Formulation of an 8-Node Brick Element Template

Edward A. Jasion, Michelle Tamayo Aerospace/ Mechanical Engineering Sciences ASEN 6367 Final Project, Spring 2009
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP A TEMPLATE FOR AN 8- NODE BRICK ELEMENT . TO CREATE THE TEMPLATE A DECOMPOSITION OF THE STIFFNESS MATRIX WAS PERFORMED THAT SEPARATED THE ELEMENT MATRIX INTO A HIGHER ORDER AND BASIC STIFFNESS MATRIX . THE BASIC STIFFNESS MATRIX WAS COMPOSED THROUGH THE LOAD LUMPING MATRIX AND SIMPLE STATICS CALCULATIONS . THE HIGHER ORDER STIFFNESS MATRIX WAS COMPOSED USING THE SLIGHTLY MORE COMPLEX METHOD OF MODAL DECOMPOSITION . TWENTY- FOUR MODES OF THE BRICK ELEMENT WERE FOUND THAT CORRESPONDED TO RIGID BODY MODES, CONSTANT STAIN MODES, BIAXIAL BENDING ALONG WITH SOME BIAXIAL AND TRIAXIAL TERMS . THE BIAXIAL AND TRIAXIAL TERMS WERE DETERMINED ANALYTICALLY RATHER THAN THROUGH A METHOD DERIVED FROM PHYSICALLY INTUITIVE MODES OF THE BRICK. WITH THESE MODES AND THE ADDITIONAL CONSTRAINTS OF ORTHOGONALITY, OBSERVER INVARIANCE, AND RANK SUFFICIENCY, THE HIGHER ORDER STIFFNESS MATRIX WAS FOUND . WITH THIS MATRIX DECOMPOSITION , THE STIFFNESS MATRIX OF A BRICK ELEMENT OF ANY FORMULATION , GEOMETRY AND MATERIAL PROPERTIES CAN BE FOUND THROUGH A LINEAR ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION ONCE THE CORRESPONDING BENDING RIGIDITY MATRIX OF A PARTICULAR ELEMENT FORMULATION HAS BEEN FOUND . I N THIS TEMPLATE DEVELOPMENT, THIS PROCESS WAS APPLIED TO TWO DIFFERENT BRICK ELEMENT FORMULATIONS. THE FIRST FORMULATION WAS THE FAMILIAR ISO - PARAMETRIC REPRESENTATION OF THE 8- NODE BRICK ELEMENT DERIVED FROM THE DISPLACEMENT METHOD VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE . THIS ELEMENT PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE GENERALLY OVERSTIFF, SO THE TEMPLATE FORM OF THE S TRESS HYBRID ELEMENT FORMULATION DEVELOPED FROM THE H ELLINGER-REISSNER VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE WAS DERIVED . THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE TWO ELEMENTS WAS TESTED AGAINST THE ANALYTICAL BENCHMARK BEAM BENDING PROBLEM. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ELEMENTS WAS MEASURED USING ENERGY METHODS , AND IT WAS FOUND THAT NEITHER OF THE FORMULATIONS PRODUCED A BENDING OPTIMAL ELEMENT . TO FIND THIS ELEMENT, FUTURE WORK INTO S ELECTIVE REDUCED INTEGRATION (SRI) METHODS AND THE RANK OF THE HIGHER ORDER STIFFNESS MATRIX SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED . THE TEMPLATE FORMAT FACILITATES QUICK GENERATION OF ELEMENTS AND REQUIRES FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCES IN COMPUTING POWER TO DISCOVER THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THIS MATRIX DECOMPOSITION AND ELEMENT GENERATING METHOD

1. OBJECTIVES
The objective of our project was to develop a Template for an 8-Node Solid Brick Element. The template was to be constructed from both a Displacement Method and a Stress Hybrid Method perspective and put through benchmark testing to investigate their respective performances.

2. DEFINITION
In finite element analysis the template is parameterized algebraic representation of the element level stiffness equations that provide a continuum of consistent and stable finite element models of a given type and node/freedom configuration. [1] Templates facilitate the unified implementation of finite element families, as well as the construction of custom elements. [1] Template instances are produced by setting values to free parameters to furnish specific elements.

