Finite element method

formulation of 1D
problem
The following are the steps to be followed for carrying out the finite element analysis.

 The continuum is divided into number of finite elements by imaginary lines

or surfaces.
 Elements are connected with their nodal points. At each node unknown
displacements are prescribed.
 Displacement function is the starting point of the analysis. This is generally
represented by a polynomial expression.
 Stress-strain relationships are defined based on the problem to be solved.
 Strains are represented in terms of nodal displacements of the elements.
 The stiffness matrix of the element is derived by applying variational
principle.
 The element loading matrix is formulated
 The global stiffness matrix is generated as an assemblage of the local
stiffness matrix of the individual element
 Similarly, the overall loading matrix is generated.
 Apply prescribed displacements or displacement
boundary
conditions.
 Solve the equation for the unknown displacements.
 Conduct the post-processing as required.
 Calculate the internal element stresses and loads.
 Determine the support reactions.
. Element Stiffness Matrix by Direct Formulation
1 dimensional element

 EA
Fx   L  L  u1 EA 1 1 u
    1
Fx2 EA 
1
L 1

 L
EA  u2
  1  u2
 
EA L 
 
 Element stiffness matrix by variational formulation

Variational formulation is the generalized method of formulating the element

stiffness matrix and load vector using the variational principle of solid mechanics.
The strain energy in the body is given by the relation

1
       
T
U 2 v

d v
We have the relation
Strain =   
 B B du s  N
where d


is called as the strain displacement relationship.
 Stress can be represented in terms of the strain as

  
where  D 
 D   
is called as the constituent relationship matrix.
Using the above relationship in the strain energy equation we get

21
   B   u    D  B  u 
T
U  v  
Applying the variational principle we haved v

 U
 F  
 u  So we get the element stiffness matrix as

F    B 
k    B
T
T
We know
D B dv
Fu
DBdv
that
v
k u
v
4 Stiffness of Truss Member
1. Element Stiffness of a truss member
𝜕𝑢
𝜀𝑥 = = 𝜕 𝑁1 𝜕𝑁2
Displacement function:
u x   
0  𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝑢, + 𝜕𝑥 𝑢 2
𝑢1
 x 1  = 𝜕𝑁 1 𝜕𝑁2
𝑢2
  𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
x  0 
1  1  𝑢1
= 𝐵
Applying boundary conditions:
At x= 0, u(0)= u1 𝑢2

and at x=L, u(L) = u2

u2 
Thus,  0  u1 and 1 u1 L
Therefore,   x
u x    1   u1
x
2  N
 L
u u 
, where N is the shape function of the element and is expressed as:
L
 N   1  x
x  L L

So we get the element stiffnessmatrix as  k       B   D  B  d v

T

v
 1
Where, d N   
B   dx  L L

1 
So, the stiffness matrix will be:

 k       B   D  B  d v
T

v
 1 

 B
L T
Adx  AE  L  L  1 1 AE  1 1
dx 
 0 0
 1  L L 1 1 
EB  L 
L

Thus, the stiffness matrix,

AE 
k   1
1 L 1 1 
4.2 Generalized Stiffness Matrix of a Plane Truss Member

Consider a member making an angle ‘’ with X axis as shown in Fig 6 below. By
resolving the forces along local X and Y direction, the following relations are
obtained.

Fx 1  Fx 1 c o s   Fy 1 s i n 
 F x 2 c o s   F y 2 sin 
Fx 2
Fy 1  Fx 1 si n   Fy 1 co s
  F x 2 sin   F y 2 c o s 
Fy2
 Where,
Fx1 Fx 2
are the axial forces along the member axis X
and
. Similarly,
Fy1 and are the forces perpendicular to the member axis
Fy 2
X
X ,u

Y, v

Y,v


X, u

Fig. Inclined Truss Member

 The relationship can be rewritten in matrix form as
follows:

sin 0
 Fx1   0   Fx1
 Fy1
cos sin cos 0 0   F 
   y1 
 F x 2  0 0 
sin   Fx 2 
 cos 

 Fy 2  0 cos   Fy 2
0
One can express the  as: 
sin
above equation in short 


F  T F 
Where, [T] is called transformation matrix that relates the global axis and member axis.

Similarly, the relations of nodal displacements between two coordinate systems may expressed
as:
 d   T   d 

Again, the equation stated in 16 can be generalized and expressed with respect to the member axis
as:

 Fx1  1 0   u1 
  
 Fy1  AE  0 0  v 
 1
 F x 2  0 0  u 2 
 
 Fy 2 0   v 2
1 0 
 F    K  d 


F    T   K T

0
T d  L 1
K   T  K T 0
T

0

0
  sin  sin  
 cos  1 0 1 0  cos  
  AE  0 0  0 cos 
K   sin 
 cos  0  sin 
 cos   cos  sin 
 
 sin  0 0 1 0  
sin  L 1
cos 0  
 0 0  sin 
cos  

 cos2  sin   cos 2   sin 

cos 2
 cos  sin  sin
K  AE  sin  cos 
 L
 cos2  sin 2
cos sin cos

  sin   sin  cos 2   sin 2

cos sin  
 
cos 
 sin 2  cos
 5 Stiffness of Beam Member
5.1 Element Stiffness of a beam member
dv
; Considering a beam member, the slope of the elastic curve θ is given by:,  
where the variable v is the displacement function of the beam
dx
 0 
0 
3x 2 
and  
  dv  1 2x
vx  0  1 x 2 2 x 3  1  
x 3  1
1

