8/6/2018

KL IEM Workshop on FEM

11 JULY 2018

Lecture 1: Finite Element Modelling

in Geotechnical Engineering

By: Professor Harry Tan

National University of Singapore

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 2

Outline

1. Introduction
• Design requirements in geotechnical engineering
• Geotechnical methods of analysis
• Geotechnical finite element analysis: some remarks

2. The Finite Element Method

• Introduction and general overview
• Domain discretization
• Element formulation
• Constitutive law
• Element stiffness matrix
• Global equations: assembly and solution
• Compute secondary variables

3. Final remarks

1
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 3

Design requirements in geotechnical engineering

• Stability (local and general)

• Admissible deformation and displacements

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 4

Design requirements in geotechnical engineering

• Flow problems

• Sometimes flow and stability/deformation problems are solved together

2
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 5

Geotechnical analysis: Basic solution requirements

• Unknowns: 15 • Equilibrium (3 equations)

(6 stresses, 6 strains, 3 displacements) • Compatibility (6 equations)
• Constitutive equation (6 equations)

Potts & Zdravkovic

(1999)

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 6

Geotechnical methods of numerical analysis
• Methods for numerical analysis
 Finite difference method
 Boundary element method (BEM)
 Discrete element method (DEM)
 Finite element method (FEM)
 Others (meshless methods, material point method, particle methods…)

• While the FEM has been used in many fields of engineering practice for over 40
years, it is only recently that it has begun to be widely used for analyzing
geotechnical problems. This is probably because there are many complex issues
which are specific to geotechnical engineering and which have been resolved
relatively recently.

• When properly used, this method can produce realistic results which are of value
to practical soil engineering problems

• A good analysis, which simulates real behaviour, allows the engineer to understand
problems better. While an important part of the design process, analysis only
provides the engineer with a tool to quantify effects once material properties and
loading conditions have been set

3
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 7

Geotechnical finite element analysis

• Objectives of the numerical (finite element) analysis

 Selection of design alternatives
 Quantitative predictions
 Back-calculations
 Understanding!
 Identification of critical mechanisms
 Identification of key parameters

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 8

Geotechnical finite element analysis

• Advantages of numerical (finite element) analysis

 Simulation of complete construction history
 Interaction with water can be considered rigorously
 Complex geometries (2D-3D) can be modelled
 Structural elements can be introduced
 No failure mechanism needs to be postulated (it is an outcome of the
analysis)

• (Nearly) unavoidable uncertainties

 Ground profile
 Initial conditions (initial stresses, pore water pressure…)
 Boundary conditions (mechanical, hydraulic)
 Appropriate model for soil behaviour
 Model parameters

4
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 9

Geotechnical finite element analysis

• Some requirements for successful numerical modelling

 Construction of an adequate conceptual model that includes the basic
features of the model. The model should be as simple as possible but
not simpler
 Selection of an appropriate constitutive model. It depends on:
 type of soil or rock
 goal of the analysis
 quality and quantity of available information
 Pay attention to patterns of behaviour and mechanisms rather than
just to quantitative predictions
 Perform sensitivity analyses. Check robustness of solution
 Model calibration (using field results) should be a priority, especially if
quantitative predictions are sought
 Check against alternative computations if available (even if simplified)

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 10

Geotechnical finite element analysis

Three final remarks:

1. Geotechnical engineering is complex. It is not because you’re

using the FEM that it becomes simpler

2. The quality of a tool is important, yet the quality of a result

also (mainly) depends on the user’s understanding of both
the problem and the tool

3. The design process involves considerably more than analysis

from C. Viggiani,

5
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 11

The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview

The FEM is a computational procedure that may be used to obtain an

approximate solution to a boundary value problem

The governing mathematical equations are approximated by a series of

algebraic equations involving quantities that are evaluated at discrete points
within the region of interest. The FE equations are formulated and solved in
such a way as to minimize the error in the approximate solution
 x  xy  xz
Governing mathematical equation:    bx (equilibrium)
x y z
Algebraic equation: a11 x1  a12 x2    a1n xn  c1

This lecture presents only a basic outline of the method

Attention is focused on the "displacement based" FE approach

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 12

The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview

The FEM is a computational procedure that may be used to obtain an

approximate solution to a boundary value problem

What kind of problem?

