Finite Element Method (FEM)

Of
Stress Analysis

Finite Element Method

Engineering Design always involved complicated shapes that are often

composed of several different materials. Often the complexity of a part made
it impossible to solve using classical method (also known as analytical
method). Finite Element Method is the most popular numerical technique of
solving these complex problems. The application of FEM ranges from stress
analysis to heat transfer and fluid flow. For the purpose of this lecture, we
will discuss application of FEM on Stress Analysis.

Introduction

If a load W, is applied at a point on the surface of a body, the resultant

displacement / deformation on the other point of the surface is given by the
function:

∆ = f(W)

If systems of loads W1 , W2 ,ÉÉWn is applied to a body at points 1,2,Én,

assuming that the system is linear and the resulting deformations and strains
are small, the Principle of Superposition can be applied to determine the
deformation

∆i = fi,1(W1) + fi,2(W2) + É+ fi,n(Wn)

where ∆i is the deflection at point i measured in the direction of Wi.

Combining all the equations and place it into matrix form, we have:

[∆] = [F] [W]

where

∆1
f11 f12 f13 L f1n
∆2 W1
f 21 f 22 f 23 L f 2n
[∆ 1 ] = M [F ] = [W ] = W2
M M M
M M
f n1 f n 2 f n 3 L f nn
∆n Wn

[∆] = [F] [W] eqn 1

Manipulating the equation 1 to solve in terms of load,

[F]-1 [∆] = [F]-1 [F] [W]

[F]-1 [∆] = [I] [W]

[W] = [F]-1 [∆]

[W] = [K] [∆]É. eqn 2

If equation 1 is used in the analysis, the method is known as the

displacement or flexibility method.

If equation 2 is used in the analysis, the method is known as the force or

stiffness method.

Both flexibility and stiffness matrices are symmetrical and same dimension
n*n.
Finite Element Method

In Finite Element Method, the analysis begins with an approximation of the

region of interest and its subdivision into numbers of meshes. These meshes
are associated with nodes and element that becomes finite element. These
elements can be triangular or quadrilateral element or even a complex shape
element.
Finite Element Analysis generates a series of nodes that is connected
to each other by an element. A triangular element has 3 nodes while a
quadrilateral has 4 nodes that are inter-connected. Every node in the element
is represented by a mathematical equation with accommodating boundary
condition.

The principle of the method:

Example: a rectangular is subjected to a normal stress along part of itÕs

longer edge and it is required to determine the stress
distribution within it.

Load, W

The procedure is to split the rectangle into a series of element, preferably all
of the same type, which are physically separated from each other except at
the nodal point.
The continuum has now been given the from of a series of connected
elements and can be regarded as structure to which the rules of structural
analysis can be applied.

Stiffness Matrix of a Triangular Element

When a triangular element is stressed in its plane, there are six possible
components of displacement, two at each of the nodal points.

V2

U2

V3

U3

V1
U1

Y(v)
x3

x2

3
y2

y3
 1
X(u)

From the above displacement, Internal deformation can take

place within an element (u , v). Both u and v are assumed to vary
linearly in the x and y directions respectively.

Based on the triangular element shown above, the internal

deformation of each node in the triangular element is found to be:

ui = α1 + xiα2 + yiα3

vi = α4 + xiα5 + yiα6

where u and v is the displacement in the x and y-direction

respectively.

By assembling the internal deformation of these 3 nodes (for

triangular element) into
matrix form:

u1 1 x1 y1 0 0 0 α1
u2 1 x2 y 21 0 0 0 α2
u3 1 x3 y 31 0 0 0 α3
=
v1 0 0 0 1 x1 y1 α4
v2 0 0 0 1 x2 y2 α5
v3 0 0 0 1 x3 y3 α6

Based on the local coordinate system, node 1 is located on the origin of the
reference coordinate system, this concludes that:
 x1 = y1 = 0

which leads to

u1 = α 1
v1 = α 4

in simplified matrix form,

u1 1 0 0 0 0 0 α1
u2 1 x2 y 21 0 0 0 α2
u3 1 x3 y 31 0 0 0 α3
=
v1 0 0 0 1 0 0 α4
v2 0 0 0 1 x2 y2 α5
v3 0 0 0 1 x3 y3 α6

Further simplification leads to:

U
= [A] [α ] eqn 3
V

where

u and v are the components of the displacement related to the local frame

α1É.αn are the components of the displacement related to some general

system of coordinates. It will be called the generalized coordinate
displacement components.
Internal strain

Strain is defined by amount of elongation / stretch when subjected to a

tensile load. It is shown by change in the length over the original length.

The strain in the x direction, y direction and xy plane is shown:

δu
εx =
δx

δv
εy =
δy

δu δv
γ xy = +
δy δx

α1
u 1 x y 0 0 0
= M
v 0 0 0 1 x y
αn

substituting these strain in each node, we have:

 εx 0 1 0 0 0 0 α1
εy = 0 0 0 0 0 1 M
γ xy 0 0 1 0 1 0 αn

which is in the form of

[ε] = [B] [α].............eqn 4

The evaluation of Internal Stresses

The elastic relationship between stress and strains components for the plane
stress is :

σx =
E
(ε x + vε y )
1− v2

σy=
E
(ε y + vε x )
1− v2
E (1 − v )
τ xy = γ xy
(
2 1− v2 )
in matrix form:

σx 1 v 0 εx
E
σy = v 1 0 εy
1− v2 1− v
τ xy 0 0 γ ny
2

which is in the from of:

 [σ] = [D] [ε] ..................eqn 5
but:

[ε] = [B] [α]

∴ [σ] = [D] [B] [α].............eqn 6

Internal work δWi

Internal work done onto the system is defined by :

Internal work = internal strain * internal stress * volume

ε t σ δV

but
ε=Bα

ε=B α
Virtual strain
Unit virtual displacement in
ε t = α t Bt
the direction of generalized
coordinates

ε t = [ I ] Bt

δWi = [ I ] Bt σ δV

but
σ = Dε
= DBα
 δWi = [ I ] Bt D B α ( T δx δy)

δWi = T Bt D B α δx δy

Wi = T Bt D B α ∫ ∫ δx δy

Wi = T Bt D B α ( Area of element)

Wi = T Bt D B ( Area of element) α

W = k ‡
i

where :

k = T B t D B ( Area of element)

External work

A distance where the force is applied defines external work done onto the
system.

External work = displacement * applied force

Assume that the resultant stress acting at the nodal points of the element in
the direction of the generalized coordinate displacement components are:
 S1
S2
[S ] =
M
S6

We = α t
S

We = S

From CastiglianoÕs theorem, the external work done on the system must
equal with the internal work

Therefore,
Wi = We

k α = S

∴ S = k α
Generalized coordinate
Force in the direction of displacement
generalized coordinate
displacement

k is the stiffness of the element expressed in terms of the general coordinate

displacement vector α

The relationship between the stiffness expressed in terms of the

generalized and local coordinates

Total energy stored in the system is the same no matter what coordinate axes
are used.
1
2
(
U W + U W + U W + ...... =
1 1 2 2 3 3
1
2 1 1
)
α S + α S + α S + ......
2 2 3 3
( )
Ut W = αt S

But:
U
= [A] [α ]
V

U
[α ] = [A]−1
V
W = [ A −1 ]t k α
t

[α ] = [A]
t −1 U
V

U
W = [ A −1 ]t k [ A]−1
V

t
U
∴ u t
W = [ A −1 ]t S
V

U
W = k
V

where k = [ A −1 ]t k [ A] −1

For example
As an illustration of the finite element method, let us consider the simple
case of a thin square plate subjected in plane stress to two unit point loads
applied at two corners, as shown in the figure:

A B
1

Fixed
location

D C
1

1,2 3,4

b
Triangular elements with 2
a elements

7,8 5,6

If at this stage we ignore any boundary conditions then every nodal point can
be assume to have two degree of freedom, i.e. it is capable of displacement
in both the horizontal and vertical directions

At each nodal point assign an odd number to the horizontal displacement

and an even number to represent the vertical displacement.
 7 1 5 8 2 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 1 0.625 − 0.125 − 0.5 0.375 − 0.25 − 0.125
1 2 − 0.125 0.125 0 − 0.125 0 0.125
E 5 3 − 0.5 0 0.5 − 0.25 0.25 0
k =
a (1 − v 2 ) 8 4 0.375 − 0.125 − 0.25 0.625 − 0.5 − 0.125
2 5 − 0.25 0 0.25 − 0.5 0.5 0
6 6 − 0.125 0.125 0 − 0.125 0 0.125

Local coordinate

Global coordinate

2 (1,2)

With local
coordinates

(7,8) (5,6)

1 3
 1 5 3 2 6 4
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 1 0.5 0 − 0.5 0 0.25 − 0.25
5 2 0 0.125 − 0.125 0.125 0 − 0.125
E 3 3 − 0.5 − 0.125 0.625 − 0.125 − 0.25 0.375
k =
b (1 − v 2 ) 2 4 0 0.125 − 0.125 0.125 0 − 0.125
6 5 0.25 0 − 0.25 0 0.5 − 0.5
4 6 − 0.25 − 0.125 0.375 − 0.125 − 0.5 0.625

1 3
(3,4)
(1,2)

With local b
coordinates

2 (5,6)
For element a

u 1 element a represent the displacement 7;

u 2 element a represent the displacement 1;

u 3 element a represent the displacement 5;

u 4 element a represent the displacement 8;

u 5 element a represent the displacement 2;

u 6 element a represent the displacement 6;

For element b

u 1 element a represent the displacement 1;

u 2 element a represent the displacement 5;

u 3 element a represent the displacement 3;

u 4 element a represent the displacement 2;

u 5 element a represent the displacement 6;

u 6 element a represent the displacement 4;

The overall stiffness matrix by adding the matrix a and b according to global
coordinate:

0.625 0 − 0.5 − 0.25 0 0.375 − 0.125 − 0.125

0 0.625 − 0.125 − 0.125 0.375 0 − 0.25 − 0.5
− 0.5 − 0.125 0.625 0.375 − 0.125 − 0.25 0 0
E − 0.25 − 0.125 0.375 0.625 − 0.125 − 0.5 0 0
k=

1- v2 √ 0 0.375 − 0.125 − 0.125 0.625 0 − 0.5 − 0.25
↵ 0.375 0 − 0.25 − 0.5 0 0.625 − 0.125 0.375
− 0.125 0.25 0 0 − 0.5 − 0.125 0.625 0.375
− 0.125 − 0.5 0 0 − 0.25 − 0.125 0.375 0.625
Boundary conditions:

From the above figure, point a and D are fixed, i.e., the boundary condition u
1, u 2, u 7, and u 8 is 0. This leads to zero displacement in row and columns 1,
2, 7 and 8. In order to make the matrix calculation easier, rows and columns
that has a zero displacement is removed from the matrix.

Thus the new stiffness matrix:

0.625 0.375 − 0.125 − 0.25

E 0.375 0.625 − 0.125 − 0.5
k=
1 - v 2 √ − 0.125 − 0.125
 0.625 0
↵ − 0.25 − 0.5 0 0.625

From the relationship:

W = K∆

Where

-1 u3
0 u4
W= and ∆=
-1 u5
0 u6
this leads to 4 simultaneous equations:

0.625 u 3 + 0.375 u 4 - 0.125 u 5 - 0.25 u 6 = - 1

0.375 u 3 + 0.625 u 4 - 0.125 u 5 - 0.5 u 6 = 0
- 0.125 u 3 - 0.125 u 4 + 0.625 u 5 = -1
- 0.25 u 3 - 0.5 u 4 + 0.25 u 6 = - 1

Solving the equation simultaneously:

u 3 = -2.710
u 4 = 1.032
u 5 = -1.935
u 6 = -0.258

Validity if the results:

It is obvious that the results obtained from the example are meaningless.

In the perfect material, such as assumed, the horizontal displacement of

point b and c must both be inwards and equal in magnitude.

Similarity, the vertical displacement of B and C must both be outwards and

equal in magnitude.

The reason is that the grid chosen was not sufficiently refined and also not
symmetrical.