STRUCTURES

ASSIGNMENT
1. How do we find transverse displacements of the beam using Ritz
method?
A) Using the Ritz method, we seek the transverse displacements of the
beam for oscillations approximately in the form of a finite series
s
v ( x ,t )=∑ q i (t )ϕi ( x )
i=1

where
ϕ i ( x ) – specified linearly independent functions representing possible
displacements; in the case of beam bending, they must be continuous
functions having continuous first derivatives (as the elastic line of the
beam can not have a discontinuity or break) and must satisfy geometric
boundary conditions (if the beam is fixed). Unknown functions
qi (t ) are considered as generalized coordinates.

2. What do we take for functions ϕ i ( x ) ? And what must they satisfy?

A) ϕ i ( x ) – specified linearly independent functions representing

possible displacements;
 In the case of beam bending, they must be continuous
functions
 having continuous first derivatives (as the elastic line of the
beam can
 not have a discontinuity or break) and must satisfy geometric
boundary conditions (if the beam is fixed).
 As an example, we consider a console beam of constant cross
section ( EI =const , m0 =const ), which has a concentrated mass at the
end M 0 (Figure 4.6). The function ϕ 1 ( x ) must satisfy the geometric
'
boundary conditions of rigid fixation ( v =0 , v =0 when x=0 ) and, in
addition, as it is alone, ϕ 1 ( x) must be a "suitable" approximation of the
lowest mode of oscillations.
These conditions are satisfied by the function

ϕ 1 (t )=1−cos ( )
πx
2l
; ϕ 1 (0 )=0 , ϕ '1 (0 )=0
.

m k
3. How do we find coefficients m11 and k 11 from ij and ij ?
m k
A) Let’s calculate the coefficients m11 and k 11 from ij and ij .
l l
mij=∫ m( x )ϕ i ϕ j dx k ij =∫ EI ( x )ϕ 'i ' ϕ 'j' dx
0 , 0 .
In this case, we write the running mass m(x) with allowance for the
concentrated mass M 0 at x = l with the help of the delta function
m( x )=m0 + M 0 δ ( x−l ) .
l l l
2 2 2
m11=∫ m(x )ϕ dx=m0 ∫ ϕ dx+ M 0∫ δ( x−l )ϕ 1 dx=
1 1

0 0 0
l

(32 −4π )+ M ≈0. 226 m l+ M

2 2
¿ m 0∫ ϕ 1 dx+ M 0 ϕ 1 (l)=m0 l 0 0 0
We get 0

l
π 4 EI EI
k 11=∫ EI ( x )(ϕ i ) dx= 3 =3. 04 3
'' 2

0 32 l l .

4. How do we find the frequency of oscillations?

A) The equation of free oscillations when s=1 m 11 q̈ 1 +k 11 q1 =0 has a
solution q1 (t )= y 1 sin ωt , where y 1 is the amplitude of oscillations for
mode ϕ 1 ( x) and ω=ω1 is frequency of oscillations, the square of
which, as follows from the equation, is determined by the formula
k
ω21 = 11
m 11 .

B) Taking into account the obtained values for m11 and k 11 the
approximate value of the square of the lowest frequency can be written
3. 04 EI
ω21 =
as: (0 . 226 m0 l+ M 0 )l 3 .

5. Do we have difference between approximate value of the frequency

and the exact value? Illustrate it.

Yes, we have a small difference between approximate value of the

frequency and the exact value. Approximate values of the frequency
here are overestimated compared to the exact values, which
corresponds to the Rayleigh theorem on links.
A)
Let us compare the approximate value of the frequency with the exact
value in three cases:

1) beam without concentrated mass M 0 =0

EI EI
ω21 , appr =13 . 46 4
, ω21 ,ex =12. 36
m0 l m0 l 4

2) weightless beam with a concentrated mass m 0 =0

EI EI
ω21 , appr =3 . 04 , ω2
1 , ex =3
M 0 l3 M0 l3
 M0
=0. 5
3) m0 l
EI EI
ω21 , appr =4 .201 , ω2
1 , ex =4 . 065
m0 l 4 m0 l 4

6. When do we use the Bubnov-Galerkin method?

A) The Bubnov-Galerkin method is another approximate method by

means of which the problem of oscillations of an elastic system with
distributed parameters can be reduced to a system of ordinary
differential equations. In the case of bending vibrations of a rod, the
problem is described by a partial differential equation
'' ' '
( EI { v ) +m v̈=q( x,t )¿ with boundary conditions
'' ' '
v=0 или Q=(EI {v ) =0;¿v =0 или M=EI {v =0. ¿ ¿¿ .
An approximate solution of this problem by the Bubnov-Galerkin method
is constructed.

