Frame Element 127

where

{ui }
T
{E }e = vi R i u j v j R j (4.142)
and the element stiffness matrix is

⎡ AE / L 0 0 − AE / L 0 0 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 12 EI / L3 6 EI / L2 0 − 12 EI / L3 6 EI / L2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 6 EI / L2 4 EI / L 0 − 6 EI / L2 2 EI / L ⎥
[ k ]e = ⎢ ⎥
⎢ − AE / L ⎥ (4.143)
0 0 AE / L 0 0
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 − 12 EI / L3 − 6 EI / L2 0 12 EI / L3 − 6 EI / L2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 6 EI / L2 − 6 EI / L2 4 EI / L ⎥⎦⎥
⎣⎢ 2 EI / L 0

Example 4.8. A frame structure. Consider the simple framed structure made of steel shown
in Figure 4.23(a). We wish to obtain the deflections using the frame element just described.

20 mm dia.
Steel rod
4m

Steel I-beam
A = 2000 mm2
I = 106 mm4

3m

10 kN
Fig. 4.23(a) Structure details (Example 4.8).

Through this example, we will illustrate the procedure for transformation of frame element
matrices from local to global reference frame. We will also study how to model pin joints in
a structure. We will use two elements as shown in Figure 4.23(b). Using the expression for
128 One-dimensional Finite Element Analysis

3
X
q
y2 x2
x2 20 mm dia.
Y Steel rod

Steel I-beam
A = 2000 mm2
I = 106 mm4
1 x1 2 4
1
y1
10 kN
Fig. 4.23(b) Finite element model (Example 4.8).

the element matrix given above, we get the element stiffness matrices as described now.

Element 1. L = 3 m, A = 2,000 mm2, E = 200,000 N/mm2, I = 106 mm4. The element

stiffness matrix in its local coordinate frame is given in the form

⎡ 0.133 × 106 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 0.889 × 102 Symmetric ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 0.133 × 106 0.267 × 109 ⎥
[k ](1) = ⎢ ⎥
⎢ −0.133 × 106 0 0 0.133 × 106 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 − 0.889 × 102 − 0.133 × 106 0 0.889 × 102 ⎥
⎢ 9⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0.133 × 106 0.133 × 106 0 −0.133 × 106 0.267 × 10 ⎥⎦

(4.144)
 Frame Element 129

The local coordinate frame of element 1 is identical to the global frame and hence no
transformation is required.

Element 2. L = 5 m, A = 314.16 mm2, E = 200,000 N/mm2, I = 7,854 mm4. The element

stiffness matrix in its local coordinate frame is obtained in the form

⎡ 0.126 × 105 Symmetric ⎤

⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 0.151 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 0.377 × 103 0.126 × 107 ⎥
(2 )
[k ]A = ⎢ ⎥
⎢ −0.126 × 105 0 0 0.126 × 105 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 −0.151 −0.377 × 103 0 0.151 ⎥
⎢ 7⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0.377 × 103 0.628 × 106 0 − 0.377 × 103 0.126 × 10 ⎥⎦

(4.145)
The local coordinate frame is inclined with respect to global reference frame and hence
we need to transform the element stiffness matrix into global frame. For any orientation q, the
transformation matrix relating local and global d.o.f. can be readily shown to be given by

⎡ cos R sin R 0 0 0 0⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎢ − sin R cos R 0 0 0 0⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 0 1 0 0 0⎥
[T ] = ⎢ ⎥ (4.146)
⎢ 0 0 0 cos R sin R 0⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 0 0 − sin R cos R 0⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 1 ⎥⎥⎦
⎢⎣ 0 0 0 0

Thus the element stiffness matrix in the global frame is written in the form
[k ](2)
g = [T ]T [ k ]l(2) [T ]

⎡ 0.452 × 104 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0.603 × 10 4
0.804 × 10 4
Symmetric ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ − 0.302 × 103 0.226 × 103 0.126 × 107 ⎥
= ⎢ ⎥
⎢ − 0.452 × 104 −0.603 × 104 0.302 × 103 0.452 × 104 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ − 0.603 × 104 −0.804 × 104 −0.226 × 103 0.603 × 104 0.804 × 104 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ − 0.302 × 103 0.226 × 103 0.628 × 106 0.302 × 103 −0.226 × 103 0.126 × 107 ⎥⎦

(4.147)
130 One-dimensional Finite Element Analysis

Assembly
We observe that, at the pin joint between elements 1 and 2, we use two coincident nodes. These
two nodes undergo the same translation but can have relative rotation because of the pin joint.
This is reflected in assembly as the translations having the same equation numbers (rows in
the matrix) and the rotational d.o.f. having different equation numbers (rows in the matrix). The
boundary conditions require that at node 1, all the d.o.f. be arrested and at node 3, the
translations be arrested. Thus the reduced system of equations is given as follows:

⎡ u2 , u4 v2 , v4 R2 R3 R4 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎧u2 ⎫ ⎧ 0 ⎫
⎢0.138 × 106 ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ v2 ⎪ ⎪10, 000 ⎪
⎢ 0.603 × 10 0.813 × 10 ⎥ ⎪⎪ ⎪⎪ ⎪⎪ ⎪⎪
4 4
Symmetric
⎢ ⎥ ⎨R 2 ⎬ = ⎨ 0 ⎬ (4.148)
⎢ 0 −0.133 × 106 0.267 × 109 ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪R 3 ⎪ ⎪ 0 ⎪
⎢ 0.302 × 103 −0.226 × 103 0 0.126 × 107 ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪⎩R 4 ⎪⎭ ⎪⎩ 0 ⎪⎭
⎢ 0.302 × 103 −0.226 × 103 7⎥
0.628 × 10 0.126 × 10 ⎦⎥
6
⎣⎢ 0

Solving, we get
u2 = –0.12 mm, v2 = 2.564 mm
q2 = 0.0013 rad, q3 = q4 = 3.26 ´ 10–4 rad (4.149)
These results can be easily verified based on classical mechanics. We observe that the
rotations at node 3 and 4 are the same for element 2, in view of the pin joints and it remains
a two-force member as expected.

Example 4.9. Simply supported beam under combined axial and transverse loads. Consider
the simply supported beam shown in Figure 4.24 subjected to an axial force Pa and a transverse
force Pt. We wish to use the frame element just developed to model this problem. We will use

Pt

L
2

Pa

(a) Axial and transverse loads on a beam

Pt

11 11 22 3

2 Pa

(b) Finite element model

Fig. 4.24 Beam under combined loads.
 Frame Element 131

just two elements. For simplicity, let EI = 1, L = 2, AE = 1. Incorporating the boundary

conditions at nodes 1 and 3, we get the following equations for the unknown nodal d.o.f.:

⎡ 4 0 −6 2 0 0⎤ ⎧R1 ⎫ ⎧ 0 ⎫
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ 1 0 0 −1 0⎥ ⎪u2 ⎪ ⎪ 0 ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ 24 0 0 6⎥ ⎪⎪v2 ⎪⎪ ⎪⎪ −Pt ⎪⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎨ ⎬ = ⎨ ⎬ (4.150)
⎢ 8 0 2⎥ ⎪R 2 ⎪ ⎪ 0 ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ 1 0⎥ ⎪u3 ⎪ ⎪−Pa ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢Symmetric 4⎦⎥⎥ ⎪⎩R3 ⎪⎭ ⎪⎩ 0 ⎭⎪
⎣⎢

We observe that the solution of these equations is the same as the solution of the following
equations separately:

⎡ 4 −6 2 0⎤ ⎧R1 ⎫ ⎧ 0 ⎫
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢ 24 0 6⎥ ⎪⎪ v2 ⎪⎪ ⎪⎪− Pt ⎪⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎨ ⎬ = ⎨ ⎬
⎢ 8 2⎥ ⎪R 2 ⎪ ⎪ 0 ⎪ (4.151)
⎢ ⎥ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎢⎣Symmetric 4 ⎥⎦ ⎪⎩R 3 ⎪⎭ ⎩⎪ 0 ⎭⎪

⎡ 1 − 1⎤ ⎧⎪u2 ⎫⎪ ⎪⎧ 0 ⎪⎫
⎢ ⎥⎨ ⎬ = ⎨ ⎬ (4.152)
⎣⎢Symmetric 1 ⎦⎥ ⎩⎪u3 ⎭⎪ ⎪⎩ − Pa ⎭⎪

We observe that our solution is the same as the one we would have obtained if the loads
were individually applied. Thus there is no effect of the axial force on the transverse deflection
in our finite element solution whereas the exact solution for this problem is given as

⎛ ⎞
⎛L⎞ ⎛ P L3 ⎞ ⎜ tan C − C ⎟
Vmax = V ⎜ ⎟ = ⎜⎜ t ⎟⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝2⎠ ⎜⎜ 1 3 ⎟ (4.153)
⎝ 48 EI ⎠ C ⎟
⎝ 3 ⎠
where
Pa L2
C2 = (4.154)
4 EI
This is to be expected since in Eq. (4.144) there is no coupling between axial and
transverse deflections (note the zeroes in the stiffness matrix [k]e). More fundamentally, we
have simply placed together the individual bar and beam elements and not really formulated a
frame element starting from first principles. Therefore, we should have started with an