FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Prof. Michele Meo

Office: 4E2.50
m.meo@bath.ac.uk
 References
o Logan, D. L., A First Course in the Finite Element Method ,
PWS Publishing, Boston,

o Cook, R. D., Concepts and Applications of Finite Element Analysis

J. Wiley & Sons, New York,

o Bathe, K. J.,Finite Element Procedures, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs,

o Chandrupatla, T. R. and Belegundu, A. D.

Introduction to Finite Elements in Engineering
Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs,
 Course Objectives
o Demonstrate an understanding of the
fundamental concepts of the finite uniform loading
element method; form basic matrix
equations:

Fixed boundary
(stiffness) x (displacement) = (load) Element
[K]{ U} ={ F} Finite element
Cantilever plate
model
o Preprocess, solve, and postprocess 2- in plane strain
and 3-dimensional, linear problems
using ANSYS/LS-DYNA software
o Understand importance of checking
solutions with back-of-envelope Node
calculations/engineering judgment Problem: Obtain the
o Examples in linear/nonlinear static stresses/strains in the
and transient analysis.
plate
 Course Objectives
o Do not expect a purely practical course
Black-box/Videogame perception

o Content
40% Practical -Problem and Feedback classes
20-30% Hand calculation
30% Theory

o Additional Problem and Feedback classes will be arranged

 Course Grading
Assignments 100%
Theoretical+ Practical
Start Date 12/10/15
Hand-in Date - Theoretical 13/11/15
Hand-in Date - Practical 11/12/15

Different assignments Car

Sport
Aerospace
Etc
 Feedback

o Feedback 8th January 2016

If not suitable please suggest an alternative date

o One to one session.

o First-come, first-served
 Comment
o From very basic examples to complex structures

o BACKGROUND
Mathematics (matrix, vector, etc)
Mechanics of Materials
Structural behaviour ( beam, plates etc)

o Lecture Notes

o For communication please use the following Linkedin groups

Finite Element Analysis course at the University of Bath
Questions and answers will be visible to everybody
 Finite Element Method Defined
o Many problems in engineering and applied science
are governed by differential or integral equations.
o The solutions to these equations would provide an
exact, closed-form solution to the particular problem
being studied.
o However, complexities in the geometry, properties
and in the boundary conditions that are seen in most
real-world problems usually means that an exact
solution cannot be obtained or obtained in a
reasonable amount of time.

o The FEM offers many important advantages to the

design engineer:
Easily applied to complex, irregular-shaped
objects composed of several different materials
and having complex boundary conditions.
Applicable to steady-state, time dependent and
eigenvalue problems.
Applicable to linear and nonlinear problems.
One method can solve a wide variety of
problems, including problems in solid mechanics,
fluid mechanics, chemical reactions,
electromagnetics, biomechanics, heat transfer
and acoustics, to name a few.
 Finite Element Method Defined
o The FEM is a numerical procedure for obtaining approximate
solutions to many of the problems encountered in engineering
analysis.

o It is difficult to document the exact origin of the FEM, because

the basic concepts have evolved over a period of 150 or more
years.

o The term finite element was first used by Clough in 1960. In

the early 1960s, engineers used the method for approximate
solution of problems in stress analysis, fluid flow, heat
transfer, and other areas.

o Zienkiewicz and Chung published the first book on the FEM in

1967.
 How can the FEM Help the Design Organization?
o Simulation using the FEM also
offers important business
advantages to the design
organization:
Reduced testing and redesign
costs thereby shortening the
product development time.
Identify issues in designs
before tooling is committed.
Optimize performance before
prototyping.
Discover design problems
before litigation.
Allow more time for
designers to use engineering
judgement, and less time
turning the crank.
 Advantages of the Finite Element Method
o Can readily handle complex geometry: o Can handle nonhomogeneous materials
The heart and power of the FEM. o Can handle nonisotropic materials
o Can handle complex analysis types: Orthotropic
Vibration Anisotropic
Transients o Can handle material failure
Nonlinear Transient dynamics
Fluids o Special material effects are handled:
Crashworthiness
Temperature dependent properties.

o Can handle complex loading and restraints: Plasticity
Element-based loading (pressure, Creep
thermal, inertial forces).
Swelling
Time or frequency dependent loading.
Indeterminate structures can be o Special geometric effects can be modeled:
analyzed. Large displacements.
Large rotations.
Contact (gap) condition.
 Disadvantages of the Finite Element Method
o Numerical problems:
Computers only carry a finite number of significant digits.
Round off and error accumulation.
Can help the situation by not attaching stiff (small) elements to
flexible (large) elements.
o Susceptible to user-introduced modeling errors:
Poor choice of element types.
Distorted elements.
Geometry not adequately modeled.
o Certain effects not automatically included:
Buckling
Large deflections and rotations.
Material nonlinearities .
Other nonlinearities.
 Variety of FEM Solutions is Wide and Growing Wider

