Lecture 9

A numerical example
Consider a 2D heat transfer problem. The domain is triangular and can be analysed by
only one 3-node triangular element. Calculate the temperature at the mid-side point
along the boundary between node 1 and 3. At node 1 the temperature is 20. ◦ C. and
at node 2 it is 10. ◦ C. No further heat transfer across the boundary takes place. The
heat conductivity coefficient λ = 2. J/◦ Cms and the thickness t = 1. m are given!

(6; 5)

λ, t
y (2; 1) 1 2

(8; 1)
x [m]

Solution
The problem to be solved can be written
Z Z
T
B DBdV a + N T αN dSa =
V
Z Z Sc Z Z
T T T
= N QdV − N hdS + N αT∞ dS − B T DB̄dV g
V Sh Sc V

for a steady state problem, c.f. Torstenfelt Eq (7.23). In this problem, no convection
is present. Neither is internal heat production. Enter it into above, which gives
Z Z Z
T T
B DBdV a = − N hdS − B T D B̄dV g
|V {z } Sh
|V {z }
K ¯
K

Conductivity (or Stiffness) Matrix

The global coefficients K are in heat transfer problems associated with the heat con-
duction in the structure or in the element. Henceforth, the global coefficient matrix in
heat transfer problem will be referred to as the global conductivity matrix. On element
level, the coefficients will be referred to as the element conductivity matrix. The global
conductivity matrix K is given by
n
X
K= C Ti K ei C i
i=1

1
 Lecture 9

The element conductivity matrix is given by

ZZ
e T
K = B e DB e tdxdy (10.42)
Ae

where the constitutive conductivity matrix D for an isotropic material is

 
1 0
D=λ (6.13)
0 1

and B e is the derivatives of the element shape functions with respect to x and y. In
this task, the element is a linear triangular element. That is, there are three nodes and
thus three shape functions.
 
∂
 ∂x   e 
B e =∇N e =  e e
 ∂  N1 (x, y) N2 (x, y) N3 (x, y)


∂y
 
∂N1 (x, y) ∂N2e (x, y) ∂N3e (x, y)
e

 ∂x ∂x ∂x 
= e e e
 ∂N1 (x, y) ∂N2 (x, y) ∂N3 (x, y) 


∂y ∂y ∂y
Remark: For linear heat transfer, the differential operator turns out to be the usual
gradient operator. This is not the case in general. For instance, in elasticity, the
differential operator will look different.
The shape functions for this triangular element can be found in Torstenfelt page 104,
box ’Shape functions for a 2D Constant Strain Triangle’.
1 1
N1e (x, y) = [a1 + b1 x + c1 y] = [(x2 y3 − x3 y2 ) + (y2 − y3 )x + (x3 − x2 )y]
2∆ 2Ae
1 1
N2e (x, y) = [a2 + b2 x + c2 y] = [(x3 y1 − x1 y3 ) + (y3 − y1 )x + (x1 − x3 )y]
2∆ 2Ae
1 1
N3e (x, y) = [a3 + b3 x + c3 y] = [(x1 y3 − x3 y1 ) + (y1 − y2 )x + (x2 − x1 )y]
2∆ 2Ae
which gives the B e matrix
 
e 1 y2 − y3 y3 − y1 y1 − y2
B = (7.99)
2Ae x3 − x2 x1 − x3 x2 − x1

where the area of the element can be calculated with

2Ae = (xj yk − xk yj ) − (xi yk − xk yi ) + (xi yj − xj yi) (7.89; 7.90)

Alltogether, we obtain
 
e 1 −4 4 0
B =
24 −2 −4 6

2
 Lecture 9

Remark: Note that the sum on each row in the B e matrix equals zero.
The B e matrix is independent of x and y. That is, the temperature gradient is constant
within the element. It also simplifies the integration of the element conductivity matrix, K e .
The element conductivity matrix, K e is calculated as
ZZ ZZ
e eT e eT e
K = B DB tdxdy = B DB t dxdy
Ae e
|A {z }
Ae
 
−4 −2    
1  1 0 1 −4 4 0
= 4 −4  λ t 12
24 0 1 24 −2 −4 6
0 6
 
5 −2 −3
λt 
K e= −2 8 −6 
12
−3 −6 9

Assembling
The connectivity matrices C and C is obtained as
       
 T1  0   T1  1 0  
T1
ae = T2 =  0  T3 ae = T2 = 0 1 
  | {z }   T2
T3 1 T3 0 0 |
| {z } a
{z }
| {z } g
C C
The conductivity matrices are then obtained as
n n
X λt   X λt  
K= CTi Kei Ci
= 9 K̄ = CTi Kei C̄i = −3 −6
i=1
12 i=1
12
n   n   (1)
T
X
T e λt −3 ¯
X
T e λt 5 −2
K̄ = C̄i Ki Ci = K̄ = C̄i Ki C̄i =
12 −6 12 −2 8
i=1 i=1

Assemble and solve

    
5 −2 −3  20◦   Q1 
λt 
−2 8 −6  10◦ = Q2
12    
−3 −6 9 T3 0

where both Q1 and Q2 are unknown nodal heat fluxes at node 1 and 2, respectively.

Solving for unknown quantities

The unknown temperature is obtained by


a = T3 = K −1 fa − K̄g
    ◦ 
12    λt   20 40
= 1 0 − −3 −6 = ≈ {13.3◦ }
9λt 12 10 3

3
 Lecture 9

Now the heat fluxes at node 1 and 2 can be calculated by

   ◦
Q1 40 T ¯g
fr = = K̄ a + K̄
Q2 3
  ◦   ◦   
λt −3 40 λt 5 −2 20 10λt 1
= + =
12 −6 3 12 −2 8 10◦ 3 −1

The approximated scalar field

Heat transfer problems are scalar valued. That is, the primary unknown T (x, y) is
a scalar field, or a scalar function. As the nodal values of the temperature is calcu-
lated, it can be interpolated at an arbitrary point within the domain (element). The
temperature at an arbitrary point (x,y) inside the element can now be calculated as
follows
 
 T1 
T (x, y) = [N1e (x, y) N2e (x, y) N3e (x, y)] T2
 
T3

The temperature in the midpoint (P ) of the boundary between node 1 and 3 were
questioned. From the figure it can be found that

(xp , yp ) = (4 , 3)

The values of the shape functions in point P are

1
N1e (4 , 3) = N3e (4 , 3) = ; N2e (4 , 3) = 0
2
Remark: The shape function belonging to node 2 (N2e ) is equal to zero on the bound-
ary between node 1 and node 3, since it is a linear function in x and y and is equal to
zero in both node 1 and 3.
The temperature in point P can now be calculated as
 
 T1 
T (xp , yp ) = [N1e (xp , yp ) N2e (xp , yp ) N3e (xp , yp )] T2 =
 
T3
 

 10   1
 1 1
 20 1 40 50
= 2 0 2 = 20 + = ≈ 16.7◦

 40 
 2 2 3 3
3