2.

Matrix stiffness method

Essence of the method
• at certain selected points (nodes) of the body (structure), the possible motions
(degrees of freedom) are collected in the nodal displacement vector (U)
• the loads acting at the nodes are collected in the nodal load vector (F)
• the relationships between the loads and displacements are expressed as matrix
operations (in the simplest case: K · U = F) ! goal: deriving and solving these
equations
• the process can be applied to the elements of the structure, as well ! assembly
Importance of the method
• part of the finite element computation process, one of the key steps of it
• compact notations of large number of simple operatios (+, ⇥), easy to implement in
computers
Name of the method
• in many books, it does not have a distinguished name, one step of the FEM calculation
• different names: Matrix Stiffness Method, Direct Stiffness Method
2.1 Analysis of a simple chain of springs
Equilibrium equations of a single spring
Free Built-in, simple ”structure”
uA uB u

Fr A F
B Fr
k k

linear (proportional) behaviour :·D =

linear elastic behaviour:
= : · (D⌫ D )
| {z }
B
F
!
k
• ::spring stiffness
1 u
• B : (tension) force in the spring
• D , D⌫ : displacements
• !: elongation of the spring
Example: chain of two springs

uB uC Idea of the solution

• separation into parts
A B C F
k1 k2 • equilibrium equations
Implementing the solution
Data
• by a simple system of equations
N N • by matrix stiffness method
= 600 N , : 1 = 20 , : 2 = 30
mm mm
• applied to such a simple problem,
Questions:
matrix stiffness method seems to be
• D⌫ és D⇠ displacements
over-complicated
• reaction force at point • but: it becomes very efficient if the
• forces in the springs ( B1 , B2 ) problem size is increasing
• easy to implement in computers
Chain of two springs – solution by elementary methods

Separation into parts Solution

uA uB • 5 equations
FA A Fr1
• 5 unkowns (D⌫ , D⇠ , B1 , B2 , )
Fr1 A B Fr1
k1 • solution by e.g. expressing one-by-one
Fr1 B Fr2
uB uC
B1 = B2 = = 600 N
Fr2 A B Fr2 Fr2 C F
k2 = = 600 N
D⌫ = /:1 = 30 mm
Equations of springs D⇠ = (:1 + :2 )/(:1 : 2 ) = 50 mm
B1 = :1 (D⌫ D ) B2 = :2 (D2 D⌫ ) More complicated cases?
after a while, it becomes over-complicated
Equilibrium of the nodes
and hopeless to solve . . .
+ B1 =0 B2 B1 =0 B2 =0
Matrix stiffness method – Step 0: Equations of a single element
u1 u2
Equation of the spring
1 2
F1 F2
k B = : · (D2 D1 )

• nodes: 2 – 1 , 2 Put into the equilibrium of the nodes

• degrees of freedom (DoFs): 2 – D1 és D2 D1 ) = 0
 1 + :(D2
D
• nodal displacements: U4 = 1 2 :(D2 D1 ) = 0
D2
 Equilibrium equation in matrix form
  
