AME/CE 5763

Introduction to the Finite Element Method

Spring Semester 2014

Axial and Flexural Vibration of Beams and Frames

Class 18
Fred Striz
March 31, 2014

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering - AME

4/2/14

STRIZ OU/AME/ASDLab

ASDL

Aerospace Systems Design Lab

ASDLab
Axial and Flexural Vibration of Beams and Frames
Longitudinal Vibration of a Bar

Aerospace Systems Design Lab

Finite Element Formulation for a Bar in Axial Vibration:

The Equation of Motion for a continuous mass system (here, a finite element bar), can be
written in matrix form as

[m]{u} + [ k ]{u} = {F(t)}

where: [m] is the mass matrix

{F(t)} is the forcing function with {F(t)}={0} for free vibration
{u} is the vectorof nodal degrees of freedom (= the displacements)
The displacement function is:

drawing on board
u(x) = a1 + a2 x

The boundary conditions are:

u = u1 at x = 0

and

u = u2 at x = L

This allows us to find a1 and a2.

Then we get:

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u2 u1
u(x) = u1 +
x
or
L
x
x
u(x) = (1 )u1 + ( )u2 = f1 (x) u1 + f 2 (x) u2
L
L
STRIZ OU/AME/ASDLab

ASDLab
Axial and Flexural Vibration of Beams and Frames
Longitudinal Vibration of a Bar

Aerospace Systems Design Lab

Finite Element Formulation for a Bar in Axial Vibration, continued:

The Strain Energy expression for a uniform bar with cross-sectional area A is
L

U=

F2
dx =
2EA

L
(x A) 2
(E x ) 2 A 2
EA
dx =
dx =
2EA
2EA
2
0

EA
2

dx
=
x
2
0

(
0

u 2
) dx
x

The Kinetic Energy expression for this bar is:

1
T=
2

u (x) dV = 2
0
2

u (x)

dx

The Equation of Motion can be obtained from the Lagrange Equation:

d T U
( )+
= Fi
dt u i ui

where i denotes the ith degree of freedom.

We now substitute the displacement function into the Strain Energy and Kinetic Energy

expressions and differentiate wrt each degree of freedom.

4/2/14

STRIZ OU/AME/ASDLab

ASDLab
Axial and Flexural Vibration of Beams and Frames
Longitudinal Vibration of a Bar

Aerospace Systems Design Lab

Finite Element Formulation for a Bar in Axial Vibration, continued:

This results in the EoM for a general axial force bar finite element in matrix form:

[m]{u} + [ k ]{u} = {F(t)}

AL #2 1 &) u1 , EA # 1 1&) u1 , ) X1 ,
%
(* - +
%
(* - = * 6 $1 2 '+ u2 . L $1 1 '+ u2 . + X 2 .

L
Here, the terms mij are obtained from mij = A f i (x) f j (x) dx
or, explicitly,

0
L

kij from
and the terms

kij = EA f i" (x) f j" (x) dx

0

derivation
of X1 on board with example for m12
For the case of free vibration, we assume u(x,t) = U(x) sin t

where is the natural frequency in radians per second and U(x) is the amplitude of vibration.
Thus, u(x) is zero at times t =0, /, 2/, and taking the second derivative of the above
displacement expression results in u = 2U(x) sin t or u = 2 u.
4/2/14

STRIZ OU/AME/ASDLab

ASDLab
Axial and Flexural Vibration of Beams and Frames
Longitudinal Vibration of a Bar
Course Introduction

Aerospace Systems Design Lab

Finite Element Formulation for a Bar in Axial Vibration, continued:

This results in the harmonic free vibration EoM for an axial force bar finite element in
matrix form:
2

[[k]

[m]]{u} = 0

The non-trivial solution requires that det |[k] 2[m]| = 0, which gives the Eigenvalues ,
the natural frequencies.

The consistent mass matrix is AL #2 1 &, the lumped mass matrix is AL #1 0 &

%
(
6 $1 2 '

%
(
2 $0 1 '

Example 1

4/2/14

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