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Introduction To The Stiffness (Displacement) Method: Analysis of A System of Springs
Introduction To The Stiffness (Displacement) Method: Analysis of A System of Springs
Summary:
k1 k2
Problem
Analyze the behavior of the system composed of the two springs
loaded by external forces as shown above
Given
F1x , F2x ,F3x are external loads. Positive directions of the forces are
along the positive x-axis
k1 and k2 are the stiffnesses of the two springs
F1x F2x F3x
x
k1 k2
Solution
Step 1: In order to analyze the system we break it up into smaller
parts, i.e., “elements” connected to each other through “nodes”
F1x k1 F2x k2 F3x
x
1 2 3
Element 1 Element 2
d1x d2x d3x
Node 1
Unknowns: nodal displacements d1x, d2x, d3x,
F1x k1 F2x k2 F3x
x
1 2 3
Element 1 Element 2
d1x d2x d3x
Node 1
Solution
Step 2: Analyze the behavior of a single element (spring)
Two nodes: 1, 2
Nodal displacements: d̂1x d̂ 2x
Nodal forces: f̂1x f̂ 2x
Spring constant: k
© 2002 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning™
F x
k k
1 F
d k
d
det ( k̂ ) k 2 k 2 0
The consequence is that the matrix is NOT invertible. It is not
possible to invert it to obtain the displacements. Why?
The spring is not constrained in space and hence it can attain
multiple positions in space for the same nodal forces
e.g.,
f̂1x 2 - 2 1 - 2
f̂ 2x - 2 2 2 2
f̂1x 2 - 2 3 - 2
f̂ 2x - 2 2 4 2
Solution
Step 3: Now that we have been able to describe the behavior of
each spring element, lets try to obtain the behavior of the original
structure by assembly
(1) (2)
f̂1x(1) d̂1x
(1) f̂ 2x(1) d̂ 2x f̂(2)
d̂ (2) f̂ 2x(2) d̂ 2x
1x 1x
f̂1x(1) k1 - k1 d̂1x
(1)
f̂1x(2) k 2 - k 2 d̂1x
(2)
(1) (1) (2) (2)
f̂ 2x - k1 k1 d̂ 2x f̂ 2x - k 2 k 2 d̂ 2x
(1) (1 ) (1)
k̂ (2) (2) ( 2)
f̂ d̂ f̂ k̂ d̂
Eq (3) Eq (4)
To assemble these two results into a single description of the
response of the entire structure we need to link between the local
and global variables.
2x d 3x
d̂ (2)
Hence, equations (3) and (4) may be rewritten as
d (2)e ( 2)e d
(1) e
k̂
(1) e f̂ k̂
f̂
Eq (6) Eq (7)
(1) e
k̂ Expanded element stiffness matrix of element 1 (local)
(1) e
f̂ Expanded nodal force vector for element 1 (local)
d Nodal load vector for the entire structure (global)
Question 2: How do we relate the local (element) nodal forces
back to the global (structure) forces? Draw 5 FBDs
F1x k1 F2x k2 F3x
x
1 A B2 C D3
d1x d2x d3x
2 3
F1x f̂1x
(1)
(1) (2)
F F2x f̂ 2x f̂1x
F f̂ (2)
3x 2x
d k̂ k̂ d
(1) e ( 2) e (1)e (2)e (1)e (2)e
F f̂ f̂ k̂ d k̂
FKd
k 1 k 1 0 0 0 0
K - k1 k1 0 0 k 2 k 2
0 0 0 0 - k 2 k 2
(1 ) e ( 2)e
k̂ k̂
k1 k1 0
- k1 k1 k 2 k 2
0 - k2 k 2
NOTE
1. The global stiffness matrix is symmetric
2. The global stiffness matrix is singular
The system equations FKd imply
F1x k1 k1 0 d1x
F2x - k1 k1 k 2 k 2 d 2x
F 0 - k2 k 2 d 3x
3x
Global
F1x k1 F2x k2 F3x
x
1 2 3
Element 1 Element 2
d1x d2x d3x
Local
Element 1 Element 2
1 k1 2 2 k2 3
(1) (2)
f̂1x(1) d̂1x
(1) f̂ 2x(1) d̂ 2x f̂(2)
d̂ (2) f̂ 2x(2) d̂ 2x
1x 1x
Node element connectivity chart : Specifies the global node
number corresponding to the local (element) node numbers
2 2 3
Stiffness matrix of element 1 Stiffness matrix of element 2
k1 -k1 0
K -k1 k1 k 2 k 3 - k 2 k3
0 - k2 k3 k 2 k 3
Imposition of boundary conditions
Consider 2 cases
Case 1: Homogeneous boundary conditions (e.g., d1x=0)
Case 2: Nonhomogeneous boundary conditions (e.g., one of the
nodal displacements is known to be different from zero)
600 100 d 2 x 0
100 100 d 5
3x
d 2 x 0.01 m
d
3x 0.06 m
600d 2 x 100(0.06)
d 2 x 0.01m
Now use Eq(1) and (3) to compute F1x =-5N and F3x=5N
Recap of what we did
Finally obtain
FKd
K k
e
Recap of what we did…contd.
K11 K12 d1 F1
K K d F
21 22 2 2
In general
k ij = keeping
Force at node ‘i’ due to unit displacement at node ‘j’
all the other nodes fixed
This is an alternate route to generating the global stiffness matrix
e.g., to determine the first column of the stiffness matrix
Set d1=1, d2=0, d3=0
F1 k1 F2 k2 F3
x
1 2 3
Element 1 Element 2
d1 d2 d3
Find F1=?, F2=?, F3=?
Physical significance of the stiffness matrix
For this special case, Element #2 does not have any contribution.
Look at the free body diagram of Element #1
d̂ (1)
1x
d̂ (1)
2x
x
f̂1x(1) k1 f̂ 2x(1)
fˆ1x(1) fˆ2x(1) k1
Physical significance of the stiffness matrix
Force equilibrium at node 1
F1
F1 =fˆ1x k1
(1)
f̂1x(1)
Force equilibrium at node 2
F2
F2 =fˆ2x(1) k1
f̂ 2x(1) F1 = k1d1 = k1=k11
Of course, F3=0 F2 = -F1 = -k1=k21
F3 = 0 =k31
Physical significance of the stiffness matrix
Hence the first column of the stiffness matrix is
F1 k1
F2 k1
F 0
3
To obtain the second column of the stiffness matrix, calculate the
nodal reactions at nodes 1, 2 and 3 when d1=0, d2=1, d3=0
Check that
F1 k1
F k
2 1 2 k
F k
3 2
Physical significance of the stiffness matrix
To obtain the third column of the stiffness matrix, calculate the
nodal reactions at nodes 1, 2 and 3 when d1=0, d2=0, d3=1
Check that
F1 0
F2 k2
F k
3 2
Steps in solving a problem