2.

RAYLEIGH-RITZ METHOD

Computational Mechanics and

Inelastic Structural Analysis
(Prof. Alberto Corigliano)
EXERCISE 1
EJ
M m
l
x EJ
K k
y l3
l l

EJ  x 
EJ  x   1  
2  l
EJ EJ
2 x
l l

The equilibrium configuration minimizes the total potential energy (TPE):

2l
1 1
 EJ  x    y  x  dx  K  y  2l    M  y  l 
2 2
E
20 2

 y  0   0
where y  x  has to fulfill the essential boundary conditions: 
 y  0   0
with y  x   C1  0, 2l 

The aim is to find an approximated solution y  x  of the problem.

x2
a) y2  x   a being coefficient a a degree of freedom of the system.
l2

1  2 16l 2 
2
 2a   2al 
2l
1
E  E  a    EJ  x    2  dx  K a 2   M   2 
20 l  2  l  l 

2l 2l
dE 4a M 4a EJ mEJ
  EJ  x   4 dx  16 Ka  2   EJ  x   4 dx  16k 3 a  2 2  0
da 0 l l 0
l l l
EJ  1  x  
l l
EJ m EJ
4a 4   1    dx   1 dx   16k 3 a  2 2
l 0 2 l  0  l l
2a  l l  8ka 2ml
2 
 l m  a
l 2 4  l 7  16kl
 2m  x
2
8ml
y2  x       y2  2l  
 7  16k  l 7  16k

2
 x2 x3
b) y3  x   a  b
l2 l3

2
1  4a l 2 8b l 3   2al 3bl 2 
2
 2a 6bx 
2l
1
E  E  a, b    EJ  x    2  3  dx  K  2  3  M  2  3 
20 l l  2  l l  l l 

 E 2l  2a 6bx  2 2M
   EJ  x    2  3  2 dx  K  4a  8b  4  0
 a 0 l l l l

 E  EJ x   2a  6bx  6 x dx  K 4a  8b 8  3M  0
2l

 b     l 2  
 0
l 3  l 3 l

  1 l  x  2  2a 6bx  2l
2  2a 6bx   EJ 2 EJ
 EJ   1   2  2  3  dx   2  2  3  dx   4  4a  8b  3 k  2 m
 2 0  l  l  l l  l
l l l   l l

  1 l  x  6 x  2a 6bx  2l
6 x  2a 6bx   EJ 3EJ
 EJ   1   3  2  3  dx   3  2  3  dx   8  4a  8b  3 k  2 m
 2 0  l  l  l l  l
l l l   l l

 7  16k 23  32k 
   a    2 ml
 23  32k 189    
 64k  b  3 
 2 

x
2mx 2 120  32k    25  16k  560ml
y3  x   l  y3  2l  
l 265  976k 265  976k

x2 x3 x4
c) y4  x   a  b  c
l2 l3 l4

x x2
2mx 2  77283  20800k    26085  12160k    3125  880k  2
y4  x   l l
l 137901  523168k

300904m
y4  2l   l
137901  523168k

3
Considering m = 1 and k = 30:

x x
l l
exact

y
Exact Solution y
l Pn approximant polynomial
l

m
m
exact

m 1
x
l x
l

Exact Solution

4
EXERCISE 2
p

y EI
k k
l4
l

Let us consider a beam on elastic foundation. The contribution to the strain energy due to the
elastic foundation can be written as:

 v x 
l  1
l
VS     k  d   dx   kv 2  x   dx
0  
 0 20

while the external work is given by:

l
    pv  x   dx
0

Thus, the total potential energy of the system is equal to:

l l l
1 1
 EJ  x   v  x   dx   kv 2  x   dx   pv  x   dx
2
E
20 20 0

The equilibrium configuration v  x  minimizes the functional, satisfying the Dirichlet (essential)
boundary conditions.

v  x : E  E  v   min E  v  v  0  0, v  l   0
v

Notice that v  x  fulfills also the Neumann (natural) boundary conditions:

v  0   v  l   0

If the following function is adopted to approximate the exact solution:

 
v1  x   a1 sin  x
l 

5
the total potential energy becomes:
2 2
1
l
 2   1 
l
 
l
 
E1  E  a    EJ  x     2 a1 sin  x   dx   k   a1 sin  x    dx   p  a1 sin  x   dx
20  l l  20  l  0 l 

" a1 " plays the role of a free variable, since v1  x  is assumed to respect the essential boundary
conditions.