7. How do we find the displacement function in the Bubnov-Galerkin

method?
A) The displacement function is sought in the form of a finite series
s
v ( x ,t )=∑ q i (t )ϕi ( x )
i=1 ,

where ϕ i ( x) – given linearly independent continuous functions with

continuous first derivatives that satisfy all the boundary conditions,
qi (t ) – unknown functions (generalized coordinates).

8. What is the difference between Ritz method and Bubnov-Galerkin

method?
A) The difference between Ritz method and Bubnov-Galerkin method is,
 we note that in the Bubnov-Galerkin method the given functions
ϕ i ( x ) must satisfy all boundary conditions, while in the Ritz method
it’s enough to satisfy only the geometric boundary conditions.
However, if in the Ritz method the given functions ϕ i ( x ) obey all the
boundary conditions, then the conditions
l l l
k ij =∫( EI { ϕ j ) ϕ i dx=∫ ( EI { ϕ i ) ϕ j ¿dx=∫ EI { ϕi ϕ j ¿dx¿
' ' '' ' ' '' '' ''

0 0 0 will be satisfied,
and the equations in generalized coordinates
s s
∑ mij q̈ j + ∑ k ij q j =Qi (t ),
j=1 j=1 obtained by this method will completely
coincide with the equations obtained by the Bubnov-Galerkin
method.
This is due to the fact that the Bubnov-Galerkin method, like the Ritz
method, can be interpreted from the position of the principle of
possible displacements.
9. How will the potential shear energy of a beam look like?
A) The potential shear energy of a beam element of length dx (Figure
4.10), on the basis of the Clapeyron theorem, can be represented in
1 1 1
∬
2 F
τ xy γ xy dFdx= ∫ τγδ dsdx=− Qψ dx
2S 2
the form:

F – cross-section area. From this we obtain the shear strain averaged

2
Q 1 1 Φ
ψ=− = 2 ∫ ds
in the energy sense: GF c , F c H S δ ,
F c – equivalent cross-sectional area, working on shear ( F c < F ).

The potential shear energy of a beam of length l is

 l l
1 1
U c =− ∫ Qψ dx= ∫ GF c ψ 2 dx
20 20 .
10. How will the potential energy of a beam for transverse oscillations
with allowance of shear and longitudinal compression? Explain the
equation.

A) The potential energy of a beam for transverse oscillations with

allowance of shear and longitudinal compression is
l
1
U= ∫ [ EI (ϑ ' )2 +GF c (v ' −ϑ )2 −N 0 (v ' )2 )dx
20 .
Let's write the variation of the work of external and inertial loads:
l
δA=∫ [ qδv−m v̈ δv+h δϑ −J ϑ̈ +h ]δϑ dx
0 ,
where along with the transverse load q(x,t) and the running mass
m(x), the external running moments h(x) and the running mass
moments of inertia of the cross sections J(x) are taken into account.

11. Write the main idea of the Finite Element Method.

 The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a numerical method for solving

problems of engineering and mathematical physics.

 Useful for problems with complicated geometries, loadings, and material

properties where analytical solutions can not be obtained.
 The FEM is a particular numerical method for solving partial differential
equations in two or three space variables (i.e., some boundary value
problems).
 To solve a problem, the FEM subdivides a large system into smaller,
simpler parts that are called finite elements.
  This is achieved by a particular space discretization in the space
dimensions, which is implemented by the construction of a mesh of the
object
 the numerical domain for the solution, which has a finite number of

points. The finite element method formulation of a boundary value

problem finally results in a system of algebraic equations.
 The method approximates the unknown function over the domain.
 The simple equations that model these finite elements are then
assembled into a larger system of equations that models the entire
problem.
 The FEM then uses variational methods from the calculus of
variations to approximate a solution by minimizing an associated error
function.

12. Where do we need the Finite Element Method?

A) The description of the laws of physics for space- and time-

dependent problems are usually expressed in terms of partial
differential equations (PDEs).
 For the vast majority of geometries and problems, these
PDEs cannot be solved with analytical methods.
 Instead, an approximation of the equations can be
constructed, typically based upon different types
of discretization’s.
 These discretization methods approximate the PDEs
with numerical model equations, which can be solved using
numerical methods.
 The solution to the numerical model equations are, in turn,
an approximation of the real solution to the PDEs.
 The finite element method (FEM) is used to compute such
approximations. Useful for problems with complicated
geometries, loadings, and material properties where
analytical solutions can not be obtained.