COMPUTERMETHODSINAPPLIEDMECHANICSANDENGINEERING 8(1976)361-362

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COMMENT ON:
A NOTE ON THE OPTIMAL CHOICE OF FINITE ELEMENT GRIDS
(by W. Prager and published in this journal, Vol. 6 (1975) pp. 363-366.)

Professor Prager suggests that research efforts be directed towards optimisation of finite element grids. The
analytical solution which he presents, though applying only to a linear taper, is the most general solution of that
particular problem.
The writer, however, would like to point out that a similar attempt towards.finding an analytical solution to
the problem of optimum finite element geometry has been recently made by Turche and McNeice [5]. Though
these authors did not attempt to generalise their procedure using the difference notation as Professor Prager did,
their solution covers nonlinear tapers too. The object of this discussion is to compare the two solutions for the
case of the linearly tapering bar using only two finite elements.
A linearly tapering bar is considered with depths 2H2 at the left end (node 1) and W, at the right end
(node 3). Node 1 (5 = 0) is fuced and a tensile force P is applied at node 3 (E = 1). The problem is to locate the
intermediate node 2 (&!= t2) so that the finite element geometry is optimal. With C = 1 - (H1/H2) Professor
Prager’s solution readily gives

A; = A1A3

or

A$ -(1-H,/~2)h12=A,A,[l -(l-H1/H2)l
which reduces to
(1 - H1/H2)$ - 2t, + 1 = 0.

Solving, we get

for optimal finite element geometry. If one uses the solutions of Turche and McNeice [5],

A, =2/(4 +Z,>,
where I, and I2 are given by

1, =i2ira,~l-(~-~l/~2)lldF=2/~Al[2-(l-~l/~2)~2
0
and

i2 = (I- t,)ij ~$11

- (1 -H1/H2)t14 = 2/{A1 [2 - (1 t t2)(1 -H~/H~)]}.
E2
362 K. Rajagopalan, Comment on a note on the optimal choice of finite element grids

Hence, the optimal finite element geometry is defined by

A, [1 - (1 -fqqE21 = l/b+ P - (1-HJH2& + Ml 12- (1+t2w -qq11

which, on further algebra, gives

(1 - HI/IY2)$ - 2g2 + 1 = 0

and coincides, as it should, with the solution obtained by Professor Prager.

Reference

(51 D.J. Turche and G.M. McNeice, A variational approach to grid optimisation in the finite element method, Proc. Int. Conf. on
variational methods in engineering, Southampton, England, Vol. 1 (1972) pp. 4/114-4/130.

February 1976 Krishnaiyengar RAJAGOPALAN

Structural Engineering Research (Regional) Centre,
Madras, India