Figure 1. Template parametric matrix breakdown

3. BRICK ELEMENT FORMULATION

The 8-node brick element contains twenty-four degrees of freedom (DOFs) collectively representing the linear displacements at each of the element nodes. A. Displacement Method The Displacement Method formulation is based on the Total Potential Energy (TPE) Variational Principle illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Displacement Method Tonti Diagram and Variational Principle

The approach employs a single master field: displacements uij , through an Iso-Parametric Lagrangian interpolation between element nodes. The resultant shape functions are presented here, where familiar Natural Coordinates in three dimensions.
1 N i( e ) = 8 (1 + ""i )(1 + !!i )(1 + i )

# , " , ! are the

(1)

(2) The matrix B , which relates displacements at the nodes to the elemental strain as

u = Nu e = Bu

(3)

is then formed and set in company with the Constitutive Matrix

E , yielding the stiffness matrix for the element:

(4)

K u = ! B E B dV .
V
e

B. The Stress Hybrid Method The Stress Hybrid formulation is based on the Hellinger-Reissner principle and makes use of two master fields, combining the assumed displacement field uij (used in the Displacement Method) with an assumed stress field

! ij as seen in the Figure below.

Figure 3. Stress Hybrid Method Tonti Diagram and Variational Principle

The assumed stress field of

! ij expressed in matrix form ! , is that used by Khang [2]:

" 11 = a1 + a2! + a3 + a4! " 22 = a5 + a6# + a7 + a8# " 33 = a9 + a10# + a11! + a12#! " 12 = a13 + a14 " 23 = a15 + a16# " 13 = a17 + a18!
! = Sa
With the assumed stress field in hand, the Flexibility Matrix (6)

(5)

F is now be formed according to

F = ! S E S dV .
V

"1

(7)

(8) The matrix

B , which relates displacements at the nodes to the elemental strain as

e = Bu
T
e

(9)

is then formed and combined with the assumed stress field

S into the Connection Matrix G as

(10)

G = ! S B dV .
V

Finally, we arrive at the Stress Hybrid formulated Element Stiffness Matrix through

K" = G F G .

!1

(11)

4. TEMPLATE FORMULATION
Template development for the 8-Node Brick Element begins with the formulation of the Element Stiffness Matrix K . According to our objectives, two instances of the element stiffness matrix were developed using both the Displacement and Stress Hybrid Methods respectively. A. Basic Stiffness b The Basic Stiffness Matrix K b contains the twelve lower-order modes of the element, corresponding to the Rigid Body and Constant-Strain modes of the element.
h B. HO Stiffness The Higher-Order Stiffness Matrix K h encompasses twelve additional modes, six corresponding to bi-axial bending of the element, and six unknown modes.
(e )

C. The Basic and Higher-Order Stiffness Matrices The next step in developing the template for our brick element is to begin constructing the Basic and HigherOrder Stiffness matrices. The Basic Stiffness matrix K b is constructed first as its formulation is the most straight forward, carrying no artifacts of the methods used in forming the K With K b , the Higher-Order Stiffness matrix formulation dependent members.
(e )

matrix, making it formulation independent.

K h can then be formed and subsequently decomposed to elucidate its

(e)

= Kb + Kh = V H b E H b + V H h W RW H h
T T T

(12)

D. The Basic Stiffness Matrix

K b comes readily with the Constitutive Material matrix E coming directly from three-dimensional Elasticity theory, and the matrix H b being a delicately modified variant of the Lumping Matrix L .
Assembly of the Basic Stiffness matrix

Kb =V H b EH b

(13) (14)

H b = V !1 L
& 1' v $ v $ $ v E E= $ (1 + v)(1 ' 2v) $ 0 $ 0 $ $ 0 % v 1' v v 0 0 0 v v 1' v 0 0 0

0 0 # 0 0 0 ! ! 0 0 0 ! ! 1/ 2 ' v 0 0 ! 0 1/ 2 ' v 0 ! ! 0 0 1/ 2 ' v! "

(15)

Figure 4. 3D Stress Cube

The Lumping Matrix L represents the constant stresses applied at the element faces as equivalent or lumped forces applied at the nodes. (16) f = L "!

" " xx " (bc ) ! yx ( ac ) ! zx ( ab) 4 4 4 " yy " zy " f1 y = ! ( ac ) ! ( ab) + xy (bc ) 4 4 4 " yz " zz " xz f1 z = ( ab) + (bc ) ! ( ac ) 4 4 4 f2 x = K M
f1 x =

(17)

Forming L follows readily from statics as seen above. Our 8-node brick with its six sides yields an with dimension (24 x 6).

L matrix

E. The Higher-Order Stiffness Matrix The higher order stiffness matrix was derived from modal decomposition outlined in the modal breakdown seen below. This breakdown identifies that the construction of the template higher order stiffness matrix is derived from the 24 nodal degrees of freedom (DOFs) associated with the 8-node brick.

