE
dx
]0 .........(2)
x x  x x
Substituting: W1 ( x)  N1  [1  ] W2 ( x)  N 2  [ ] uk ( x)  [1  ]uk  [ ]uk 1
l l  l l
u  u 1
l l
du dW
LHS Equation1   ( AE k )( 1 )dx   AE k 1 k ( )dx
0
dx dx 0
l l
  
uk 1  uk  1 u
AE   AE k
 AE ( )l  (uk  uk 1 )  [1  1] 
l l l l uk 1
  
uk 1  uk 1
l l
duk dW2
LHS Equation2   ( AE )( )dx   AE ( )dx
0
dx dx 0
l l
   
uk
u u 1 AE   AE
 AE k 1 k ( )  l  (uk 1  uk )  [1 1] 
l l l l uk 1
l l
x q0l
RHS Equation1 firstterm
 0 1
W ( x )  q0  dx  0 l 0
[1  ]  q  dx 
2
l l
x q0l
RHS Equation 2 firstterm
 0 2
W ( x )  q0  dx  0 l 0
[ ]  q  dx 
2

duk l x
RHS Equation1 sec ond term  [W 1( x) AE ]0  [(1  ) P]l0   P0
dx l

duk l x
RHS Equation2 sec ond term  [W 2( x) AE ]0  [( ) P]l0  Pl
dx l
We have used the fact that the term: AE(du dx) stands for the axial force “P” in the bar at a
particular cross section. Thus P0 and Pl stands for the axial forces at either end of finite element.
The above weak form equations have been brought to the form: 
uk q0l
AE   P0
AE   q0l [1  1] 
(uk  uk 1 )   P0 l uk 1 2
l 2
AE   q0l 
(uk 1  uk )   Pl AE uk q0l
l 2 [1 1]    Pl
l uk 1 2
 The above two equations may finally be written in the form of a single matrix equation as:
 q0 l
1 [  P0

LHS
AE
l
1
1[ 1

uk
uk 1 = q0 l
2

2
+ Pl
RHS
These two sets of terms constitute characteristic matrices or characteristic equations for bar
element.
It may be observed that (AE/l) represents the axial stiffness of a rod; the first force vector
represents the nodal forces equivalent to the distributed force q0 and the element equations are
simply the nodal force equilibrium equations.
In view of the fact that these equations are simply the force-deflection relations for the bar
element, the LHS matrix is termed as the element stiffness matrix and the RHS vectors as the
Element nodal vectors.
(II) FORMATION OF SYSTEM LEVEL CHARACTERISTIC EQUATION THROUGH
ASSEMBLING ELEMENT LEVEL CHARACTERISTIC EQUATIONS CONSIDERING
TWO NUMBERS OF FINITE ELEMENTS
Lets us consider a beam of length L = 2l which has been discretized into two elements only.
x=0 x=l
1 2 3
1 2
x=0 x=l
L
X=0 X=L
FORMATION OF SYTEM LEVEL MATRIX EQUATION FROM ELEMENT LEVEL MATRIX EQUATION
The system level equations can be readily built up from the element level equations by
appropriately “placing” them in the system matrices.
x=0 x=l kth Sub-domain end points
X=0 X=L uk uk+1 k+ 1
1 2 3 k n k
k
X
L x=0 x=l
q0 l
1 [  P0
[
(k )
1 uk Characteristic
AE
l 1 1 uk 1 = q0 l
2
+ (k )
equation for
kth finite element
Pl
2
For a beam with two numbers of finite elements ( n = 2), the above general form of characteristic
equation may be used for forming the individual element level equations.
q0 l
1 [  P0
[
(1)
AE 1 u1

l 1 1 u2 = q0 l
2
+ (1)
First finite element
k =1
Pl
2
q0 l
1 [  P0
[
( 2)
AE 1 u2

l 1 1 u3 = q0 l
2
+ ( 2)
Second finite element
k =2
Pl
2
 The element level matrix equations are in the form a matrix of order [2 x 2]

 P0
(1) (1)
q0 l 1 2 Pl
1 [  P0
[
(1)
AE 1 u1

l 1 1 u2 = q0 l
2
+ (1) x=0
1
x=l
Pl
2
 P0
( 2) ( 2)
q0 l 3 Pl
1 [  P0 2

[
( 2)
AE 1 u2

l 1 1 u3 = q0 l
2
+ ( 2)
x=0
2
Pl x=l
2
The system level matrix equations are in the form a matrix of order [n x n], where n: is the
number of nodes in the system.
[Internal nodal force matrix]
u1 u2 u3

1 1 0 u1 q0l
2
0 1  P0(1)  0 1
AE
l
1 1 1  1 u2 = q0l
2
 q0l
2
2 +  P0( 2)  Pl (1) 2

0 1 1 u3
0  q0l 3
0  Pl ( 2) 3
2
[External nodal force matrix]
 x=0 x=l
1 2 3
1 2
x=0 x=l
L
X=0 X=L
LHS of the final characteristic equation for this beam with two finite elements would be a matrix
of order 3 x 3 (as the number of nodes is 3) which is formed by appropriately placing the data
of the individual element level matrices.

1 1 0 u1 q0l
2
0  P0(1)  0
AE
l
1 1 1  1 u2 = q0l
2
 q0l
2
+  P0( 2)  Pl (1)

0 1 1 u3
0  q0l
0  Pl ( 2)
2

[Element stiffness matrix] [nodal force matrices]

Each of the equations represents the nodal force equilibrium equation.
It may be observed that (AE/l) represents axial stiffness of each beam element, hence the LHS
matrix is called as the Element stiffness matrix.
First matrix on the RHS represents the equivalent nodal force generated due to the distributed
force (q(x)). It may be noted that at the junction nodes, the forces get added up.