 3 x x
x2
 2  0 dx   
 2

;
 3   3
Now, applying boundary conditions one can find the following expressions from the above relations: At
x=0: 

 1  1
 
 
V 1  1 0 0 0 2  2
  1  0 1 0 0
3
3 

  4
4
; 
 1 
1   
At x=L:    2  0 1 2 L 3L  2 
2


V2  1 L L2 L3  2   
3
3 
  4
 4



Thus combining above expressions one can write:
0 00
V 1  1  1 
   1 0 0    2    A    
   0
1
 2 3 
 3 
V 2  
  2 
 1
0 L L L 2    4 
1 2L 3 L1
0 0  V 1 
 1
 1   
 2   0 0   2 
So,  0  
    2
L3 
3  1  V 2 
    2 
 0 0
 
 1 L 0  V1 
L3 2 3  
  1    1 
    2 L L 2
 
 2L 1 2 1L   V 2 
 L230 1 2L 3L   
 4   2
L2 3
L 2
L
1 0 

0
0 1
0
 Therefore,
;
 1 0 0
0  V 
;
 0 1 0 V 
1

 2 0 3 1  

V x   1 x x 2 
x 3  3 2

2
  1  

 N
1 N 2 N 3 N 4

V 2
1 

 l 1  l  V 2    2 
l 3 l 2   2
1
 2 1
l
2 l
Where, 3 l 3 l2   2
 N  x x2  x
3
N1  1 2 x 2 x3
2
L L2
 L2 L3
3x2 2x3   x 2  x3
N3  2
 and N 4 L L2
L
N is called shape function which interpolates the beam displacement in terms of its
nodal
L3
displacements.
 Now, the strain displacement relationship [B] can be expressed from the following expressions:

 0 
d v
2
 1 
   0 0 2 6 x  B    B A 1
dx 2   
d  2 
Where,  4
1 0 0 0 V 1 

B   0 0 2 6x; A  0   2 
1 2
L3 
; d V2 
 
 0   
0 1 0 3L2   2 
d 2v
L L  EIBA
1
From the moment curvature relationship, we can M  EI  EI
write: dx 2

Strain Energy,
L
1 1
  M d x
T
2L d 
U  0 2  L
EI T
A
1 T
B T B A 1
= 2  d
 d d x
0
Thus, F    U  E I L A 1
 B  B A
T T 1

0 
d
 d d x
L
So, the stiffness matrix will be:
  B  B A d x
K   E I  A
1 T T 1


0 L
  B d x A 
A 
1 T T 1
 EI  B
0
 00 
L

 B Bdx    0 6xdx
T L
Now 0 2
0 0 2 

6x

0 0 0 0 
0 
L
0 0 0 
dx
  0 0 4 12x 
 2 
0
0 0 12x 36x 
  1 3 2 
0 
So, 0 00   L 2
L 3  0 0 0 
 0 0
 
0 0  2L L12   0 0 0 0
 
K   
E I A1 T
0
0 00 
2

A 1  E I  3   A 1

 0 0 2  0 0 4L 6 L 
2

 0 0 4L 6L  
  L2 L3  0 1 2 L3 
1  0 6L2
12L 3  0  1 
0 0 6L 2  0 L L2 

0  12 6 12 6 
 1 0  L3 L 2
L 3
L2 
0 0 0 6 
0 
 6
 4  6  6 
0 
 EI0 0  2 0 L2 
2
L L
2
 L2 1  E I  L1 2
L2 
6 12 6 
 0    
1 
 6l  23
3 2 3 2
  6L 2
L L
4
L 
02 3 2
 L2 6 
 3 2 3 1 
0 0 0  6    L L 2 L 
L

0 0 2
L2  12 6L 12 6L 
1

2  6L 2L2 
Thus, the element stiffness of a beam member k  EI 4L 2
 6L
is:
 L L L L 
 2 
  

L3 12  6L 12 

6L

6L 2L2  6L
4L
Dimension less number . Value is varies from -1 to
+1
Variation of natural
coordinate
 𝜉 = 𝑎 + 𝑏x

From basic definition of natural coordinate x=x1, 𝜉 = −1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑥 = 𝑥2, 𝑤𝑒

𝑔𝑒𝑡
-1=a+bx1
1=a+bx2
So 2 2
𝑏= =
𝑥2 − 𝑥1 l𝑒
x2 − x1
a =−
𝑥2 − 𝑥1
so 2 2
𝜉= + x
𝑥2−𝑥1 𝑥2−𝑥1

We can write

2
𝜉 = 𝑥 2−𝑥 [x − x1)-1
1
 Variation
of 𝜉

N2 variation
We can write the shape function

𝑁 𝜉 = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝜉

the shape function has the 𝑁1 𝜉 = 1 at node 1 and other node 0

properties
𝑁2 𝜉 = 1 at node 2 and other node 0 N1 variation
 𝑢1
𝑢 = 𝑁, 𝑁2 𝑢2

2
𝜉= 𝑥 − 𝑥1 − 1
𝜘2 − 𝜘1
Strain displacement relation

u= 𝑁𝑢𝑒

1 𝑢
𝜀 1 1
le 𝑢2

𝜀 = 𝐵𝑢

𝜎 = 𝐸ε = 𝐸𝐵u
Third step is finding stiffness matrix of individual
elements
Next step is assembly which gives global stiffness matrix
 Now determine global load vector

After applying elimination method we have Q2 =

0.26mm Q1 Q2, Q3 are the nodal

displacement

We have the equilibrium condition

KQ=F
Once displacements are known stress components are calculated
as follows