1 PLANE STRAIN PROBLEM
Finite Element Methods
Module 49
Part 1:
In the last class, we have considered the CST element. First, we have calculated the area
of the triangle A, then we calculated the stress-strain relationship matrix [ D ], and next we
evaluated the strain displacement matrix [ B ]. Finally, by using these matrices we have
calculated the stiffness matrix [ K ].
1 Plane strain problem
Example 1.1. Find the element stresses, principal stresses and principal angle for the
triangular element given in Fig.1. Assume E = 70 Gpa (Giga-Pascal), µ = 0.3. The nodal
displacements are given as
u1 = 0.005 mm, u2 = 0.0 mm u3 = 0.005 mm,
v1 = 0.002 mm, v2 = 0.0 mm v3 = 0.0 mm.
u is the displacement with respect to horizontal coordinate and v is the displacement with
respect to vertical coordinate.
Fig.1
1
1 PLANE STRAIN PROBLEM
Solution: The element stresses is calculated by the following formula
σ = [ D ] [ B ] · δ,
where [ D ] is called as stress-strain relationship matrix, [ B ] is called as strain-displacement
matrix, δ is called as displacement column matrix.
Here the coordinates are given by: At node 1: x 1 = 5, y1 = 15, at node 2: x 2 =
15, y2 = 5, at node 3: x 3 = 25, y3 = 15, respectively. These (x i , yi ), (i = 1, 2, 3) are the
local coordinates and XY are the global coordinate system.
The Young’s modulus
E = 70 Gpa
= 70 × 103 Mpa (Mega-Pascal)
= 70 × 103 N/mm2 (∵ Mega-Pascal = N/mm2 )
= 7 × 104 N/mm2 .
The Poisson’s ration µ = 0.3.
Part 2:
Step 1: The stress-strain relationship matrix
1 − µ µ 0
E
[ D] = µ 1− µ 0
(1 + µ)(1 − 2µ)
0 0 (1 − 2µ)/2
0.7 0.3 0
7 × 104
= 0.3 0.7 0
0.52
0 0 0.2
0.7 0.3 0
= (13.462 × 104 ) 0.3 0.7 0
0 0 0.2
2
1 PLANE STRAIN PROBLEM
Step 2: Next we calculate
β1 = y2 − y3 = 5 − 15 = −10, β2 = y3 − y1 = 15 − 15 = 0,
β3 = y1 − y2 = 15 − 5 = 10,
γ1 = x 3 − x 2 = 25 − 15 = 10, γ2 = x 1 − x 3 = 5 − 25 = −20,
γ3 = x 2 − x 1 = 15 − 5 = 10.
The area of the triangle
1 x 1 y1
1 2
A= 1 x 2 y2 mm
2
1 x 3 y3
1 5 15
1 2
= 1 15 5 mm
2
1 25 15
1
= [1(225 − 125) − 1(75 − 375) + 1(25 − 225) ] mm2
2
1
= [100 + 300 − 200] mm2
2
1
= × 200 mm2 = 100 mm2 .
2
The strain-displacement matrix is given by
β1 0 β2 0 β3 0
1
[ B] = 0 γ1 0 γ2 0 γ3
2A
γ1 β1 γ2 β2 γ3 β3
−10 0 0 0 10 0
1
= 0 10 0 −20 0 10
(2)(100)
10 −10 −20 0 10 10
3
1 PLANE STRAIN PROBLEM
−1 0 0 0 1 0
10
= 0 1 0 −2 0 1
200
1 −1 −2 0 1 1
−1 0 0 0 1 0
= (0.05) 0 1 0 −2 0 1 .
1 −1 −2 0 1 1
Part 3:
Step 3: The displacement vector is calculated as
0.005
u1
0.002
v1
0.0
u2
δ= =
0.0
v2
0.005
u3
0.0
v3
Step 4: The element stresses is calculated by the following formula
[σ ] = [ D ] [ B ] · δ
0.7 0.3 0
= (13.462 × 104 × 0.05) 0.3 0.7 0
0 0 0.2
0.005
0.002
−1 0 0 0 1 0
0.0
× 0 1 0 −2 0 1
0.0
1 −1 −2 0 1 1
0.005
0.0
4
1 PLANE STRAIN PROBLEM
0.7 0.3 0 0.0
3
= (6.73 × 10 ) 0.3 0.7 0 0.002
0 0 0.2 0.008
0.0006 4.038
3
= (6.73 × 10 ) 0.0014 = 9.422
0.0016 10.768
σx 4.038
∴ [σ ] = σ = 9.422 .
y
τx y 10.768
Therefore the element stresses are given by
σ x = 4.038 N/mm2 , σ y = 9.422 N/mm2 , τxy = 10.768 N/mm2 .
Step 5: The maximum principal stress is given by
1
q
σ1 = (σ x + σ y ) + (σ x − σ y )2 + 4τx2y
2
1
q
= (4.038 + 9.422) + (4.038 − 9.422) 2 +4× (10.768) 2
2
1 √
= 13.46 + 28.99 + 463.8
2
1
= (13.46 + 22.19) = 17.83 N/mm2 .
2
The minimum principal stress is given by
1
q
σ2 = (σ x + σ y ) − (σ x − σ y )2 2
+ 4τxy
2
1
= 13.46 − 22.19
2
1
= × (−8.73) = −4.37 N/mm2 .
2
5
1 PLANE STRAIN PROBLEM
Step 6: Principal angle
1 2τ
xy
θ p = tan−1
2 σx − σy
1 −1 2 × 10.768
= tan
2 4.038 − 9.422
1
= tan−1 (−4) = −37.98°.
2