The stationarity of the Total Potential Energy gives:

E1 4 
l

l
 
l
 
 EJa1 4   sin 2  x   dx  k  a1   sin 2  x   dx  p   sin  x   dx  0
a l 0 l  0 l  0 l 

Since it holds that:


  

sin 2   cos2   1 , and  sin   d   cos   d 
2 2

0 0
2

  l  l l
l l

0 sin  l x   dx  0 sin   dx    2    2
2 2
→

l
     l
l
l 2l
→ 0 sin  l x   dx    cos  x     1  1 
  l   0  

Thus:

4 l EJ l 2 2p  4 pl 4
EJa1   k 4  a1   p   a1  
4
l 2 l 2 l EJ  4 2l 4  k 2l 4  EJ  4  k  

4 pl 4  
v1  x   sin  x
EJ   k  
4
l 

The bending moment can be expressed as:

4 pl 2  
M1  x    EJ  v1 x  M1  x   sin  x
  k   l
4


Another possible choice is to approximate the exact solution by a sum of n harmonic function, as:

n
  
vn  x    a j  sin  j x 
j 1  l 
6
Each harmonic function satisfies both the essential and the natural boundary conditions. Moreover,
the following orthogonality property holds:
l
      l 2 j i
 sin  j l
0
x   sin  i
  l
x  dx  
 0 ji

The Total Potential Energy becomes:

2
l
 2   
En  E  vn   E  a j    EJ  x     2
n
1
 a j  sin  j x   dx 
 l 
20  l j 1
2
1
l
 n   
l n
  
  k    a j  sin  j x    dx   p   a j  sin  j x   dx
2 0  j 1  l  0 j 1  l 

The principle of stationarity of the total potential energy gives:

En 4  n l
     
 EJ 4     ar  r 2  sin  r x    j 2 sin  j x  dx 
a j l 0  r 1  l   l 
EJ  n         
l l
 k 4     ar  sin  r x    sin  j x  dx  p   sin  j x   dx  0
l 0  r 1  l   l  0  l 

The orthogonality property of the harmonics allows obtaining a decoupled linear system, as:

4 l EJ l l
EJ  j 4a j  k 4  aj  p  1  cos  j   j  1 ... n
l 4
2 l 2 j

2 j  2r  1
and 1  cos  j     r
j  2r
0
0

so:

 0 j  2r


a j   2 pl  j j  2r  1
 EJ  4 j 4  k 

 2l 3

7
Therefore, the displacement can be written as:

  
4 sin  j x 
 l 
n
4 pl
vn  x  
 EJ
 j 1 j  k   4 j4 
j  2r -1, r 0

while the bending moment is equal to:

  
sin  j x 
j  4 4
n
M n  x    EJ  vn M n  x   4 pl 2  
l
j  2r -1, r
j 1 k   j  0

Note that:

aj k  4  k  1
 1  4   5 k  4 j4
a1 j   k   4 j 4     j

8
 EXERCISE 3
Consider a square elastic plate with unitary thickness under the plane stress hypothesis. The plate
is restrained along the y  1 sides and loaded along the x  1 sides. The distributed load is

 
parabolic: p  p 1  y 2 . The material is characterized by the elastic constants ( E , ).

p  y
y, v
x, u

Let us consider third order complete polynomials to approximate the exact displacement in the x
direction:

u  x, y   a  b  x  c  y  d  x 2  e  xy   f  y 2  g  x3  h  x 2 y  l  xy 2  m  y 3

Some parameters can be obtained by imposing essential boundary conditions: u  x, 1  0

g  0
d  h  0
 a  c  f  m   x   b  e  l   x   d  h   x  g  0
 
2 3

  
 a  c  f  m   x   b  e  l   x   d  h   x  g  0 e  0; l  -b
2 3

 f  -a; m  -c

 u  x, y   a  1  y 2   b  x  1  y 2   c  y  1  y 2    a  b  x  c  y   1  y 2 

u   x, y   u ( x, y )

