Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
This section presents the general steps included in the finite element method.
Typically, for the structural stress analysis, it is required to determine the stresses and
deformation (strains) throughout the structure which is in equilibrium and is subjected to
applied loads.
The finite element method involves modeling of the structure using small units
(finite elements). A displacement function is associated with each finite element. The
followings are the steps used in finite element method. This will be followed by
illustration of the application of these steps on springs and plane stress cases.
STEPS IN FEA
Each element is comprised of 2 or more nodes which help define its shape as well as to
convey physical reactions from one element to the next. The finite in FEA comes from
the fact that there
are a known number of elements in a finite element model. The solver adds up the
individual behaviors of each element to predict the behavior of the entire physical system.
Coordinate system in FEA
Local Coordinates
A local coordinates system whose origin is located within the element in order to simplify
the algebraic manipulations in the derivation of the element matrix.
The use of natural coordinates in expressing approximate functions is
advantageous because special integration formulas can often be applied to evaluate the
integrals in the element matrix.
Natural coordinates also play a crucial role in the development of elements with
carved boundaries.
Natural Coordinates
It is a local coordinate system that permits the specification of a point within the element
by a dimensionless parameter whose absolute magnitude never exceeds unity.
It is dimension less.
They are defined with respect to the element rather than with reference to the
global coordinates.
Global Coordinates
Global coordinates are convenient for specifying the location of each node, the
orientation of each element, the boundary conditions and the loads for the entire domain.
k
1 2
x
k 2
1 T
x
d1x d2x
L
Figure 2 Linear spring subjected to tensile forces
u a1 a 2 x (2) x
In general, the
1 total number of coefficients
2 a is equal to the total number of
degrees of freedom associated with the element. Here the total number of degrees of
freedom is two an axial displacement at each of the two nodes of the element. In matrix
form, Eq. (2) becomes
a
u 1 x 1 (3)
a 2
Evaluating u at each node and solving for a1 and a 2 from Eq.(2) as follows:
u (0) d 1x a1 (4)
u ( L) d 2 x a 2 L d1x (5)
Or, solving Eq. (5) for a 2 ,
d d1x
a2 2 x (6)
L
On substituting Eqs.(4)and (6) into Eq. (2), we have
d d1x
u ( 2x ) x d 1x (7)
L
In matrix form, we express Eq. (7) as
x x d 1x
[1 ] (8)
L L d 2 x
d
or u [ N1 N 2 ] 1x (9)
d 2 x
x x
Here N1 1 and N2 (1)
L L
,
are called the shape functions because the N i s express the shape of assumed
displacement function over the domain of element when the ith element degree of freedom
has unit value and all other degrees of freedom are zero.
In addition, they are often called interpolation functions because we are interpolating to
find the value of a function between given nodal values.
Step 5 Assemble the Element Equations to Obtain the Global Equations and
Introduce Boundary Conditions
N N
K [K ] k F [F ] f
(e) (e)
and (18)
e 1 e 1
Where k and f are now element stiffness and force matrices expresses in global
reference frame.
Step 6 Solve for the Nodal Displacements
The displacements are then determined by imposing boundary conditions and
solving a system of equations, F K d simultaneously.
Step 7 Solve for the Element Forces
Finally, the element forces are determined by back-substitution, applied to each
element.
shape function
shape function is the function which interpolates the solution between the discrete
values obtained at the mesh nodes. Therefore, appropriate functions have to be used and,
as already mentioned, low order polynomials are typically chosen as shape functions.
Figure: Tetrahedral finite element. (a) Original coordinate system. (b) Transformed
coordinate system.
The shape function is the function which interpolates the solution between the discrete
values obtained at the mesh nodes. Therefore, appropriate functions have to be used and,
as already mentioned, low order polynomials are typically chosen as shape functions. In
this work linear shape functions are used.
For three-dimensional finite element simulations it is convenient to discretize the
simulation domain using tetrahedrons, as depicted in Figure 4.1. Thus, linear shape
functions must be defined for each tetrahedron of the mesh, in order to apply the Galerkin
method
The calculations can be significantly simplified by carring out a coordinate
transformation. A tetrahedron in a transformed coordinate system is shown in
Figure 4.2(b). Each point of the tetrahedron in the original coordinate system
(4.17)
(4.18)
In this way, the nodal basis functions for the tetrahedron in the transformed coordinate
system are given by [155]
These shape functions are rather simple, so that the derivatives and integrals required for
the finite element formulation can be readily evaluated in the transformed coordinate
system. Given a function , the gradient in the transformed coordinates is of the form
(4.20)
(4.22)
or
(4.23)
where is the transpose of the Jacobian matrix. Thus, the gradient in the original
coordinate system can be calculated using the transformed coordinate gradient by
(4.24)
where .
Performing such a coordinate transformation significantly simplifies the practical
implementation of the FEM. The nodal shape functions in the transformed coordinates are
fixed and known in advance, thus, it is not necessary to solve the system of equations
formed by (4.15) and (4.16) for each element of the mesh. Only the Jacobian matrix has to
be determined, and the required calculations for the finite element formulation can be
easily evaluate