Vehicle Crashworthiness

Simplified model of the standard side impact test,

50 km/h
Finite element analysis works on the premise that a complex
structure like the helicopter shown here can be simulated on a
computer screen so that the helicopter's physical properties can
be studied to determine how well the design will perform under
real-world conditions. The computer models permit the design
team to examine a wide range of options and to detect design
flaws long before the prototype stage.
AIRBUS FEM Errors
Bird-Strike
 Introduction

o The elements may be 1-D, 2-D (triangular or quadrilateral), or

3-D (tetrahedral, hexahedral, etc.); and may be linear or
higher-order.
 Finite Element Analysis
o FEM cuts a structure into several elements
(pieces of the structure). v(x,y)
o Then reconnects elements at nodes as if nodes
were pins or drops of glue that hold elements u(x,y)
together.
o This process results in a set of simultaneous
algebraic equations.

o The displacements of different points in the

{F}=[ K] {U}
structure set up a displacement field

o The displacement field expresses the

displacement of any point in the structure as a
function of its position measured in a reference
frame

o Number of degrees-of-freedom (DOF)

Continuum: Infinite
FEM: Finite
(This is the origin of the name, Finite
Element Method)
 Strains versus Displacement Fields
(2-dimensional case)

s=E e

Once the displacements have been computed, the strains are

derived by partial derivatives of the displacement function and
then the stresses are computed from the strains
 Direct Stiffness Method
Definition of Nodal Displacements and Forces

o Consider a linear spring of stiffness k. Let the displacements of its two ends,
called nodes, be denoted by ui and uj, known as nodal displacements. Let
the forces acting at its two ends, called nodal forces, be denoted by fi and fj.

Nodal
ui uj displacement
y
fi fj
x i j Nodal
k force
Reference
frame
Nodes
 Force-Displacement Relations

o The relationships between the nodal forces and

displacements (as shown below) are given by:

f i k ui u j
fj k u j u
i

ui uj

fi fj

k
 Element Stiffness Matrix

o These relations can be written in matrix form as

k k ui f i
k k u f
j j
or more briefly as

K uf (e)
 Element Stiffness Matrix
o Element Stiffness Matrix (always symmetric);
k k
K
(e)

k k
is known as the Element Nodal Displacement Vector;
ui oThe element nodal
u displacements are also
u
j
known as element nodal
degrees of freedom (DOF)

fi
element nodal force vector f
f
j
 Singularity of Element Stiffness Matrix

o The equation (e)

k u = f cannot be solved for the nodal
displacements for arbitrary f because the matrix k(e) is singular.

o Physically this means that, in static equlibrium, the displacements

of the endpoints of a spring cannot be determined uniquely for an
arbitrary pair of forces acting at its two ends.

o One of the ends must be fixed or given a specified displacement;

the displacement of the other end can then be determined
uniquely.
 Solution for Single Spring Element

o If node i is fixed (i.e. its displacement is set to 0) then ku

= f reduces to
ku j f j
and the displacement of node j is easily determined as
fj
uj
k
which is the expected solution
ui=0 uj

fj

k
 Matrix Reduction

o Note that when a displacement or DOF is set to zero,

rows and columns of k associated with that displacement
are eliminated and only the remaining set is solved

Row(s) associated
with ui
k k ui f i
k k u f
j j

Column(s)
associated with ui
Element Assembly and Solutions for unknowns

Globally numbered elements

u1 ui(1) u2 u(1)
j u(2)
i u3 u(2)
j
1 2
F1
1 2 F2 3 F3
k1 k2
Globally
numbered nodes
 Direct Stiffness Method
o i. Condition of compatibility the connected ends of adjacent
springs have the same displacements.

o ii. Condition of static equilibrium the resultant force at each

node is zero.

o iii. Constitutive relation describes how the material behaves,

e.g. F = ku or s=E e
Condition of compatibility - Continuity Relations

o When two elements are joined together the joined

nodes become one and must have the same
displacement
u2 u(1)
j u(2)
i

where the subscript denotes the global node number, the

superscript denotes the global element number, and i
and j denote local element numbers
 Force Equilibrium conditions

o The external nodal forces acting at each node must equal

the sum of the element nodal forces at all nodes

Node 1 - F1 f 1
(1)

