MA3004 Mathematical Methods in Engineering

Tutorial 6 Questions (Part II Finite Element Method)

(Related to Chapter 3)

1. A cantilever beam AB is pin-jointed to a vertical bar at B as shown. The bar is pin-

jointed to a rigid support at C. The beam is of length L = 1 m and flexural rigidity
EI = 105 Nm2 while the bar of length l = 1 m and EA = 107 N. The beam carries a
distributed load of intensity w = 1 MN/m. Ignore the weights of beam and bar.

C Pin-joint

w Bar
A B

Beam Pin-joint

Model the structure using a single beam element to model the beam and a single
bar element to model the bar, and determine the vertical deflection and rotation of
the beam at B. [Ans: 0.0364m downwards, 0.154rad anticlockwise]

2. Three rigid blocks are connected by springs as shown. A horizontal force P acts on
mass 2 towards left and another horizontal force P acts on mass 3 towards right.
Derive the global equilibrium equations for the system by the principle of minimum
potential energy.

k2 3 4 k1
k1
P 2 P 3
k1 k1 k1
1 6
1 2 5

U1 U2 U3

1
3. The element stiffness matrix and element force vector, respectively, of a 3-node
bar element are given by the following expressions:

K   EA B B dx

L L
(e) T
   N T dx
and f
(e) T

0 0

where

B   dN1 dN 2 dN 3 
N   N1 N2 N3 ,
 dx dx dx  ,

( x  x2 )( x  x3 ) ( x  x1 )( x  x3 ) ( x  x1 )( x  x2 )
N1  N
, 2  N
, 3  ,
( x1  x2 )( x1  x3 ) ( x2  x1 )( x2  x3 ) ( x3  x1 )( x3  x2 )
L is the length of the bar element, E is the Young’s modulus of the bar
material, A is the cross sectional area of the bar, and T is the intensity of
uniformly distributed tensile load (N/m), assumed to be a constant.
Taking the coordinates as x1 = 0, x2 = L/2 and x3 = L, carry out the integrals and
derive explicit expressions for the entries in the stiffness matrix and force
vector. [Ans: Force vector: TL/6, 2TL/6, TL/6]

4. A two-bladed heavy-duty fan used in an industry is idealised as two straight

bars, AB and BC, rigidly connected to a hub as shown in the figure. The hub
dimensions are small compared to the length of the bars. Each bar is of
length L and uniform cross-sectional area A . Take the linear mass density of
the bars as  (kg/m). The fan rotates at a steady angular velocity of  .
Consider 1-D finite element analysis with each bar modelled as a single 3-node
element (as shown below) employing the shape functions,
( x  x2 )( x  x3 ) ( x  x1 )( x  x3 ) ( x  x1 )( x  x2 )
N1  , N2  and N 3  .
( x1  x2 )( x1  x3 ) ( x2  x1 )( x2  x3 ) ( x3  x1 )( x3  x2 )
Derive the element force vector due to centrifugal forces. Take the stiffness
matrix derived in the previous problem (or from lecture slides) and solve the
finite element equilibrium equations for the elongation of the rods caused by
the centrifugal forces. Ignore the gravitational forces. [Hint: The centrifugal
L
force per unit length of the material is  x . Use the formula f    N T dx
2 (e) T

2
to derive the force vector. Exploiting symmetry, you may consider only
consider bar BC for your derivation.]
y
Hub  x

A B C

1 2 3

11  L3 2 1 L32
[Ans: u2  , u3  ]
48 EA 3 EA