MEC455/530 Applied Stress Analysis

Bar Sample Problem

3L FE model: 3 elements, 4 nodes
bo P 1 2 3
x 1 2 3 4
E, A
First, set up global stiffness matrix as,
 1 −1 0 0 
 
EA  − 1 2 − 1 0 
K = K e =1 + K e = 2 =
L  0 − 1 2 − 1
 
 0 0 −1 1 
 
The nodal displacement and force vectors are,
 u1 = 0   f1   − R   0.5 
       
 u2 = ?   f2   0   1 
u= , f = = + bo AL 
u3 = ?  f 0  1
   3    
u = ? f   P   0.5 
 4   4    
So u1 is known nodal displacement while u2, u3, u4 are unknown nodal displacements. Also R is an
unknown reaction force and P is a known applied load. This means f1 is unknown nodal force
while f2, f3, f4 are known nodal forces. Note here, f1 = − R + 0.5bo AL.
Now K11u’ = f’ − K12uo can be set up as,
 
 2 − 1 0  u 2   1   − 1
EA      EA  
 − 1 2 − 1 u3  = bo AL
L 
1  − L  0 (0 )
   0.5 + P  0
 0 − 1 1  u 4     
 bo AL 
Suppose P = boAL, one can set up 3 equations with 3 unknown nodal displacements. Then solve
them as u 2 = 3.5bo L / E , u3 = 6.0bo L / E , u 4 = 7.5bo L / E.
2 2 2

The unknown nodal force can be determined as,

 u1 = 0 
 
bo L2  u 2 = 3.5 
f1 =
EA
(1 − 1 0 0) = −3.5bo AL
L E  u1 = 6.0 
 
 u = 7.5 
 1 
The unknown reaction force is then,
R = − f1 + 0.5bo AL = 4bo AL
From the equilibrium equation
∑F = 0 ⇒ − R + P + bo (volume) = − R + bo AL + 3bo AL = 0 or R = 4bo AL
MEC455/530 Applied Stress Analysis

8
uE
bo L2 Exact Solution
6 Nodal Displacements

 u1   0 
   
 u 2  bo L  3.5 
2

4 u= =
u E  6.0 
 3  
u   7.5 
FE Solution  4  

2
FE solutions of displacement match
with the exact solution at nodal points.

0 x
0 L 2L 3L

4
σ Stresses σ e = DB e ue

bo L2  1 1  0 
σ e=1 = E  −   = 3.5bo L
FE Solution  L L  3.5bo L / E 
2

3
 1 1  3.5bo L / E 
2
σ e=2 = E  −   = 2.5bo L
 L L  6.0bo L2 / E 
 1 1  6.0bo L / E 
2
σ e=3
= E −    = 1.5bo L
2  L L  7.5bo L2 / E 
Exact Solution

1
FE solutions of stress match with the
exact solution at middle of elements.

0 x
0 L 2L 3L