Node 2 - F2 f 2
(1)
f (2 )
2

Node 3 - F3 f (2 )
3

where F1, F2, F3 are external nodal forces numbered globally

 Principle of Superposition for each element

k1 k1 u1 f (1)1
k u (1) Should be node 2 and

1 k1 2 f 2 3 and not 1 and 2

k2 k2 u2 f 1 (2)

k (2)
2 k2 u3 f 2
1 2
F1
1 2 F2 3 F3
k1 k2
 Element Assembly

o When these continuity and force balance relations are

imposed the resulting global equilibrium equations are

k1 k1 0 u1 F1
k
k1 k 2 k2 u2 F2
1
0 k2 k2 u3 F3
o More briefly this can be written as

KU = F
 Global Stiffness Matrix
Global stiffness matrix (always symmetric); k1 k1 0

K k1 k1 k2 k2
0 k2 k2

u 1
Global nodal displacement vector;
U u 2
u
3

F 1

Global load vector F F 2
F
3
o The global nodal displacements are also known as global
degrees of freedom (DOF)
 Assembly of Global Stiffness Matrix

o Note that the global stiffness matrix is assembled from element matrices as
follows

Stiffness matrix from

element 1

k1 k1 0
K k1 k1 k 2 k2

0 k2 k2

Stiffness terms from two

Stiffness matrix from
matrices add at coinciding
element 2
DOF
 Singularity of Global Stiffness Matrix
o As in the case of individual element matrices the global stiffness matrix K
is singular. (the determinant of the matrix is zero.)

o Some nodes of the structure need to be constrained (i.e. fixed or given

known displacements) to make it statically determinate or
overconstrained. Then the remaining DOF can be determined.

o No Boundary Conditions (BCs) are specified, i.e. Rigid Body Motion!

o Constraining some nodes in the structure corresponds to applying

boundary conditions.
 Solution for Global Structure

o If node 1 is fixed (i.e. its displacement is set to 0) then the equilibrium

equations reduce to

k1 k 2 k2 u2 F2
k
2 k2 u3 F3

u1 0 u2 u3
1 2

1 2 F2 3 F3
k1 k2
 Solution for Global Structure
o The displacements of nodes 2 and 3 can now be found from
1
u2 k1 k2 k2 F2

u3 k2 k2 F3
o It can be shown that constrained global stiffness matrix is not singular
o Note that when a DOF is set to zero rows and columns of K associated with
that DOF are eliminated and only the remaining set is solved

k1 k1 0 u1 F1
k
k1 k 2 k2 u2 F2 Row(s)
1
0 k2 k2 u3 F3 associated
with u1

Column(s)
associated
with u1
 Physical significance of the stiffness matrix

F1x k1 F2x k2 F3x

x
1 2 3
Element 1 Element 2
d1x d2x d3x
In general, we will have a
k 11 k 12 k 13
stiffness matrix of the form

(assume for now that we do K k 21 k 22 k 23
not know k11, k12, etc) k 31 k 32 k 33

The finite element k 11 k 12 k 13 d1 F1

force-displacement k
21 k 22 k 23 d2 F2
relations: k 31 k 32 k 33 d3 F3
 Physical significance of the stiffness matrix
The first equation
Force equilibrium
is k d k d
11 1 12 2 k 13 d3 F1 equation at node 1

Columns of the global stiffness matrix

What if d1=1, d2=0, d3=0 ?
While nodes 2 and 3 are held fixed
F1 k 11 Force along node 1 due to unit displacement at node 1
F2 k 21 Force along node 2 due to unit displacement at node 1
F3 k 31 Force along node 3 due to unit displacement at node 1

k ij = Force at node i due to unit displacement at node j

keeping all the other nodes fixed
 Steps in solving a problem
o Step 1: Write down the node-element
connectivity table linking local and global
displacements

o Step 2: Write down the stiffness matrix of

each element

o Step 3: Assemble the element stiffness

matrices to form the global
stiffness matrix for the entire structure
using the node element connectivity table

o Step 4: Incorporate appropriate boundary

conditions

o Step 5: Solve resulting set of reduced

equations for the unknown displacements

o Step 6: Compute the unknown nodal

forces
 Rod Elements
o The spring models introduced
thus far constitute one class of
finite elements and are known as
rod, spar (ANSYS), or truss
(ALGOR) elements

o In the form shown these elements

can be used to model only
unidimensional (one dimensional)
problems

o The more general form of these

elements can be used to model
two or three dimensional
problems
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
Linear Algebra Recap
 What is a matrix?
A rectangular array of numbers. A nxm matrix has n
rows and m columns

