Finite Element Method Demystified

Aliaksei Maistrou

FEM definition
The finite element method (FEM) (also finite element analysis) is a numerical technique for finding approximate solutions of partial differential equations (PDE) as well as of integral equations. The solution approach is based either on eliminating the differential equation completely (steady state problems), or rendering the PDE into an approximating system of ordinary differential equations, which are then solved using standard techniques such as Euler's method, Runge-Kutta, etc.

The simplest 1D example (step 1)

where f is given and u is an unknown function of x, and u'' is the second derivative of u with respect to x 1) Convert P1 into its variational equivalent (or weak form). If u solves P1, then for any smooth function v that satisfies the displacement boundary conditions: v = 0 at x = 0 and x = 1, we have

The simplest 1D example (contd)

where we have used the assumption that v(0) = v(1) = 0. What we get? What can we do with it? We can choose v as any smooth function, why? Mathematicians say we can! Then we can eliminate infinite dimensional linear problem + minimize dimensionality of finite dimensional space

Discretization scheme (step 2)

we choose the piecewise linear function vk whose value is 1 at xk and zero at every xj, j<>k, i.e.

Here we selected v as a basis with local support The primary advantage of basis with local support is that the inner products

will be zero for almost all j,k

Towards numerical solution (step 3)

(u , ) = f ( x) ( x)dx
0 1

Assumption (that results in approximation): we can represent our functions in the form:

The weak problem will have the form:

Matrix form (step 3 contd)

If we denote by u and f the column vectors T ( f1 ,..., f n )T (u1 ,..., un ) and if we define
L = ( Lij )

M = ( M ij )

as matrices whose entries are

Lij = (vi , v j )

M ij = vi v j

then we may rephrese the problem

as linear problem in matrix form: Advantage of basis with local support

will be zero for almost all j,k. And system matrix becomes sparse

Jakob slides

Variational form (step 1)

where f is given and u is an unknown function of x, and u'' is the second derivative of u with respect to x 1) Convert P1 into its variational equivalent (or weak form). If u solves P1, then for any smooth function v that satisfies the displacement boundary conditions: v = 0 at x = 0 and x = 1, we have

Reduction to finite dim subspace Discretization (step 2)

we choose the piecewise linear function vk whose value is 1 at xk and zero at every xj, j<>k, i.e.

Solution with Linear Algebra (step 3)

(u , ) = f ( x) ( x)dx
0 1

Assumption (that results in approximation): we can represent our functions in the form:

The weak problem will have the form:

FEM: Main ingredients

1) Rephrases the original PDE (boundary value problem BVP) in its weak form. The transformation is done by hand on paper The discretization. The weak form is discretized in a finite dimensional space Solving a system of linear problems (LE or ODE)

2) 3)

Now we have concrete algorithm for a large but finite dimensional linear problem whose solution will approximately solve the original BVP

2D basis functions

1D Acoustical problems

1D Acoustical problems
F0 u z

Problem: find static solution (dynamical also solvable but little more complicated)

u 1 N ( z, t ) = z EA( z )
Solving using FEM

FEM for acoustical problem

F0 u z

FEM physical interpretation

F0 u z
u 1 = N ( z) z EA

Physical equivalent to given local support functions are spring!

F = ku

FEM physical interpretation

Fc1 F1 Fc2 F2
k1 = EA l1
EA l2

u 1 = N ( z) z EA

z1

z2

k2 =

Energy balance for the tube:

1 1 2 i = k1u1 + k2 (u2 u1 ) 2 2 2

e = F1u1 F2u2

= i + e

The energy of the system always tends to the minimum

= 0 = k1u1 k2u2 + k2u1 F1 , u1 = 0 = k2u2 k2u1 F2 u2

EA 2 1 u1 F1 + =0 l / 2 1 1 u2 F2

FEM: principal of virtual work

1

F1

F2

u 1 u 1 = N ( z) N ( z) = 0 z EA z EA

u z1
n i =1

z2
n i =1

u ( z ) = uii ( z ) F ( z ) =

u EA N ( z ) = 0 z n fii ( z ) EA uii '( z ) N ( z ) = 0

i =1
l1

Wa + Wi = 0
Wa = F1 u1 + F2 u2

Wi = EA( 1 u1 ) ' ( u1 )dz1

0

z l1

1 l1

EA((1
0

l2

u1 u1 u2 W = [ EA( + ) + F1 ] u1 + l1 l2 l2 u1 u2 +[ EA( + ) + F2 ] u2 = 0 l2 l2

z2 z 1 1 )u1 + 2 u2 ) ' ( u1 + u2 )dz2 l2 l2 l2 l2

EA 2 1 u1 F1 + =0 l / 2 1 1 u2 F2

Results?

Values at 2 points! No analytical solution

FEM: Main ingredients

1) Rephrases the original PDE (boundary value problem BVP) in its weak form. The transformation is done by hand on paper The discretization. The weak form is discretized in a finite dimensional space Solving a system of linear problems (LE or ODE)

2) 3)

Now we have concrete algorithm for a large but finite dimensional linear problem whose solution will approximately solve the original BVP