• nodal loads: F4 = 1
2 : : D1 1
· =
Separation into parts : : D2 2
| {z } |{z} |{z}
u1 u2
F1
1
Fr K4 U4 F4
Fr Fr
k 2 K4 is the stiffness matrix of the element
Fr F2
Matrix stiffness method – Step 1: Assembly of the structure
Stiffness matrices of the elements
u1 u2 u3  
k1 k2 :1 :1 :2 :2
K41 = K42 =
1 2 3 :1 :1 :2 :2
F1 1 F2 2 F3
DoFs of the elements
• element 1. : 1.,2.
• elements: 2 – 1 , 2
• element 2. : 2.,3.
• nodes: 3 – 1 , 2 , 3
• DoFs: 3 – D1 , D2 , D3 Stiffness matrix of the structure
2D1 3 1. 2 :1
6 7 6 :1 0 37
• nodal displacements: U = 66D2 77 2. K = 66 :1 :1 + :2 :2 77 =
6D3 7 3. 6 0 :2 75
4 5 4 :2
2 3 2 20
6 17
6 20 0 37
• nodal loads: F = 66 7
27 = 66 20 50 3077
N
6 37 6 0 30 75 mm
4 5 4 30
• K · U = F: stiffness matrix: K =?
Matrix stiffness method – Step 2: Loads and constraints
uB uC
Constraints
A B C F • fixed degrees of freedom: 1.
k1 k2 (known: D1 = 0)
u1 k1 u2 k2 u3 • free degrees of freedom: 2., 3.
(unknown: D2 , D3 )
203
1 2 3
6 7
U = 66D2 77
F1 1 F2 2 F3
Loads 6 D3 7
4 5
F = F 0 + FA
Equilibrium equation of the structure
203 2 0 3
6 7 6 7
• active forces (known): F0 = 66 0 77 = 66 0 77 N 2 20 0 37 203 2 3
6 20 6 7 6 7
6 7 66007 6 20 3077 · 66D2 77 = 66 0 77
4 5 4 5 6 50
2 3 6 0 30 30 75 6D3 7 66007
6 7 4 4 5 4 5
• reaction forces (unknown): FA = 66 0 77
607
4 5
Matrix stiffness method – Step 3: Solution at structure level

Condensation   
deleting rows and columns at the constraints 1/20 1/20 0 30
U2 = · = mm
1/20 1/12 600 50
2⇢ 0 37 2 0 3 2 ⇢3 | {z }
6 2⇢
0 20 6 7 6⇢ 7
6 20 3077· 66D2 77 = 66 0 77 K2 1
6 50
6 0 30 30 75 6D3 7 66007
4 4 5 4 5 ! D2 = 30 mm , D3 = 50 mm
   (we got the displacements)
50 30 D2 0
· = Returning to the whole system
30 30 D3 600
| {z } |{z} |{z}
2 20 0 37 2 0 3 2 6003
K2 U2 F2 6 20 6 7 6 7
F = 66 20 50 3077 · 663077 = 66 0 77 N
now only U2 contains unknowns 6 0 30 30 75 6507 6 600 7
4 4 5 4 5
Expressing the displacements ! = 600 N
U2 = K2 1 · F2 (we got the reaction forces)

K2 1 inverse of the stiffness matrix

Matrix stiffness method – Step 4: Solution at element level
Restriction to each element Nodal loads of the elements
• displacements of the structure: (from F4 = K4 U4 )
  
203 20 20 0 600
6 7 F41 = · = N
U = 663077 mm 20 20 30 600
6507   
4 5 30 30 30 600
F42 = · = N
• DoFs of the elements: 30 30 50 600
element 1. :1.,2., element 2. : 2.,3. Spring forces
• restriction to element 1.: • signs at the end points of the elements:
 
D 0 1 2
U41 = 1 = mm F1 Fr Fr F2
D2 30
• 1. elem: B1 = 600 N
• restriction to element 2.: • 2. elem: B2 = 600 N
 
D2 30
U42 = = mm
D3 50
Matrix stiffness method – Summary
Calculation steps
• initial data: K4
• 1. (assembly): K
• 2. (loads): F0
• 3. (solution at structure level)
• condensation: K2 , F2
• solution of the condensed system: U2
• solution of the full system: U, F, FA
• 4. (solution at element level)
• restriction to elements: U4
• element equations: F4
• further quantities
• finally: at the nodes, all relevant
physical qunatities are known
• full structure: K, U, F = F 0 + FA
• condensed structure: K2 , U2 , F2
• each element: K4 , U4 , F4
Important! In this form, the solution process
is valid only for static problems of elastic,
linear systems. For other, more complicated
cases, the solution an be significantly
different.
Application of the method
• good basis of creating algorithms
• consists of matrix operations
(resizing, multiplication, inverse)
• easy implementation on computers
• similar computation for different
element types
• for element number, the size of the
matrices increases, but the process does
not become more complex
• essential for Finite Element Method