M11 M12 M13 M14 First row

M3x4
M21 M22 M23 M24 Second row

M31 M32 M33 M34 Third row

First Second Third Fourth

column column column column
Row number
M12 Column number
 Vector and special matrices
A vector is an array of n numbers
A row vector of length n is a 1xn matrix a 1 a 2 a 3 a4
A column vector of length m is a mx1 matrix a1
a
0 0 0 0 2
a3
03 x 4
0 0 0 0
Identity matrix

0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Zero matrix
I3x 3 0 1 0

0 0 1
 Addition and subtraction of two matrices
If A and B are two matrices of the same size, then the
sum/difference of the matrices

1 2 4 1 3 10 1 2 4 1 3 10
A 3 0 7 B 3 1 0 A 3 0 7 B 3 1 0

9 1 5 1 0 6
9 1 5 1 0 6
2 1 6
0 5 14
C A B 0 1 7
C A B 6 1 7
8 1 1
10 1 11 Note that A - A 0 and 0 - A -A

A B B A A B C A B C
A00A A
 Transpose
Special operations

If A is a mxn matrix, then the transpose of A is the nxm matrix

whose first column is the first row of A, whose second column is
the second column of A and so on.

1 2 4 1 3 9

A 3 0
7 A 2
T
0 1

9 1 5 4 7 5

If A is a square matrix (mxm), it is called symmetric if

AA T
 Scalar (dot) product of
two vectors
If a and b are two vectors of the same size
a1 b1

a a 2 ; b b
2
a 3 b3
The scalar (dot) product of a and b is a scalar obtained
by adding the products of corresponding entries of
the two vectors
a b a 1 b1 a 2 b 2 a 3 b 3
T
 Matrix multiplication

For a product to be defined, the number of columns of

A must be equal to the number of rows of B.

A B = AB
mxr rxn mxn
inside

outside
 Matrix multiplication
If A is a mxr matrix and B is a rxn matrix, then the product
C=AB is a mxn matrix whose entries are obtained as
follows. The entry corresponding to row i and column j
of C is the dot product of the vectors formed by the row i
of A and column j of B
1 2 4 1 3
A 3x3 3 0 7 B3x2 3 1
9 1 5 1 0
3 1
T
5 1
C3x2 AB 10 9 notice 2 3 3

7 28 4 1
 Multiplication of matrices
Matrix operations
Properties

Properties of matrix multiplication:

1. Matrix multiplication is noncommutative (order of
addition does matter)
AB BA in general
It may be that the product AB exists but BA does
not (e.g. in the previous example C=AB is a 3x2
matrix, but BA does not exist)
Even if the product exists, the products AB and
BA are not generally the same
 Multiplication of matrices

Matrix multiplication is associative

A BC AB C
Distributive law
A B C AB AC
B C A BA CA
Multiplication by identity matrix
AI A; IA A
Multiplication by zero matrix A0 0; 0A 0
AB B A
T T T
 Miscellaneous properties
Matrix operations

1. If A , B and C are square matrices of the same size,

and A 0 then AB AC does not necessarily
mean that B C
2. AB 0 does not necessarily imply that either A
or B is zero
 Inverse of a matrix
If A is any square matrix and B is another square
matrix satisfying the conditions
AB B A I
(a) The matrix A is called invertible, and
(b) the matrix B is the inverse of A and is denoted
as A-1.

The inverse of a matrix is unique A -1 1

A

AB B A
1 1 -1
k A
1 1 -1
A
k
 The determinant of a square matrix is a number
For a 1x1 matrix:
A a11 ; det( A ) a11
For a 2x2 matrix:

a11 a12
A ; det( A) a11a22 a12a21
a21 a22

Product along red arrow minus product along blue arrow

Example 1
1 3
Consider the matrix A
5 7

Notice (1) A matrix is an array of numbers

(2) A matrix is enclosed by square brackets

1 3
det( A) 1 7 3 5 8
5 7
Notice (1) The determinant of a matrix is a number
(2) The symbol for the determinant of a matrix is a
pair of parallel lines
Computation of larger matrices is more difficult
Duplicate column method for 3x3 matrix
For ONLY a 3x3 matrix write down the first two
columns after the third column
a11 a12 a13 a11 a12 a13 a11 a12

A a21 a22 a23 a
21 a 22 a 23 a 21 a 22
a31 a32 a33 a 31 a 32 a 33 a 31 a 32
Sum of products along red arrow
minus sum of products along blue arrow
det( A) a11a22a33 a12a23a31 a13a21a32
a13a22a31 a11a23a32 a12a21a33
This technique works only for 3x3 matrices
 Example

