Finite Element Method

CHAPTER 3:
FEM FOR TRUSSES

1
CONTENTS
 INTRODUCTION
 FEM EQUATIONS
◦ Shape functions construction
◦ Strain matrix
◦ Element matrices in local coordinate system
◦ Element matrices in global coordinate system
◦ Boundary conditions
◦ Recovering stress and strain
 EXAMPLE
 REMARKS
 HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

2
INTRODUCTION
 Truss members are for the analysis of skeletal
type systems - planar trusses and space trusses.
 A truss element is a straight bar of an arbitrary
cross-section, which can deform only in its axis
direction when it is subjected to axial forces.
 Truss elements are also termed as bar element.
 In planar trusses, there are two components in x
and y directions for the displacement as well as
forces at a node.
 For space trusses, there will be three
components in x, y and z directions for both
displacement and forces at a node.

3
INTRODUCTION
 In trusses, the truss or bar members are joined
together by pins or hinges (not by welding), so
that there are only forces (not moments)
transmitted between bars.
 It is assumed that the element has a uniform
cross section. The c-s of the bar can be arbitrary,
but the dimension of the c-s should be much
smaller than that in the axial direction.

4
Example of a truss structure

5
FEM EQUATIONS
 Shape functions construction
 Strain matrix
 Element matrices in local coordinate
system
 Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Boundary conditions
 Recovering stress and strain

6
Shape functions construction
 Consider a truss element D3j
x
u2
global node j
fs2
uh(x) = N( x) de local node 2 D3j - 1

u1  u(x)
de    D3j - 2
u 2  D3i
u1 fx
global node i
local node 1
le
D3i - 1
0
fs1 Z
D3i - 2
o Y
X 7
Shape functions construction
 0 
Let u ( x)   0  1 x  1 x    pT α
h

T
1 
p
α
Note: Number of terms of basis function, xn
determined by n = nd - 1
  1 0
At x = 0, u(x=0) = u1  u1  1 0   0  
 0    u1 
          1 1  u 
At x = le, u(x=le) = u2 u2  1 le  1   1  l  2
 e le 
1 0  
 u1  
 x    u1 
u h ( x)  PT α  1 x  1  x
 1     1      N( x)d e
le   2  
u le le  u2 
 le 
 N1 ( x ) N2 ( x ) 
 de
N( x)
8
Shape functions construction

N( x)  N1 ( x) N 2 ( x)  N1 N2
x
N1 ( x)  1  1 1
le
x
N 2 ( x)  1
0
2 x
le le
u2  u1
u ( x)  N1 ( x)u1  N 2 ( x)u2  u1  x
le
(Linear element)
9
Strain matrix
u2  u1
u ( x)  N1 ( x)u1  N 2 ( x)u2  u1  x
le
u u2  u1
x  
x le
or
u
x   LNd e  Bd e
x
  x x  1 1
where B  LN  1     
x  le le   le le 
10
Element Matrices in the Local
Coordinate System
 1
 l  
le
 e  E  1 1 AE  1 1
k e   B cBdV  A
T
 dx 
Ve
0  1   le le  le  1 1 
 l 
 e 

Note: ke is symmetrical

Proof: [BT cB]T  BT cT [B T ]T  BT cB

11
Element Matrices in the Local
Coordinate System
le  N1 N1 N1 N 2  A le  2 1 
me   N NdV  A le 
T
N N  dx 
Ve
0
 2 1 N2 N2  6 1 2

Note: me is symmetrical too

 f x le 
  f s1 
le  N1   f   2 
fe   NT fb dV   NT f s dS  f x   dx     
s1

Ve Se
0
 2
N  s2   x e  f 
f f l
 2 s1


12
Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Perform coordinate transformation

 Truss in space (spatial truss) and truss

in plane (planar truss)

13
Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Spatial truss Local nodes 1,2
Global nodes i, j
d e  TD e (Relationship between local
 D3i  2 
DOFs and global DOFs) D 
(2x1)  3i 1 
lij mij nij 0 0 0  D3i 
where T    , De   
D
0 0 0 lij mij nij 
e  3 j 2 
 D3 j 1 
 
X j  Xi  D3 j 
lij  cos( x, X ) 
le
Y j  Yi (6x1)
mij  cos( x, Y )  Direction cosines
le
Z j  Zi
nij  cos( x, Z ) 
le
14
Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
le  ( X j  X i )2  (Y j  Yi )2  (Z j  Zi )2

Transformation applies to
force vector as well:
 F3i  2 
F 
fe  TFe where  3i 1 
 F3i 
Fe   
F
 3 j 2 
 F3 j 1 
 
 3 j 
F
15
Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
d e  TD e
  f
k ed e  m ed   f
k e TD e  m e TD
e e e e