Moreover, the symmetry condition gives: 
 u  x,  y   u ( x , y )


a  0
   u  b  x  1  y 2   q1  x  1  y 2 
c  0

Analogously, the polynomial approximation of the displacement in the y direction is:

v  x, y   a  b  x  c  y  d  x 2  e  xy   f  y 2  g  x3  h  x 2 y  l  xy 2  m  y 3

9
By imposing essential boundary conditions: v  x, 1  0

g  0
d  h  0
 a  c  f  m   x   b  e  l   x   d  h   x  g  0
 
2 3

  
 a  c  f  m   x   b  e  l   x   d  h   x  g  0 e  0; l  b
2 3

a   f ; c  m

 v  x, y   a  1  y 2   b  x  1  y 2   c  y  1  y 2    a  b  x  c  y   1  y 2 

 v  x ,  y    v ( x, y )

Moreover, the symmetry condition gives: 
 v   x, y   v ( x, y )


a  0
   v  c  y  1  y 2   q2  y  1  y 2 
b  0

Note that u is even along the y and odd in x , while v is odd along the y and even in x .

Therefore the total potential energy is equal to:

1 1 1 1 1

E  u, v   1    dy    ij ij  dx   p  y   u 1, y   dy    p  y   u  1, y   dy 
 2 1 1 1 1 

Since: u  1, y   u 1, y  and  z   xz   yz  0 it holds that:

1 1 1
E  u, v     dy    x x   y y   xy xy   dx  2  p  y   u 1, y   dy
1
2 1 1 1

The elastic constitutive law under the plane stress hypothesis is:

 x  1  0  x 
  E    
 y   1  2   1 0 y 
 xy 
 
 0 0 1   2   xy 

For compatibility:

 u
 x   q1  1  y 2 
  x
 v
 y   q2  1  3 y 2 
  y
 u v
 xy    2q1  xy
 y x
10
The total potential energy writes:

 1  2 
1 1 1
 xy   dx  4  p 1  y 2   q1 1  y 2   dy
1 E
E  q1 , q2    4 2 
 dy     x2   y2  2 x y 
2 1  1 1 
2  1

1 1

 dy    q12 1  y 2   q22 1  3 y 2   2 q1q2 1  y 2 1  3 y 2  
2E
E  q1 , q2   2 
2 2

1  1 1 

1  
1
 4q12 x 2 y 2   dx  4 p  q1  1  y 2   dy
2

2  1

2E  8 2 4 2 4 2  8
E  q1 , q2   
2 
 q1   q2  2 q1q2   1   q12   4 p  q1 
1  15 5 15 9  15

By imposing the stationarity of the total potential energy:

 E  q1 , q2  2 E 16 8 4  32
  
2 
 q1   q2  1   q1   p0
 q1 1  15 15 9  15

 E  q1 , q2   2 E   8  q  8  q   0
 q 1  2  5 15 
2 1
 2

16 16 1  2    2 16 p   68 8 2 4 
  q1 
15
8 2 4
 q1  1   q1  p  1 

q 

1        
15 E   45 45 9 
 45 9 15 E  
q     q q     q


2
3
1  2 3
1

Thus:


q1  17  5  2 2 1   E
12 2 p


4
2 
1  2 
q   p
 2
17  5  2 E

The stresses can be computed by exploiting the compatibility and the behavior equations:

3  2  3 1  2  y 2 8 p 12 xy  p 1  
x  4p ; y  ;  xy 
17  5  2 2
17  5  2 2 17  5  2 2

11
EXERCISE 4

Inextensible rods: EA  

The axial strain is negligible.

l h l
1 1
E    EJ t  v1  x   dx    EJ r  v2   z   dz   p  v1  x   dx
2 2

2 0 2 0 0

The exact solution is a 4th order polynomial for v1  x  and is a 3th order polynomial for v2  z  .

 x2  x 
v1  x    l 1  l 
  
The chosen approximation is described by the function: 
v  z    z  1  z 
2

 2  
h  h

Both functions have to fulfill the essential boundary conditions and the compatibility conditions in
node B:

v1  0   v1  0   0 ; v2  0   v2  0   0 ; v1  l   v2  h   

 represents the unique degree of freedom of the system.