2 4 - 3 2 4 3 2 4
A 1 0 4

1 0
4 1 0
2 - 1 2
2 1 2 2 1

0 -8 8 0 32 3
Sum of red terms = 0 + 32 + 3 = 35
Sum of blue terms = 0 8 + 8 = 0
Determinant of matrix A= det(A) = 35 0 = 35
 Finding determinant using inspection
Special case. If two rows or two columns are proportional (i.e.
multiples of each other), then the determinant of the matrix is
zero
2 7 8
3 2 4 0
2 7 8

because rows 1 and 3 are proportional to each other

If the determinant of a matrix is zero, it is called a singular

matrix
 What is a cofactor?
Cofactor method
If A is a square matrix a11 a12 a13
A a21 a22 a23

a31 a32 a33
The minor, Mij, of entry aij is the determinant of the submatrix
that remains after the ith row and jth column are deleted from A.
The cofactor of entry aij is Cij=(-1)(i+j) Mij

a21 a23 a21 a23

M12 a21a33 a23a31 C12 M12
a31 a33 a31 a33
 What is a cofactor?

Sign of cofactor -
- -


-
Find the minor and cofactor of a33
2 4 - 3
Minor

A 1 0 4
2 4
M33 2 0 4 1 4
2 - 1 2 1 0
( 3 3)
Cofactor C 33 ( 1) M 33 M 33 4
 Cofactor method of obtaining the determinant
of a matrix
The determinant of a n x n matrix A can be computed by
multiplying ALL the entries in ANY row (or column) by their
cofactors and adding the resulting products. That is, for each
and 1 i n 1 j n
Cofactor expansion along the jth column

det( A ) a1jC 1j a2jC 2j anjC nj

Cofactor expansion along the ith row

det( A ) ai1 C i1 ai2C i2 ainC in

 Example: evaluate det(A) for:
1 0 2 -3
det(A) = a11C11 +a12C12 + a13C13 +a14C14
A= 3 4 0 1
-1 5 2 -2
0 1 1 3
4 0 1 3 0 1 3 4 1
det(A)=(1) 5 2 -2 - (0) -1 2 -2 +2 -1 5 -2
1 1 3 0 1 3 0 1 3
3 4 0
- (-3) -1 5 2 = (1)(35)-0+(2)(62)-(-3)(13)=198
0 1 1
 Example : evaluate
1 5 -3
det(A)= 1 0 2
3 -1 2
By a cofactor along the third column

det(A)=a13C13 +a23C23+a33C33

4 1 0 1 5 1 5
det(A)= -3* (-1) +2*(-1)5 +2*(-1)6
3 -1 3 -1 1 0

= det(A)= -3(-1-0)+2(-1)5(-1-15)+2(0-5)=25
 Finding the inverse
a1 b1 c1 A1 B1 C1

M a2 b2 c2 A2 B2 C2
a b3 c3 A B C
3 3 3 3

1. Find the matrix of the cofactors A1 A2 A3

B1 B2 B3
C C2 C3
2. Transpose the matrix, 1
by swapping the rows and columns:
A1 A2 A3
1 1
M B1 B2 B3
det
3. Divide by the determinant C1 C2 C3
 Inverse of a 33 matrix
1 2 3
Cofactor matrix of A 0 4 5
1 0 6

The cofactor for each element of matrix A:

4 5 0 5 0 4
A11 24 A12 5 A13 4
0 6 1 6 1 0

2 3
A21 12 A22
1 3
3 A23
1 2
2
0 6 1 6 1 0

2 3 1 3 1 2
A31 2 A32 5 A33 4
4 5 0 5 0 4
 Inverse of a 33 matrix

1 2 3
Cofactor matrix of A 0 4 5 is then given by:
1 0 6

24 5 4
12 3 2

2 5 4
 Inverse of a 33 matrix

1 2 3
Inverse matrix of A 0 4 5 is given by:
1 0 6

24 5 4 24 12 2
T

1 1
1
A 12 3 2 5 3 5
A 22
2 5 4 4 2 4

12 11 6 11 1 11
5 22 3 22 5 22
2 11 1 11 2 11
 ANSYS Introduction
o All analysis (regardless of the physics) involves the following
steps:
Building (or importing) a model and applying boundary
conditions
Pre-processing
o Solving a system of equations
Solution
o Reviewing results
Post-processing
 Ansys Introduction

There are three main processors

(modules) to accomplish these tasks
/PREP7 Visual Aids
tools
/SOLU
/POST1
Preprocessor

Geometry Meshing
 Ansys - Solver

Loading Analysis Type Postprocessing

Toolbar Menu
Toolbar Menu