FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

IN MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
SPRING-2021

LECTURE 1
 Syllabus
Instructor: Birgül AŞÇIOĞLU TEMİZTAŞ, Assist. Prof.
E-mails: birgul@gmail.com ; birgul@yildiz.edu.tr ; avesis.yildiz.edu.tr/birgul
Office hours: Wednesday between 13:00-15:00 / U-Blok & Head of Department

Reference Books:
1. ‘Introduction to Finite Elements in Engineering’ by Tirupathi R. Chandrupatla, Ashok D. Belegundu.
(Turkish translation by Prof. Sami KARADENİZ, Literatür Yayınevi)
2. ‘Finite Element Simulations With Ansys Workbench 16’ by Huei-Huang Lee, Ncku, Taiwan
HTTP://MYWEB.NCKU.EDU.TW/~HHLEE/MYWEB_AT_NCKU/ANSYS16.HTML
3. "Lecture Notes: Introduction To The Finite Element Method" By Yijun Liu
4. ‘Finite Element Analysis: Theory And Application With ANSYS’ By Saeed Moaveni, Pergamon Press,
1989.
5. An Introduction To Finite Element Analysis» J. N. Reddy, Oxford Uni. Press
6. Introduction to Finite Element Methods, Carlos A. Felippa
7. Various other sources
Grading

Homeworks..…2…………%15
Project……..……1…….....%15
Midterm………..1…………%30
FINAL…………….1…………%40
Course Objectives

1.Provide the students with the knowledge and

skill of performing structural analysis using finite
element method which is a powerful numerical
solution technique applied extensively for
analysis of engineering field problems.

2.Introduce a commercial FEM package program.

 Course Content
1. Introduction
1.1 Basic idea of ​the finite element method
1.2 History of finite elements
1.3 Simple structures brought into line with finite elements
2. Introduction to the finite element types
3. Longitudinal element expressions with the energy method
3.1 Stiffness and mass matrices
3.2 Application
4. Analysis Techniques
4.1. Structural Analysis
5. 4.2. Modal Analysis
4.3. Applications
6. Torsion and Bending Elements expressions are obtained for the energy
5.1 Stiffness and Mass matrices
5.2 Applications
7. Truss Systems
8. Frame Elements
9. Introduction to Finite Element program
9.1 Software Applications
10. 2D and 3D problems and applications
Course Learning Outcomes

To gain the ability to make structural modelling using Finite Element Method.
Analyse the structural problems encountered and solve them based on the
principles.
Ability to use modern engineering methods such as computer software in
engineering design and analysis and contemporary methods for accessing
information.
Gain the ability to use FEM in design phase analysis.
Improve computer usage related to FEM.
Introduction:
What is Finite Element Method (FEM)?
The finite element method (FEM) or finite
element analysis (FEA)is a based on the idea of
building a complicated object with simple blocks,
or dividing a complicated object into small and
manageable pieces. Application of this idea can
be found everywhere in every daily life as well as
engineering for structural, thermal, mechanical
problems…
 -Mathematical formulation of
physical phenomena

-Numerical Analysis of
Mathematical Models
Mechanics helps in understanding
how structural problems in the
world work.
Every event encountered in nature is tried to be understood with
the help of the laws of physics and the language of mathematics.
Each event can be expressed to a large extent with the help of
algebraic, differential or integral equations with the help of its
own magnitudes.
A complex problem can be made more understandable by
dividing it into sub-problems that are known or easier to grasp.
The main problem can be solved by solving and combining the
sub-problems created.
Example; The stress problem can be limited to shapes with
known geometry such as simple beams, plates, cylinders, and
spheres. These obtained results are often an approximate
solution to the problem and are sometimes used directly and
sometimes by correcting with a coefficient. Due to the
complexity of the problems in engineering applications, an
acceptable approximate solution is generally preferred instead
of the exact solution of the problems.
How to find the total area?
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Source: MIT FEM Lecture notes
Mathematical Modeling: PLANE STRESS
History of FEM
HISTORY OF FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

In the late 1800’s, Lord Rayleigh, developed a method for predicting the first
natural frequency of simple structures. This was done by assuming a deformed
shape for a structure, then quantifying the shape by minimizing the distributed
energy in the structure. Walter Ritz then expanded this into a method – now
known as the Rayleigh-Ritz method, for predicting the stress and displacement
behavior of structures.