Let us compute the derivatives of v1  x  and v2  z  .

x x x2 x 3x 
v1  x   2 1     2   2 
l l l l l 

 3x  x  6 x  2  3x  2  3z 
v1 x    2    3 2   2    1   and v2  z   1  
l l  l l l  l  l  h  h

12
 4 2  3x  4 2  3z 
2 2
x2  x 
l h l
1 1
E     EJ t  2   1    dx  EJ r  2   1    dz  p   2 1    dx
0
2 l l  2 h 0 h 0
l  l

being:

2
 3x 
l l l

0 1  l   dx  l  0 1  3   d  l  0 1  9  6   d  l  1  3  3  l
2 2

2
 3z 
h

0 1  l   dx  h
By imposing the stationarity:

1 4 2 1 4 2 1 1
E     EJ t  2  l  EJ r  2  h  p  l 2    
2 l 2 h 3 4

E     4 EJ t 4 EJ r  pl 2 pl 2
      0  
  l h  12 48  EJ t l  EJ r h 

Remarks:

 The bending moment in the horizontal beam is proportional to x , while it should be

proportional to x 2 .

2  3x 
M1  x    EJ t  v1 x   M1  x    EJ t  1  
l  l 

  corresponds to the exact value of the rotation at node B. If a 4th order polynomial is
added to v1  x  the result remains the same:

x2  x2 
v1  x   v1  x    1   being: 1  0  1  l   1  l   1  l   0
l2  l2 
1  x 

Since 1  l   0 , there are no contribution of 1 to  .

l l l

 v1 x   1 x   dx  v1 1    v1 1  dx   v1 1    v1  1  dx  0

l l
iv
0 0
0 0 0

E d E    pl 2
So: E  ,    E     E    ;  0 →   
 d 48  EJ t l  EJ r h 

This property holds for all the cubic functions, independently on the load, if EJ  const. (see Betti’s
theorem and finite element method
13
EXERCISE 2b:
M
A EJ  const. C
x B K 
v
l l

Ml 2 7 9
Where: vB  M B   M M B  M
32 EJ 16 16
2l
1
E    EJ  v  x    dx  M  v  l 
2

2 0

 ax 2
 2 0 xl v2  x  respects the essential boundary
 3l
a v2  x    conditions and the continuity in B (i.e.
 a  4  8 x  3x 
2
l  x  2l
 3  l l2 
 conditions on the displacement and its
first derivative)

 x2 x3


 4a  11b  24c  2   3a  8b  17c  3 0 xl
b v3  x   
l l
2 3
2a  4b  8c  a x  b x  c x l  x  2l

 l l2 l3

In the following picture v3  x  is the “exact solution”:

 7 16
M3
x
x M2 1 10 l
v2  x 
l
1 32

v3  x  3 10

1 20 M  x
EJ 9 10
v 2 M
Ml

14
 xr vn  0   vn  0   vn  l   0
n
c vn  x    ar  with:
r 0 lr

By assuming n  3, 4, ... ,15

v2  x 

EJ
vn  v15  x 
Ml 2

M 15

M3

M n  x
M

Remark: The midpoint displacement is always exactly computed.

15
EXERCISE 2c: Timoshenko beam
p
3
2 pl
0 
EJ A EJ  const. GA*  6EJ l 2 C
EJ
x B k  10
M  pl 2
l3
v 
l l

x x
  x   0  a v  x  b
2l 2

2l 2l 2l
1 1 1
E    EJ     x   dx    GA*  v  x     x   dx   kv 2  x   M   x    p  x   v  x   dx
2 2

2 0 2 0 2 0

 k GA*  2  EJ GA*l   * M b  GA* 

E  a, b   b 2      a      a   GA l  0   
 2 4l   4l 3   2 2 

 2 pl 
b    GA* 0   M 0  GA*l 02
 3 

 EJ 2GA * l GA*l   M 
 2l     GA*l  0 
 3 2 
a  2 
      
 GA*l GA*l   b   2 pl 2  GA*l  
  2 kl 
2

2   3 
0

EJ 9 2 3  a   23 2
  
l  3 13  b   38 3 

 a   223 pl 3
b    45   99 EJ
   

16