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FEM Analysis Of Plane Beam Structure

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Lecture 16: FEM ANALYSIS OF PLANE BEAM STRUCTURE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

16.1. A Plane Beam Structure 16.2. Finite Element Solution 16.3. Analytical Solution By Discontinuity Functions

163 163 168

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16.2

FINITE ELEMENT SOLUTION

This is a supplementary Lecture on the Finite Element Method (FEM), designed to illustrate some additional concepts: Rotational DOFs, Distributed Load Lumping, and FEM Convergence. These fall beyond the basic exposition of the DSM in Lectures 1315. Note: material not used in HWs or Midterm Exams, but it will be of use in the Airplane Shaker Lab to be formalized on Fall 2011. 16.1. A Plane Beam Structure In this Lecture we will analyze the plane beam shown in Figure 16.1, with a two-element FEM discretization. The FEM displacement results will be compared with the exact analytical solution obtained by discontinuity functions. Then the number of elements will be doubled to 4, 8, etc., using Mathematica. As the number of elements is increased, the FEM solution will be visually shown to rapidly converge to the analytical solution. The beam span is 2 L . It has uniform cross section of elastic modulus E and moment of inertia I about z . The beam is xed (clamped) at A and simply supported at B . It is loaded by a downward uniform distributed force of magnitude w0 acting over the right half span L x 2 L . The problem is statically indeterminate.

; ; ;
y A

EI constant over entire beam

w0 C

x
L

L 2L

;;
B

Numerical properties for examples: L = 36, w 0 = 16, EI = 1000000.

Figure 16.1. Plane beam problem.

16.2. Finite Element Solution To illustrate the use of nite elements for beam structures we will discretize the problem of Figure 16.1 using two plane-beam nite elements as illustrated in Figure 16.2. The equations of a generic plane beam element are worked out in detail in Chapter 12 of the Introduction to Finite Elements course. For this course the development in that Chapter is overkill; furthermore it requires graduate level mathematics. Only selected results from are reproduced here for convenience.
This is posted as a PDF le in http://caswww.colorado.edu/courses.d/IFEM.d/IFEM.Ch12.d/IFEM.Ch12.index.html click on Chapter 12 link (rst one).

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Lecture 16: FEM ANALYSIS OF PLANE BEAM STRUCTURE

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(a)

x
(1) 1 L =L
(1)

E I same for both elements 2

(2)

(2) L =L

(b) v1 1 1 v2 (1) 2 w0 (c) -w0 L /2 transformed to node forces -w0 L /2 3 2 (2) v3 3 3

Figure 16.2. Analysis of the problem of Figure 16.1 by nite elements:(a) a two-element FEM discretization, (b) the six degrees of freedom of the free-free FEM model, (c) support conditions and applied forces.

; ; ;

y A
1

(1) 2

(2)

Beam nite elements are obtained by subdividing beam members longitudinally. The simplest plane beam element, depicted in Figure 3, has two end nodes, i and j , four node displacements grouped in vector u(e) and four node forces, grouped in vector f(e) : v (e) u(e) =
i i(e) (e) v j e) ( j

f(e)

f (e ) i m i(e) = f (e ) j m (je)

(16.1)

The stiffness relations of a generic prismatic plane beam element of length = L (e) , elastic modulus E and moment of inertia I are v (e) f i(e) 12 6 12 6 i (e) m (e) EI 6 2 2 4 2 6 i = i (16.2) 3 12 6 12 6 v j f j(e) e) 6 2 2 6 4 2 ( m (je) j To form the master stiffness equations using the augment and add technique, write the previous stiffness equations for elements (1) and (2) including all six degrees of freedom shown in Figure 16.2(b). 164

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y ,v

16.2

FINITE ELEMENT SOLUTION

vj vi i
x = L(e)

E = E (e) , I = I (e)

x, u

Figure 16.3. The two-node plane beam element with four degrees of freedom.

Element (1), nodes 1-2, = L : 12 6L EI 12 L 3 6L 0 0 6L 4L 2 6 L 2L 2 0 0 12 6 L 12 6 L 0 0 6L 2L 2 6 L 4L 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

(1) f (1) v1 1 0 (1) (1) m 0 1 1 v (1) f (1) 0 2 2 (1) = (1) 0 2 m 2 0 v (1) f (1) 3 3 (1) 1) 0 3 m( 3

(16.3)

Element (2), nodes 2-3, = L : 0 0 0 0 0 0 EI 0 0 12 3 L 0 0 6L 0 0 12 0 0 6L 0 0 6L 4L 2 6 L 2L 2 0 0 12 6 L 12 6 L

(2) f (2) v1 1 0 (2) (2) 0 1 m 1 v (2) f (2) 6L 2 2 2 (2) = (2) 2 L 2 m 2 6 L v (2) f (2) 3 3 4L 2 (2) m (2) 3 3

(16.4)

Assemble by adding the matrices and suppressing element superscripts: 12 6L 12 6 L 0 0 v1 f1 0 0 1 m 1 4 L 2 6 L 2 L 2 6L E I 12 6 L 24 0 12 6 L v2 f 2 = 0 8 L 2 6 L 2 L 2 2 m 2 2L 2 L 3 6L 0 0 12 6 L 12 6 L v3 f3 3 m3 0 0 6L 2 L 2 6 L 4 L 2

(16.5)

w L The applied uniform distributed load over element (2) is converted to the two node forces 1 2 0 on nodes 2 and 3, as shown in Figure 16.2(c).
There is a more rened way of converting distributed forces to node forces called consistent node force computation, which is discussed in the IFEM Chapter referenced in the previous footnote. Consistent forces give generally better results. The simple force lumping used here is easier to interpret physically and does not require knowledge of energy methods.

