Finite Element Formulations

Variational Approach Methods

 Variational Approach Methods

• Galerkin’s Approach ( Weighted Residual

Method)

• Rayleigh – Ritz Method

Galerkin’s Approach ( Weighted Residual Method)
Rayleigh – Ritz Method
 Real Continum Problem

Exact Solution
Approximate Solution

Calculus of Variations
Calculus of Variations:
 Different Forms of Formulation
• D – Form (or Strong Form or Differential
Form)

• V – Form (or Weak Form or Variational Form

or Integral Form)

• M – Form (or Minimization Form)

• Weak form means, instead of solving a differential
equation of the underlying problem, an integral function
is solved. The integral function implicitly contains the
differential equations, however it's a lot easier to solve an
integral function than to solve a differential function. Also,
the differential equation of system poses conditions that
must be satisfied by the solution (hence called STRONG
form), whereas, the integral equation states that those
conditions need to be satisfied in an average sense (hence
WEAK form). However, do not understimate the power of
integral functions just by its name "weak form".
• A strong form of the governing equations along with boundary
conditions states the conditions at every point over a domain that a
solution must satisfy. On the other hand a weak form states the
conditions that the solution must satisfy in an integral sense. A weak
form does not imply "inaccuracy" or "inferiority". Examples of weak
forms are variational formulations or weighted residual
formulations.
• The governing differential equation of order (2n) along with the
essential and natural boundary conditions are called strong form.
The governing equation is combined with the natural boundary
conditions in an integral form. The order of derivatives are reduced
to (n) and hence "weak" form. the resulted equation is called the
weak form.
• In a simple word, when you decrease the
order of higher differential equation to the
lower orders, you are changing from strong to
weak form. This is to solve the problem easier
while the conditions to solve in strong form
are very hard to manipulate easily.
 Approximate Solution of Differential
Equations:
1. Weighted Residual Approach:

i. Least Squares Method

ii. Point Collocation Method
iii. Galerkins’s Method
iv. Spectral Method.
1. Weighted Residual Approach:
 Approximate Solution of Differential
Equations:
2. Rayleigh – Ritz Method
Finite Element Formulation