Source: https://www.odonnellconsulting.com/what-we-do/expert-witness-forensic-
engineering/forensic-engineering-expert-witness/history-of-fea/
• By the 1940’s, numerical methods had been developed to predict behavior of more general
structures. These were frame and truss based – from Hrenikoff, and later utilized energy
methods from Alberto Castigliano and William Rowan Hamilton.

• In 1943, Richard Courant proposed breaking a continuous system into triangular segments.
About that same time, the 1940s also saw the “birth” of digital computing with the unveiling of
ENIAC at the University of Pennsylvania.

• By the 1950s, analog computers had been developed to process more complex structural
problems. With the promise of more powerful computers, analytical methods were advanced to
include matrix based solutions of frame and truss structures.

• The next significant step was taken by Boeing in the 1950’s when they used triangular stress
elements to model airplane wings. The benefit to the growing aerospace business was clear
and most major manufacturers in this industry were developing in-house programs for
structural analysis on computers.
• In 1960, Dr. Ray Clough coined the term “finite element.” The 1960s saw the true beginning of
commercial FEA as digital computers replaced analog ones with the capability of thousands of
operations per second. However, most codes were still industry, company, and even product specific.
Zienkiewicz and Cheung (4) wrote the first book devoted to the finite element method in 1967.

• In the early 1960s, a small analog computer manufacturer for the aerospace industry was awarded a
contract from NASA to develop a general purpose FEA code. This company, The MacNeal-Schwendler
Corporation (MSC), ensured the growth of commercial FEA by developing what is now known as
NASTRAN.
• This original code had a limit of 68,000 degrees of freedom, which was believed to be larger than
anyone would need. When the NASA contract was complete, MSC continued development of its
software, called MSC/NASTRAN, while the original NASTRAN became available to the public.

• About the same time period, other software packages were being developed – including ANSYS,
MARC and SAP. However, computing power at this time was quite limited.
Where can we locate FEM?

Theoretical mechanics deals with fundamental laws and principles of mechanics

studied for their intrinsic scientific value. Applied mechanics transfers this theoretical
knowledge to scientific and engineering applications, especially as regards the
construction of mathematical models of physical phenomena. Computational
mechanics solves specific problems by simulation through numerical methods
implemented on digital computers.

REMARK!! Paraphrasing an old joke about mathematicians, one may define a computational mechanician as a person who
searches for solutions to given problems, an applied mechanician as a person who searches for problems that fit given solutions,
and a theoretical mechanician as a person who can prove the existence of problems and solutions.

Source:Introduction to finite element methods, Carlos A. Felippa

Source:Introduction to finite element methods, Carlos A. Felippa
How do we solve a physical problem?
Main Idea
 1) Preprocessing:
This involves the definition of the problem. The major steps in
preprocessing are given below:

◦ Definition of keypoints/lines/areas/volumes
◦ Definition of the material/geometric properties
◦ Definition of boundary conditions, involving the specification of loads(point of
pressure) and constraints(translational and rotational)
◦ Definition of the element type
◦ Meshing lines/areas/volumes as required
◦ The amount of detail required will depend on the dimensionality of the analysis (i.e.
1D, 2D, axi-symmetric, 3D)
(2) Solution:
◦ This involves the solution of the resulting set of equations.
(3) Postprocessing:
◦ This involves further processing and viewing of the results. In this stage one
may analyze
◦ (for a structural problem) the nodal displacements, forces, stress contour
plots, deflection
◦ plots and other terms specific to the analysis.
Finite Elements
 Where to Use?
• Structural Analysis, Thermal Analysis, fluid mechanics
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), soil mechanics,
aircraft engineering, nuclear engineering, rock mechanics,
Electricity, electromagnetic fields (Electrical /
Electrostatics, Electromagnetics and many more are used as
a tool to solve engineering and physics problems).
Below is a list of some of the industries that use FEM.
• Aviation
• Automotive
• Biomedical
• Bridges and Structures
Some FEM Package Programs

Siemens NX
(Structural Dynamics Research Corporation Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis Software)
Msc one; MSC APEX

Autocad

Hyperworks

Autodyn/Ansys
Ls-Dyna
https://www.ansys.com/academic/students
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Adres :
https://courses.ansys.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video_description&utm_c
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Good links:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHjopp47vvQ&ab_channel=TheEffici
entEngineer
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwgrAH-
IMOk&ab_channel=SeriousScience