T 
(T k eT)De  (T meT)De  T fe
T T

  F
K e De  M e D e e

16
 Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
K e  TT k e T
 lij2 lij mij lij nij lij2 lij mij lij nij 
 
 lij mij mij2 mij nij lij mij mij2 mij nij 
AE  lij nij mij nij nij2 lij nij mij nij nij2 
  2 
le  lij lij mij lij nij lij2 lij mij lij nij 
 l m mij2 mij nij lij mij mij2 mij nij 
 ij ij 
 lij nij mij nij nij2 nij 
2
lij nij mij nij

17
 Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
M e  TT m e T
 2lij2 2lij mij 2lij nij lij2 lij mij lij nij 
 
 2lij mij 2mij2 2mij nij lij mij mij2 mij nij 
A le  2lij nij 2mij nij 2nij2 lij nij mij nij nij2 
  2 
6  lij lij mij lij nij 2lij2 2lij mij 2lij nij 
l m mij2 mij nij 2lij mij 2mij2 2mij nij 
 ij ij 
 lij nij nij2 2nij 
2
mij nij 2lij nij 2mij nij

18
 Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
 f x le 
(
 2  f )l
s1 ij 
 
( f x le  f )m 
 2 s1 ij

   f x le 
f l
 ( x e  f s1 )nij   2  f s1 
 2  
Fe  TT f e    Note: fe   
f y le f l
 xef 
(  f s1 )lij 
 2   2 s1

 fl 
( y e
 f s1 )mij 
 2 
 fl 
( y e
 f s1 )nij 
 2  19
Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Planar truss

d e  TD e  D2i 1 
D 
lij mij 0 0  2i 
where T    , De   
0 0 lij mij   D2 j 1 
 F2i 1   D2 j 
F 
 2i 
Similarly Fe    (4x1)
F
 2 j 1 
 F2 j 
20
 Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Planar truss (Cont’d)

 lij2 lij mij lij2 lij mij 

 2 
AE  lij mij mij2 lij mij mij 
K e  T k eT 
T

le  lij2 lij mij lij2 lij mij 

 2 
 lij mij mij2 lij mij mij 

21
 Element matrices in global
coordinate system
 Planar truss (Cont’d)

 2lij2 2lij mij lij2 lij mij 

 2 
A le  2lij mij 2mij2 lij mij mij 
M e  T meT 
T

6  2
lij lij mij 2l 2
2lij mij 
 2 
ij

 lij mij mij2 2lij mij 2mij 

22
 Boundary conditions
 Singular K matrix  The whole structure
can perform body movement
 Constrained by supports
 Impose boundary conditions  cancellation
of rows and columns in stiffness matrix,
hence K becomes SPD
Recovering stress and strain

 x  EBde  EBTDe (Hooke’s law)

x
23
 EXAMPLE

Consider a bar of uniform cross-sectional area shown in the figure.

The bar is fixed at one end and is subjected to a horizontal load of P
at the free end. The dimensions of the bar are shown in the figure
and the beam is made of an isotropic material with Young’s modulus
E.

24
EXAMPLE
 2u P P
Exact solution of E 2  f x  0 : u ( x)  x , stress: x 
x EA A

FEM:
AE  1 1
K = ke  (1 truss element)
l  1 1 

AE  1 1  u1   F1  ?  AE  1 1  u1   F1  ? 
         
l  1 1  u2   F2  P  l  1 1  u2   F2  P 

 0 
 u2 
Pl  x x   u1   x x  P
u ( x)  N( x)de  1      1    Pl   x
AE  l l  u2   l l    EA
 EA 
 1 1  0  P
 x  EBde  E    
 l l  u2  A 25
 Remarks
 FE approximation = exact solution in example
 Exact solution for axial deformation is a first
order polynomial (same as shape functions
used)
 Hamilton’s principle – best possible solution
 Reproduction property

26
HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS
      

1 2 3 1 2 3 4

Quadratic element Cubic element

1
1 N1 ( )   (1   )(1  9 2 )
N1 ( )    (1   ) 16
2 1
1 N 2 ( )   (1   )(1  9 2 )
N 2 ( )   (1   ) 16
2 9
N3 ( )  (1  3 )(1   2 )
N3 ( )  (1   )(1   ) 16
9
N 4 ( )  (1  3 )(1   2 ) 27
16
REVIEW QUESTIONS

 How many DOFs does a 2-nodal, planar

truss element have in its local
coordinate system, and in the global
coordinate system? Why is there a
difference in DOFs in these two
coordinate systems?
 How many DOFs does a 2-nodal, space
truss element have in its local coordinate
system, and in the global coordinate
system? Why is there such a difference?
 Write down the expression for the element
stiffness matrix, ke, with Young’s modulus, E,
length, le, and cross-sectional area. (Note:
non-uniform cross-sectional area).
 Write down the expression for the element
mass matrix, me, with Young’s modulus, E,
length, le, and cross-sectional area. (Note:
non-uniform cross-sectional area).