Apply load obtain displacements

stiffness matrix

Apply head obtain flow

permeability matrix

Though we would like to know our solution at any coordinates in our

project, we will only calculate them in a certain amount of discrete points
(nodes) and estimate our solution anywhere else

6
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 13

The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview

The FEM involves the following steps (1/2)

Elements discretization
This is the process of modeling the geometry of the problem under
investigation by an assemblage of small regions, termed finite
elements. These elements have nodes defined on the element
boundaries, or within the elements

Primary variable approximation

A primary variable must be selected (e.g., displacements) and rules
as how it should vary over a finite element established. This
variation is expressed in terms of nodal values

 A polynomial form is assumed, where the order of the polynomial

depends on the number of nodes in the element
 The higher the number of nodes (the order of the polynomial), the
more accurate are the results (the longer takes the computation!)

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 14

The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview

The FEM involves the following steps (2/2)

Element equations
Derive element equations:

where is the element stiffness matrix, is the vector of nodal

displacements and is the vector of nodal forces
Global equations
Combine (assemble) element equations to form global equations

Boundary conditions
Formulate boundary conditions and modify global equations. Loads
affect P, while displacements affect U
Solve the global equations
to obtain the displacements at the nodes
Compute additional (secondary) variables
From nodal displacements secondary quantities (stresses, strain) are
evaluated

7
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 15

The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview

Apply load obtain displacements

stiffness matrix
Ku  F
For soil we don’t have a direct relation between load and displacement,
we have a relation between stress and strain.

Displacements Strains Stresses Loads

Differentiate Material Integrate
model
  Bu   D F    dV

Combine these steps: K   BT DBdV

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 16

Domain discretization

Footing
The first stage in any FE analysis width = B
is to generate a FE mesh

A mesh consists of elements

connected together at nodes
Node

We will calculate our solution in

the nodes, and use some sort of
mathematical equation to Gauss point
estimate the solution inside the
elements.

8
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 17

Domain discretization

Examples: embankment

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 18

Domain discretization

Examples: multi-anchored diaphragm wall

There is a whole zoo of different finite elements available!

9
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 19

Element formulation

Displacement interpolation
Two-dimensional analysis of continua is generally based on the use of
either triangular or quadrilateral elements

The most used elements are based on an iso-parametric approach

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 20

Element formulation

Displacement interpolation
Primary unknowns: values of the nodal displacements
Displacement within the element: expressed in terms of the nodal
values using polynomial interpolation

n
u( )   N i ( ) ui , N i  shape function of node i
i 1

10
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 21

Element formulation
Shape function of node i
Is a function that has value “1” in node i
and value “0” in all other n-1 nodes of the element

Shape functions for 3-node line element

1 1
N1   (1   )  , N 2  (1   )(1   ) , N 3  (1   ) 
2 2

Shape functions for 5-node line element

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 22

Element formulation

Illustration for the six-noded triangular element

3 y quadratic interpolation

6
v
5
x u( x, y )  a0  a1 x  a2 y  a3 x 2  a4 xy  a5 y 2
u v ( x, y )  b0  b1 x  b2 y  b3 x 2  b4 xy  b5 y 2
1 2
4

12 coefficients, depending on the values of the

12 nodal displacements

u  NU e

11
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 23

Element formulation

Illustration for the six-noded triangular element

Strains may be derived within the element using the standard definitions

u
 xx   a1  2a3 x  a4 y
x
ε  Lu
v
 yy   b2  b4 x  2b5 y
y
u v
 xy    (b1  a2 )  (a4  2b3 ) x  (2a5  b4 ) y
y x
ε  BU e
ε  Lu  LNU e  BU e