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ClearAll[EI,L,w0]; L=36; w0=16; EI=1000000; K=(EI/L^3){{12,6*L,-12,6*L,0,0}, {6*L,4*L^2,-6*L,2*L^2,0,0}, {-12,-6*L,24,0,-12,6*L}, {0,0,0,8*L^2,-6*L,2*L^2}, {0,0,-12,-6*L,12,-6*L}, {0,0,6*L,2*L^2,-6*L,4*L^2}}; Kred=(EI/L^3)*{{24,0,6*L},{0,8*L^2,2*L^2},{6*L,2*L^2,4*L^2}}; fred={-(1/2)*w0*L,0,0}; ured=LinearSolve[Kred,fred]; Print["Unknown displacements ured=",N[ured]]; u={0,0,ured[[1]],ured[[2]],0,ured[[3]]}; Print["Complete displacement solution u=",N[u]]; Print["Deflection vC at midspan= ", N[u[[3]]] ]; f=K.u; Print["Node forces including reactions=",N[f]]; Print["Node forces including reactions=",N[f]];

Unknown displacements ured={-0.979776, -0.011664, 0.046656} Complete displacement solution u={0, 0, -0.979776, -0.011664, 0, 0.046656} Deflection vC at midspan= -0.979776 Node forces including reactions={198., 3888., -288., 0, 90., 0}

Figure 16.4. Upper box: Mathematica script for FEM analysis of two-element beam model. Lower Box: results.

Apply the known forces and displacements: 12 6L 12 6 L 2 6L 2L 2 6 L 4 L E I 12 6 L 24 0 2 3 0 8L 2 2L L 6L 0 0 12 6 L 0 0 6L 2L 2

0 0 12 6 L 12 6 L

0 0 f1 0 0 m1 w0 L 6 L v2 1 2 = 2 L 2 2 0 6 L 0 f3 4L 2 0 3

(16.6)

w L becomes part of the reaction taken by the right-end support, since The applied force f 3 = 1 2 0 v3 = 0. (In FEM, displacement BCs take precedence over force BCs.) Reduce by removing rows and columns 1, 2 and 5, which pertain to the known node displacements: EI L3 24 0 6L 0 8L 2 2L 2 6L 2L 2 4L 2 v2 2 3 = w L 1 2 0 0 0 (16.7)

The master and reduced equations were implemented in Mathematica using the script shown on the top box of Figure 16.4. Executing this script under Mathematica produces the output shown in the lower box. 166

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16.2

FINITE ELEMENT SOLUTION

(* Define singularity functions <x-a>^n for n=0,1,2,3,4 *) SF0[x_,a_]:=If[x>a,1,0,0]; SF1[x_,a_]:=If[x>a,x-a,0,0]; SF2[x_,a_]:=If[x>a,(x-a)^2,0,0]; SF3[x_,a_]:=If[x>a,(x-a)^3,0,0]; SF4[x_,a_]:=If[x>a,(x-a)^4,0,0]; (* Express load q(x) in terms of SF, and integrate four times *) ClearAll[L,EI,w0,x,C1,C2,C3,C4]; L=36; w0=16; EI=1000000; q[x_]:= -w0*SF0[x,L]; Vx[x_]:= -w0*SF1[x,L] + C1; Mx[x_]:= -w0*SF2[x,L]/2 + C1*x+C2; EIthetax[x_]:= -w0*SF3[x,L]/6 + C1*x^2/2+C2*x+C3; EIvx[x_]:= -w0*SF4[x,L]/24+ C1*x^3/6+C2*x^2/2+C3*x+C4; (* Set the boundary conditions and solve for integration constants *) BC= {Mx[2*L]==0,EIthetax[0]==0,EIvx[0]==0,EIvx[2*L]==0}; Print["Boundary conditions are: ",BC] solBC=Solve[BC,{C1,C2,C3,C4}]; sol=Simplify[solBC[[1]] ]; Print["Constants of integration: ",sol]; (* Replace C1,C2,C3,C4 into the indefinite integrals & print results *) V[x_]:= Simplify[ Vx[x]/.sol ]; M[x_]:= Simplify[ Mx[x]/.sol ]; theta[x_]:= Simplify[ (EIthetax[x]/.sol)/EI ]; v[x_]:= Simplify[ (EIvx[x]/.sol)/EI ]; Print["Moment MC at midspan= ",M[L]," = ", N[M[L]] ]; Print["Deflection vC at midspan= ",v[L]," = ", N[v[L]] ]; (* Plot q,V,M,theta and v over beam *) Plot[q[x],{x,0,2*L},AxesLabel->{"x","q"},PlotLabel->"Load"]; Plot[V[x],{x,0,2*L},AxesLabel->{"x","V"},PlotLabel->"Shear force"]; Plot[M[x],{x,0,2*L},AxesLabel->{"x","M"},PlotLabel->"Bending moment"]; Plot[theta[x],{x,0,2*L},AxesLabel->{"x","theta"},PlotLabel->"Rotation"]; Plot[v[x],{x,0,2*L},AxesLabel->{"x","v"},PlotLabel->"Deflection"];

