FINITE ELEMENT METHODS
22AEG53
FEM Notation
Elements are defined by the following
properties:
1. Dimensionality
2. Nodal Points
3. Geometry
4. Degrees of Freedom
5. Nodal Forces
(Non homogeneous RHS of the DE)
Element Types
Advantages of Finite Element Analysis
- Models Bodies of Complex Shape
- Can Handle General Loading/Boundary Conditions
- Models Bodies Composed of Composite and Multiphase Materials
- Model is Easily Refined for Improved Accuracy by Varying
Element Size and Type (Approximation Scheme)
- Time Dependent and Dynamic Effects Can Be Included
- Can Handle a Variety Nonlinear Effects Including Material Behavior,
Large Deformations, Boundary Conditions, Etc.
Basic Concept of the Finite Element Method
Any continuous solution field such as stress, displacement,
temperature, pressure, etc. can be approximated by a discrete
model composed of a set of piecewise continuous functions
defined over a finite number of subdomains.
One-Dimensional Temperature Distribution
T T
Approximate Piecewise
Exact Analytical Solution Linear Solution
x x
Discretization Examples
Three-
Dimensional
One-Dimensional Two-Dimensional
Brick Elements Frame Elements
Triangular Elements
Coordinate system
The following terms are commonly referred in FEM
• (i) Global coordinates • (ii) Local
coordinates and
• (iii) Natural coordinates.
However there is another term ‘generalized
coordinates’ used for defining a polynomial form of
interpolation function. This has nothing to do with the
‘coordinates’ term used here to define the location of
points in the element.
Global coordinate system
• The coordinate system used to define the points in the entire structure is
called global coordinate system.
• Figure 4.14 shows the Cartesian global coordinate system used for some of
the typical cases.
Local coordinate system
• For the convenience of deriving element properties, in FEM many times
for each element a separate coordinate system is used. For example, for
typical elements shown in Fig. 4.14, the local coordinates may be as
shown in Fig. 4.15. However the final equations are to be formed in the
common coordinate system i.e. global coordinate system only
Natural coordinates
• A natural coordinate system is a coordinate system which
permits the specification of a point within the element by a
set of dimensionless numbers, whose magnitude never
exceeds unity. It is obtained by assigning weightages to the
nodal coordinates in defining the coordinate of any point
inside the element.
• Hence such system has the property that ith coordinate has
unit value at node i of the element and zero value at all
other nodes.
• The use of natural coordinate system is advantages in
assembling element properties (stiffness matrices), since
closed form integrations formulae are available when the
expressions are in natural coordinate systems.
Shape functions
• In the finite element analysis aim is to find the field variables at nodal
points by rigorous analysis, assuming at any point inside the element basic
variable is a function of values at nodal points of the element.
• This function which relates the field variable at any point within the
element to the field variables of nodal points is called shape function.
• This is also called as interpolation function and approximating function. In
two dimensional stress analysis in which basic field variable is
displacement,
• u = Σ Ni ui , v = Σ Ni vi
• where summation is over the number of nodes of the element. For
example for three nodded triangular element,
• displacement at P (x, y) is u = Σ Ni ui = N1 u1 + N2 u2 + N3 u3 v = Σ Ni vi =
N1 v1 + N2 v2 + N3 v3
Shape functions
The values of the field variable computed at the nodes are used to
approximate the values at non-nodal points (that is, in the element interior)
by interpolation of the nodal values. For the three-node triangle example, the
field variable is described by the approximate relation
φ(x, y) = N1(x, y) φ1 + N2(x, y) φ2 + N3(x, y) φ3
where φ1, φ2, and φ3 are the values of the field variable at the nodes, and
N1, N2, and N3 are the interpolation functions, also known as shape
functions or blending functions.
In the finite element approach, the nodal values of the field variable are
treated as unknown constants that are to be determined. The interpolation
functions are most often polynomial forms of the independent variables,
derived to satisfy certain required conditions at the nodes.
The interpolation functions are predetermined, known functions of the
independent variables; and these functions describe the variation of
the field variable within the finite element.
Polynomial shape functions
• Polynomials are commonly used as shape functions. There
are two reasons for using them:
(i) They are easy to handle mathematically i.e.
differentiation and integration of polynomials is easy.
(ii) Using polynomial any function can be approximated
reasonably well. If a function is highly nonlinear we may
have to approximate with higher order polynomial. Fig.
5.1 shows approximation of a nonlinear one dimensional
function by polynomials of different order.
One dimensional shape function
Two dimensional shape function
Pascal Triangle
POTENTIAL ENERGY AND EQUILIBRIUM
Principle of Minimum Potential Energy
For conservative systems, of all the kinematic
ally admissible displacement fields,those
corresponding to equilibrium extremize the total
potential energy.
If the extremum condition is a minimum. the
equilibrium state is stable.
Rayleigh-Ritz Method
• The Rayleigh–Ritz method of expressing field variables by
approximate method clubbed with minimization of potential
energy has made a big break through in finite element
analysis.
• In 1870 Rayleigh used an approximating field with single
degree of freedom for studies on vibration problems. In 1909
he used approximating field with several functions, each
function satisfying boundary conditions and associating with
separate degree of freedom. Ritz applied this technique to
static equilibrium and Eigenvalue problems.
• The procedure for static equilibrium problem is given below: