ME466 ~ FINITE ELEMENT

METHOD

An Introduction to
Finite Element Analysis
Using
DR. MUHAMMAD ABID
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Ghulam Ishaq khan Institute of Engineering Sciences
and Technology, Topi
Pakistan
January 2004

ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Spring Semester 2004 Class Information:

Lectures
Lectures run on 02 days in Lecture Hall and 01day in Computer Lab in the Faculty of
Mechanical Engineering. Occasionally, some excursions into the slot may be required to
complete material.

Tutorials
Tutorials are based on the doctors surgery format. One/two members of staff will be
present in Computer Lab on following days to provide help/ support/advice on all aspects of
running the software and helping with approaches to the coursework. Tutorials will start
after Lecture 2.
ANSYS 7 is installed in all computers of CM Lab. In addition, Pro-E is also installed on all
computers if someone wants to use.

Timetable for Computer Lab - FME

10 - Pentium IV (Windows XP)
Spring Semester 2004
Times

Monday

Lecture

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Lab

Accessing the PC-Network

It is essential that you have a PC username and Password. These can be obtained from
administrator/ Lab Engineer Computer Lab FME. Thereafter, ANSYS can be found using the
START bar button of WindowsNT. STARTProgramsANSYS 7Interactive. Fill in the
requred parameters and run.

On-line Help
Although a hard copy of ANSYS manuals is available in catalogue of Computer Lab,
however these are all on-line and it is essential that you spend some time familiarising
yourself with them.
STARTProgramsANSYS 7Help System will get you started. NavigateTable Of
ContentsAnalysis Guides or Workbook Examples will be of good use.
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ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Internet Support
All course material including past exercises and example input fileswill be made available
during the Semester. Lecture notes will be available from Central Services. However,
students can access this material via the internet using the following URL address,
http://192.168.151.50 and by following the links shown. In addition, excellent web-based
ANSYS tutorials from the University of Alberta have been made available. These can be
viewed on-line or by downloading and uncompressing using the Winzip utility.

Educational Version of ANSYS5.4 and ??

A node and element limited version is available from market and can be arranged by
yourself for your working at home.

Finally
If you have any problems with the class, please e-mail me abid@giki.edu.pk. Dont just
drop in at my room. I will probably not see you as I have a very busy semester. The best
way to cope with this class is to undertake all the exercises, which are giventake plenty of
time over them in the early stages and then work on course works as they are given. Dont
wait till the dead lines are upon you!

ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

ME466

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

1.0 PRACTICAL STRESS ANALYSIS

Introduction
This class aims to present the essentials for performing modern computer aided engineering
design specifically pertaining to stress analysis and strength design. In essence, the basic
principles from previous mechanics courses will be adopted, identifying the following:
* Stresses from simple components
* Material behaviour & failure mechanisms
* Fatigue & fracture
* Simple component design
However, the main emphasis of the course will develop advanced concepts of stress analysis
as presently utilised within modern industry. The main technique for performing stress
analysis and strength design is the finite element method. In addition to studying and
mastering this technique, we will also examine important lessons from the past.
Finite element analysis is the most popular means of simulating an engineering system. It is
used daily by industry, indeed, hundreds of thousands of engineers world-wide have used the
method for a variety of technical disciplines. For example, FEA has been used to simulate
structural, mechanical, thermal, fluid flow, electrical and chemical systems. In fact, such is
the uptake of the technique by engineers that over $5 billion is spent yearly on FEA in the US
alone.
In addition to the industrial uptake of the technique, thousands of engineers, scientists and
mathematical are performing research into FEA. Over 10,000 articles in professional
journals, more than 6,000 Ph.D. & Masters theses, more than 300 textbooks & monographs
are available on the subject.
It can be reasonably concluded that FEA is rapidly becoming an essential part of design
improvement, optimisation, production process simulation and failure assessment.
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ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Why Finite Element Analysis ?

The reasons for needing the finite element method and its popularity can be appreciated if
one imagines the problem of stresses and strains in components and structures in almost any
branch of engineering. Most modern structures are complex in the extreme. Sometimes,
however, a component may have a simple form, for example, a beam or a plate as in an
automobile or aircraft structure. These forms can be solved straightforwardly by classical
analysis using differential equations with one or two variables. However, real structures
involve three dimensions and therefore are much more complicated to analyse. Even if they
are assemblages of beams, the local forces require to be resolved prior to analysing the beam
in question.
Therefore, the main aim is to develop a technique of analysing complex geometries in the
first instance. Once the geometry can be adequately described, the laws of equilibrium,
motion, strain compatibility and stress-strain relations can be invoked and the process of
analysis can begin.
The essence of the approach is to use a computer to describe the geometry of the complex
structure using a discretised approach, where the geometric shape or internal stress-straindisplacement fields are described by a series of points or coordinates scattered over the
surface or through the interior of the structure. The structure is hypothetically divided into
finite elements which are small enough that the shape of the displacement field can be
approximated without too much error, then the magnitude must be found. It is possible to
assume allowable displacement shapes for these elements, for example, linear, quadratics,
polynomials, trigonometric functions as so on. Thereafter, the individual elements must be
assembled together in such a way as to ensure the displacements and stresses are continuous
in some fashion across the element interfaces, the internal stresses are in equilibrium with
each other and the applied loads and the prescribed boundary conditions are satisfied.
Various engineers have been attributed to being the father of FEA, e.g., Courant (1943),
however, the arrival of the digital computer especially in the aircraft industry led to a rapid
interest in activity in the Boeing Corporation in the early 1950's. The Structural Dynamics
Unit, led by M J Turner, formulated the method in 1954 and published it in 1956.
The North American B-70 bomber was the first production airplane designed using FEA. The
World Trade Center in New York and the John Hancock Centre in Chicago were the first
buildings designed on the basis of FEA.
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ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Some Very Important Points.

It is really important to remember that FEA technology is very recent. It is therefore a very
lively and evolving area of technology. Any engineer who commits a career to this discipline
commits to an area requiring continuing education in new concepts. It is therefore to be
expected that engineers who are knowledgeable and experienced command high salaries and
are at a premium.
The computer is an essential part of FEA, for various activities
*

solid modelling, mesh generation, plotting

model checking, solution

results display and evaluation

It is also a real nuisance unless the engineer learn with someone knows the computer well. It
is recognised that the learning time associated with the computer is really frustrating.
YOU ARE WARNED!!
Whilst the computer solves the mathematical equations and can be used to manipulate
geometry on screen, the main role of the engineer is to interpret the results. This
responsibility is both professional and (in some countries) legal. The importance of the
engineer to structural safety is reflected in the US in the price of liability and malpractice
insurance to the design firm: often 3-5% of gross income - this figure being higher the costs
associated with a physician (doctor). To fulfil these responsibilities, engineers must exercise
a healthy.
The second responsibility is to ensure relevancy and accuracy. In essence, this is the main
purpose of this course.

ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

2.0 THE BASIC PRINCIPLES

Basic Finite Element Concept
In solving any structural problem, what ever the type of structure, whatever the type of
loading, be it static or dynamic, and what ever the nature of the structural material, there are
only three types of argument which can be deployed. These are quite separate and distinct
and it is important to understand their simplicity especially when considering the intricacies
of the finite element method. These arguments are
* Equilibrium
These arguments relate stress to the applied forces, or often to other stresses whether
there are applied forces or not. For example, in some dynamic problems, inertia forces
can be inserted into the equations of equilibrium as if the problem was static. If the
displacements are small, then the equations of equilibrium are linear.
* Compatibility
These arguments relate strains to displacements and are purely geometrical arguments
which depend on the definition of strain and the type of deformation and geometry of
the particular structure. If the displacements are small, then the compatibility equations
are also linear.
* Stress-Strain Law
These constitutive relations are empirical and depend on experimental evidence. They
may included thermal effects, and for ferrous materials the relationship may be elastoplastic with irreversible plasticity. For many structural materials within their useful
working range these laws may be taken as linear.
It is worth recalling that in stress analysis, the basic equations for displacement, stress and
strain are known, but cannot be solved for complex geometries. However, the basic equations
can be solved for simple shapes such as triangles or quadrilaterals, known as elements.
The basic concept in the finite element method is that the real component is approximated by
a finite element model made up of an assembly of these simpler shapes i.e. elements joined at
common nodes. The actual problem is then solved by invoking the arguments of equilibrium,
compatibility at the common nodes for each element, incorporating the appropriate stressstrain law, and applying the known restraints and forces.
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ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Basic Finite Element Analysis Procedure

The basic finite element analysis procedure can be broken down into three simple steps. In
fact, these steps also represent the major processors within typical finite element programs,
e.g. ANSYS.
They comprise:
* PREPROCESSING
Enter the appropriate preprocessor (e.g. /PREP7)
Define the analysis job title
Define the element type(s)
Define the element real constants
Define the element properties (e.g. material properties)
Define the geometry (solid) model
Define the mesh type and element size
Generate the finite element model
Save the database
Exit the preprocessor

* SOLUTION
Enter the solution processor (e.g. /SOLUTION)
Define the analysis type (e.g. static stress analysis) and options
Apply the known boundary conditions
Apply the known loads
Execute the solver
Exit the solution processor

* POSTPROCESSING
Enter the postprocessor (e.g. /POST1)
Read in the results from appropriate load step (SET,LAST)
Plot, print, graph, sort, combine results
Exit postprocessor

ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

ANSYS Analysis Procedures

It is worth having a look at a simple two dimensional stress analysis problem prior to
understanding the mathematics involved with the finite element method. For this we will
consider a simple bracket with a hole, fully restrained at one end and subject to a point load
at the lowest point of the hole. In this example, the following points need to be examined:
* Techniques of geometry modelling
- Keypoints, lines and areas
- Geometric construction (arcs, intersections, fillets)
* Simple Mesh Generation
- Choice of elements (STIF2 or STIF42)
- Element (material properties)
- Element shape (tri/quad)
- Mesh density (element size)
- Automatic generation of FE model
- Model optimisation
* Boundary Conditions
- Selecting
- Symmetry
- Pressure surfaces
* Solution & Postprocessing
- Model database, results files
- Plotting, printing etc.. results
* Analysis Checking
- Is it correct ?

This is the common route for carrying out an FE analysis of a component, however, it is not
the procedure for formulating the `Engineering Problem'.

ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Practical Stress Analysis using FEA

The best approach to performing useful, practical stress analysis using FEA is to know the
code which you are working with and it capabilities really well, and then to keep away from
the computer until the problem has been fully formulated on paper. This is the key to
successful FE analysis. It is essential that the problem is clearly defined. Practical stress
analysis is best carried out using the following approach.
1) Define the Engineering Problem
Objectives:
What is the problem to be solved? Why is the analysis being carried out? Is this the
most appropriate method? What do I expect to get out of the analysis? What results
are required and to what accuracy?
Geometry:
How realistic is the geometry model suggested? Do I need to consider all the small
holes and fillet radii? Do I need a submodel? What about symmetry? Are there any
other simplifications I can make? Are there drawing available? Is there a CAD
model? Can I Use IGES translation? Does the component conform to the drawing?
What are the manufacturing tolerances?
Loading:
What is the location and magnitude of the load. Is it applied over time or ramped on
in one step? Static or dynamic? Is there any interaction between the various load
steps?
Constraints:
Are the supports rigid or flexible? What type are required e.g. rigid, roller, spring,
gap, frictional contact..? How does the constraint effect the stresses? Where does the
effect of the constraint die away?
2) Derive the Mechanical Model
Model the Geometry:
Symmetric, axi-symmetric, cyclic symmetric, tolerances ?

ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

Model the Material:

How accurate is the data? Linear or non-linear relationships? Limitations: yield
strength, ultimate strength, fatigue life.
Model the Loads:
Is it a point load or distributed? Does this make any difference?
Model the Restraints:
Are boundary conditions rotational and/or translational? What is the worst case?
3) Generate the Finite Element Model and Analyse
Create the geometry or solid model
Select the element type and shape
Control the mesh density
Generate the mesh
Apply the loads and restraints
Execute a solution
4) Checking and Debugging - Refining the Model
Interpretation of the Results:
Selecting the correct load step, and plotting, listing, printing the results. Stress
contour plots, reactions, displaced shapes, etc. Use the most appropriate graphics
features which are available. Check nodal versus element solution.
Assessment of the Results:
Are the results what I expect? Do either the load representation or boundary
conditions dominate the results? What is the error in the model? Is this good enough?
Can it be improved? Do I have enough element in the region of highest stress? Do I
have too many?
Procedure for Remodelling:
Should I carry out one or two more runs? What about submodelling?
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ME466 FINITE ELEMENT METHODS

These procedures may, at first appear simple and have an obvious common-sense approach.
However, it is very clear that the majority of poor or incorrect analyses can be overcome by
adopting the above procedures.
It is also worth mentioning the existence of NAFEMS*, formerly the National Agency for
Finite Element Methods and Standards (now a private DTI funded company) which publishes
various documents and now issues conformance certificates to companies who have approved
documented procedures for carrying out and checking finite element analyses to BS 5750 and
ISO9000/1.
* For further reading, see `A Finite Element Primer' produced by NAFEMS (1987),
Birniehill, East Kilbride, Glasgow

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