(18)

Three matrices were constructed to complete the template definition of the higher order stiffness matrix. The decomposition of this matrix was done by constructing two matrices defining lower order modes and higher order modes of the brick element. The lower order rc mode matrix Grc consisted of the six rigid body modes (translational, rotational) and six constant strain modes (normal, shear). The higher order matrix Hh consisted of the six bending modes along with the less intuitive three bilinear modes, and three trilinear modes. To construct the lower order modal matrix, the given parametric relations were used to determine the displacements for each of the 24 nodal degrees of freedom

(19) Where, u: translational displacements : rotational displacements e: normal strains : shear strains The columns of the lower order mode matrix were found be evaluating each of the parameters at a constant value, while all other terms were zeroed out as seen in the expressions below.

(20)

This constructed matrix can be seen in the expressions below.

G rc = [ r G

Gc ]

(21)

A similar procedure was followed to construct the higher order mode matrix. The parametric expressions used to construct the higher order mode matrix can be seen below.

(22)

Where : biaxial bending curvature mode : amplitude of bilinear H.O. mode : amplitude of trilinear H.O. mode Using these two matrices and some additional constraints, the higher order stiffness was found. Various solutions were found that satisfied the previously shown parametric equations, but the constraints of rigid body and constant strain mode orthogonality, rank sufficiency, and coordinate transformation invariance were imposed. With these constraints one candidate solution emerged for the higher order stiffness matrix seen below.

H h Grc = 0

(23)

(24)

The higher order stiffness matrix can also be used as a stabilization term as rank can be adjusted for element accuracy. F. Generalized Bending Rigidity Matrix The generalized bending rigidity matrix was the product of the template decomposition for the two 8-node brick element formulations. This matrix is symmetric and positive definite with dimensions of elastic modulus. As can be noted from Figure 1, this term is formulation dependent and can be solved for using the following matrix manipulations.

Kh = K
T

(e)

! K b = H h W RW H h
!1 !1 T

assume

(25) (26)

R = ( H h H h ) !1W H h K h H h W ( H h H h ) !1

One of the utilities of the element template decomposition is that it allows for the stiffness matrix of an element of given material and configuration to be calculated simply from a series of linear algebraic manipulations rather than performing numerical or exact integration of matrices. These formulations can be seen below. Displacement Method Formulation

K u ! Ru K h = V H hW R W H h
Stress Hybrid Formulation
T T u

(e)

(27)

K ! " R! K h =V H hW R W H h
T T

(e)

(28)

The Displacement and Stress Hybrid method generalized bending rigidity matrix can be seen in the supplemental Mathematica script provided by this study. These matrices are simply too long and involved to reproduce here, but can be generated with the code.

5. IMPLEMENTATION
Once the generalized bending rigidity matrix was found for the two element formulations, these stiffness matrices were used to find the performance of the 8-node brick elements in bending. The performance of these elements was measured using energy methods. By comparing the energy of the analytical beam to that of the 8-node brick element formulations, an energy ratio was developed where optimal performance was reflected with a value of unity. The optimum brick element will have an energy ratio of unity and be independent of any geometrical parameters, indicating that the element is also independent of aspect ratio and shear locking. The study of the element performance using templates resulted in the energy ratios seen in the Table below. Table 1. Results of benchmark beam bending comparison for 8-node brick element formulations Energy Ratio, r Performance Displacement Method (1 + a2)/2b2 Shear locking Stress Hybrid Method r=r(a,b,c) Shear locking

6. CONCLUSIONS
The main objective of this study was to develop a template to test the performance of the different formulations of the 8-node brick element. Our group found the template decomposition described in this paper to be of great utility in the formulation, development and testing of elements. By constructing the higher order and basic stiffness matrix decomposition of a given element, the performance of many formulations can be measured against any chosen benchmark testing easily. The resulting benchmark testing of the Displacement method and Stress Hybrid method yielded mixed results. Neither element proved to yield the bending optimal element with a unity energy ratio and geometry independent relation. Further brick element formulations must be investigated to find the optimal 8-brick element. Recommendations for future work with this template include investigation of the Selective Reduced Integration (SRI) method. The rank of the higher order stiffness matrix can be adjusted, as this is the stability term that affects the accuracy and performance of the element. Overall the template stiffness matrix decomposition has been a very useful tool in the development of high performance finite elements, and requires future work and increased levels of computing power to discover the full potential of this finite element tool. Although this paper was limited in scope with respect to parameters, with the proper decomposition the use of parameters could facilitate even more rapid development of high performance elements. The 8-node brick element contains 78 potential parameters, but computing power becomes a limiting factor with so many parameters for the 3D formulation. In conclusion, the research and development of templates deserves further study to determine the optimal performance of elements.

7. REFERENCES
1. 2. Felippa, Carlos A. A Template Tutorial University of Colorado at Boulder Khang, David. Hybrid Finite Element Method .Massachusetts Institute of Technology.