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 24

Constitutive law

Constitutive relation (elasticity)

Elasticity: one-to-one relationship between stress and strain
in a FE context, stresses  and strains  are written in vector form
the stress-strain relationship is then expressed as:  = D

linear isotropic elasticity in plane

material stiffness matrix
strain
 
1  v v 0 
D
E  v 1 v 0 
(1  2v)(1  v)  1  2v 
 0 0 
 2 

In this case the coefficients of the matrix are constants, which means
that (for linear kinematics) the resulting F.E. equations are linear

12
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 25

Constitutive law

What happens with inelastic constitutive relations?

Advantage with elasticity: the coefficients of the matrix are constants,
the resulting F.E. equations are linear, hence the problem may be
solved by applying all of the external loads in a single calculation step

Soils usually do not behave elastically

  D 
with D depending on the current and past stress history

It is necessary to apply the external load in separate increments

and to adopt a suitable non-linear solution scheme

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 26

Element stiffness matrix

Element stiffness matrix

Body forces and surface tractions applied to the element may be
generalized into a set of forces acting at the nodes (vector of nodal forces)
Nodal forces may be related  P1x 
 
to the nodal displacements by: 3  P1 y 
 
K eUe  Pe  P2 x 
6 5  P2 y 
Ke element stiffness matrix P e  
P1x 1  
2  


4
 
Ke B T DBdv P1y
 P6 x 
P 
 6y 

recall D material stiffness matrix

B matrix relating nodal displacements to strains

13
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 27

Element stiffness matrix

Gauss points

Ke
 B T DBdv

To evaluate Ke, integration must be performed for each element

A numerical integration scheme must be employed (Gaussian integration)

Essentially, the integral of a function is replaced by a weighted sum

of the function evaluated at a number of integration points

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 28

Global equations: assembly and solution

Global stiffness matrix (1)

The stiffness matrix for the complete mesh is evaluated by combining
the individual element stiffness matrixes (assembly)

This produces a square matrix K of dimension equal to the number of

degrees-of-freedom in the mesh
• in 2D number of d.o.f = 2 x number of nodes
• in 3D number of d.o.f = 3 x number of nodes

The global vector of nodal forces P is obtained in a similar way by

assembling the element nodal force vectors

The assembled stiffness matrix and force vector are related by:

KU  P
where vector U contains the displacements at all the nodes in the mesh

14
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 29

Global equations: assembly and solution

Global stiffness matrix (2)

If D is symmetric (elasticity), then Ke and hence K will be symmetric
The global stiffness matrix generally contains many terms that are zero
if the node numbering scheme is efficient then all of the non-zero
terms are clustered in a band along the leading diagonal

assembly
schemes for storage
solution

take into account its sym and

banded structure
number of dofs

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 30

Global equations: assembly and solution

Solution of the global stiffness equations

Once the global stiffness equations have been established
(and the boundary conditions added), they mathematically
form a large system of symultaneous (algebraic) equations

KU  P
These have to be solved to give values for the nodal displacements

It is advantageous to adopt special techniques to reduce

computation time (e.g. bandwidth and frontal techniques)

Detailed discussion of such techniques is beyond the scope of

this lecture

15
 8/6/2018

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 31

Computation of secondary variables

Compute additional (secondary) values

Once the nodal displacements have been obtained from the inversion
of the matrix K
KU  P
e

The complete displacement field can be obtained:

n
u ( x, y )   N i ( x, y ) ui , N i  shape function of node i
i 1

Strains and stresses are computed at the Gauss points:

ε  BU e
Δσ = DΔε

L1. FEM in Geotechnical Engineering 32

Final remarks

Some practical issues:

1. A good finite element mesh is important. A poor mesh will give

a poor (inaccurate) solution.

2. Post processing – Stress are computed at Guass points only.

Contour plots of stresses involve further processing of the results.

3. Do the results make sense?

4. FEA can be very time consuming!

16