Direct formulation of finite element characteristics 25

For the plane stress case the relevant strains of interest are those occurring in the plane
and are defined in terms of the displacements by well-known relations6 which define the
operator S
=


x
y
xy


=


u
x
v
y
u
y
+ v
x


=



x
, 0
0,

y

y
,

x


_
u
v
_
With the shape functions N1, N2 and N3 already determined for a triangular element, the
matrix B can easily be obtained using (2.15). If the linear form of the shape functions is
adopted then, in fact, the strains are constant throughout the element (i.e., the B matrix is
constant).
A similar result may be obtained for the rectangular element by adding the results for
N4; however, in this case the strains are not constant but have linear terms in x and y.
2.2.3 Stresses
In general, the material within the element boundaries may be subjected to initial strains
such as those due to temperature changes, shrinkage, crystal growth, and so on. If such
strains are denoted by 0 then the stresses will be caused by the difference between the
actual and initial strains.
In addition it is convenient to assume that at the outset of the analysis the body is
stressed by some known system of initial residual stresses 0 which, for instance, could
be measured, but the prediction of which is impossible without the full knowledge of the
materials history. These stresses can simply be added on to the general definition. Thus,
assuming linear elastic behaviour, the relationship between stresses and strains will be
linear and of the form
= D( 0) + 0 (2.16)
where D is an elasticity matrix containing the appropriate material properties.
Again for the particular case of plane stress three components of stress corresponding to
the strains already defined have to be considered. These are, in familiar notation,
=

x
y
xy


and for an isotropic material the D matrix may be simply obtained from the usual stress
strain relationship6
x x0 = 1
E
(x x0)
E
(y y0)
y y0 =
E
(x x0) + 1
E
(y y0)
xy xy0 = 2(1 + )
E
(xy xy0)