Boundary conditions are: {-10368 + 72 C1 + C2 == 0, C3 == 0, C4 == 0, -1119744 + 62208 C1 + 2592 C2 + 72 C3 + C4 == 0} Constants of integration: {C1 -> 207, C2 -> -4536, C3 -> 0, C4 -> 0} Moment MC at midspan= 2916 = 2916. 41553 Deflection vC at midspan= -(-----) = -1.3297 31250

Figure 16.4. Upper box: Mathematica script for exact analysis of beam structure using Discontinuity Functions and 4th order method. Lower box: results.

The beam deections given by the FEM model are compared in Figure 16.6 against the exact 167

Lecture 16: FEM ANALYSIS OF PLANE BEAM STRUCTURE

0 0.2

168

Deflection v(x)

0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 0 10 20

FEM, 2 elements

Exact
30 40 50 60 70

Figure 16.6. Deection v(x ) of 2-element FEM model versus exact solution.

solution obtained by discontinuity functions below. Note that the center deection given by the FEM model is v2 = v( L ) = 0.979776, whereas the analytical solution gives v( L ) = 1.3297. The difference is approximately 30%. FEM analysis generally produces only approximations to the analytical solution of the mathematical model. The approximation can be improved by using more elements over the beam span. This will be demonstrated in class from a laptop running Mathematica. 16.3. Analytical Solution By Discontinuity Functions Recall that the discontinuity function, also known as Singularity Functions or SFs, x a n for n 0 is dened as (x a )n if x > a (16.8) x a n = 0 if x a Here . . . are the so-called MacAuley brackets. The SF for n = 1, which is not included in the denition (16.8), is Diracs delta function at x = a , denoted as x a 1 in Vables book. The SFs for n = 0 and n = 1 receive the names unit step function (or Heaviside function) and unit ramp function, respectively, in electrical engineering. We start by writing the applied load q (x ) in terms of the SF x L 0 , which is a unit step function: q ( x ) = w 0 x L Integrate four times in x : V ( x ) = w 0 x L w xL M (x ) = 1 2 0
1 w0 x L E I v(x ) = 24 4 2 1 0

(16.9) (16.10) (16.11) (16.12) (16.13)

+ C1 +1 C x 2 + C2 x + C3 2 1

+ C1 x + C2
3

w xL E I (x ) = E I v (x ) = 1 6 0

+1 C x3 + 1 C x 2 + C3 x + C4 6 1 2 2

One notable exception are pin-jointed truss models in 2D or 3D. The FEM solution is then exact and cannot be improved by using more elements per member.

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16.3

ANALYTICAL SOLUTION BY DISCONTINUITY FUNCTIONS

Here (x ) is the rotation of the beam cross section, which is same as the slope v (x ) = d v(x )/d x in the beam theory used in this course. The four boundary conditions are M (2 L ) = 0, (0) = v (0) = 0, v(0) = 0, v(2 L ) = 0 (16.14)

Applying these conditions to expressions (11), (12) and (13) gives four linear equations from which the four constants of integration C1 through C4 can be obtained. Once this is done, substituting these constants into (10) to (13) gives the expressions for the shear force V (x ), bending moment M (x ), cross section rotation (x ) = v (x ) and cross section deection v(x ) as functions of x . These functions may be plotted over 0 x 2 L . To carry out the analysis for the specic values w0 = 16, L = 36, E I = 106 we use the Mathematica program listed in the top box of Figure 16.5. Executing this script under Mathematica produces the print output shown in the lower box of Figure 16.5, and also the plots of q (x ), V (x ), M (x ), (x ) = v (x ), and v(x ) over the beam span, shown in Figure 16.7.

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Lecture 16: FEM ANALYSIS OF PLANE BEAM STRUCTURE

q Load x 10 -2.5 -5 -7.5 -10 -12.5 -15 V Shear force 200 100 x 10 -100 -200 -300 20 30 40 50 60 70 20 30 40 50 60 70

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M Bending moment 4000 2000 x 10 -2000 -4000 theta Rotation 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 x 10 -0.02 -0.04 v Deflection x 10 -0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1 -1.2 -1.4 20 30 40 50 60 70 20 30 40 50 60 70 20 30 40 50 60 70

Figure 16.6. Plots of q (x ), V (x ), M (x ), (x ) = v (x ), and v(x ) over the beam span, given by DF solution.

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