January 2013

Finite element analysis example.

We set up a triangle with 6 internal nodes,as shown.

In this grid we have three dierent triangular elements. One is the isosceles
right triangle treated by Jackson (Fig 2.16)

We also have a right triangle with sides 1,2 and

form this triangle, and also nodes 5,12,13.)

5 and area 1. ( Nodes 6,7,8

For this triangle we have

1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3

1
1
(2 3 3 2 ) = (0 2) = 1
2
2
1
1
1
=
(2 3 ) = (1 0) =
2
2
2
1
1
=
(2 3 ) = (0 2) = 1
2
2
=

1
1
(2 1 1 3 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
1
1
=
(3 1 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
1
1
=
(3 1 ) = (2 0) = 1
2
2
=

1
1
(1 2 2 1 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
1
1
1
=
(1 2 ) = (0 1) =
2
2
2
1
1
=
(1 2 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
=

P
Note: Jackson claims that = 1 but this result depends on the orientation of
the triangle, which explains why I have 1. But the all depend quadratically
on the s and s, and so are independent of their signs. For this triangle,

12
13

1
5
11 = (21 + 21 ) = + 1 =
4
4

1
= (1 2 + 1 2 ) =
(0) + 1 (1) = 1
2

1
1
1
= (1 3 + 1 3 ) =
+10=
2
2
4
22 = (22 + 22 ) = 0 + 1 = 1
23 = (2 3 + 2 3 ) = 0 + 0 = 0
33 = (23 + 23 ) =

1
1
+0=
4
4

Thus we have:

The third triangle is formed by nodes 5,13,14 and also 6,7,16 and looks like
this:

This triangle also has area 1 and its shape functions have coecients:
1
1
1 =
(2 3 3 2 ) = (0 2 1) = 1
2
2
1
1
1
1 =
(2 3 ) = (1 2) =
2
2
2
1
1
1 =
(2 3 ) = (0 2) = 1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3

1
1
(2 1 1 3 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
1
1
=
(3 1 ) = (2 0) = 1
2
2
1
1
=
(3 1 ) = (2 0) = 1
2
2
=

1
1
(1 2 2 1 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
1
1
1
=
(1 2 ) = (0 1) =
2
2
2
1
1
=
(1 2 ) = (0 0) = 0
2
2
=

And then
1
5
11 = (21 + 21 ) = + 1 =
4
4

1
3
12 = (1 2 + 1 2 ) =
(1) + 1 (1) =
2
2

1
1
1
13 = (1 3 + 1 3 ) =

+10=
2
2
4
23

22 = (22 + 22 ) = 1 + 1 = 2

1
1
= (2 3 + 2 3 ) = 1
+0=
2
2
1
1
33 = (23 + 23 ) = + 0 =
4
4

Now we have to compute the matrix coecients for the six internal nodes. Eight
identical triangles meet at node 1, so

1
11 = 8
=4
2
Similarly we have
22 = 4 (1) = 4 = 33
55 = 66 = 2 1 + 2 + 1 = 5
Line 12 is a side of two identical triangles, so

1
12 = 2
= 1 = 13 = 14
2
Similarly
45 = 36
and theseare the only non-zero
4 1 1 1
1 4
0
0

1 0
4
0
=
1 0
0
4

0
0
0 1
0
0 1 0
76
with inverse: 1

or 1 =

0310 2
7755 102

8163 102

8163 102

1633 102
1633 102

245
19
245
4
49
4
49
4
245
4
245

1
=2
= 1
2

elements.
Thus
0
0
0
0

0 1
,
1 0

5
0
0
5
19
245
66
245
1
49
1
49
1
245
1
245

7755 102
0269 39
2041 102
2041 102
4082 103
4082 103

4
49
1
49
265
931
20
931
4
931
53
931

4
49
1
49
20
931
265
931
53
931
4
931

8163 102
2041 102
0284 6
2148 102
4296 103
5693 102

4
245
1
245
4
931
53
931
984
4655
4
4655

4
245
1
245
53
931
4
931
4
4655
984
4655

8163 102
2041 102
2148 102
0284 64
5693 102
4296 103

1633 102
4082 103
4296 103
5693 102
0211 39
8593 104

Now we set up boundary conditions with the sloping side grounded and the
other two sides at unit potential. Then the source vector includes the nodes on
the boundaries:
1 =

16
X

1 = 19 9 + 111 11 + 114 14 + 115 15 + 116 16

=7

1633 102
4082 103
5693 102
4296 103
8593 104
0211 39

The only nonzero is 115 but 15 = 0 so 1 = 0 Similarly:

2

= 29 9 + 210 10 + 211 11
1
= 3 2( ) 1 = 3
2

= 39 9 + 38 8 + 316 16

1
1
1
= 2( ) 1 + + 0 1 + + 0 0
2
2
2
3
1
= 1 = = 4
2
2
5

= 512 12 + 513 13 + 514 14

1
1
=
1 1+ 0
1+0
2
2
= 2 = 6

Then
we multiply
to76solve19the problem,
4
4
4
4

0542 86
0

3 0885 71

15 0642 86

15 0642 86

2 0528 57
0528 57
2
The major uncertainty has to do with the value of the potential in the corners
(nodes 13 and 7) where the insulating strip runs. Should we use zero or 1, or
perhaps 1/2? If we use zero, we get dierent values for 5 = 6 :
245
19
245
4
49
4
49
4
245
4
245

245
66
245
1
49
1
49
1
245
1
245

49
1
49
265
931
20
931
4
931
53
931

and then

76
245
19
245
4
49
4
49
4
245
4
245

19
245
66
245
1
49
1
49
1
245
1
245

or choosing 1/2
5

49
1
49
20
931
265
931
53
931
4
931

245
1
245
4
931
53
931
984
4655
4
4655

245
1
245
53
931
4
931
4
4655
984
4655

= 512 12 + 513 13 + 514 14

1
1
=
1 0+ 0
1+0
2
2
1
= = 6
2

4
4
4
4
0
49
49
245
245
1
1
1
1

49
49
245
245 3

265
20
4
53

931
931
931
931 15 =
20
265
53
4

931
931
931
931 15

4
53
984
4
5
931
931
4655
4655
53
4
4
984
5
931
931
4655
4655
= 512 12 + 513 13 + 514 14

1
1
1
=
1 + 0
1+0
2
2
2
5
= = 6
4
6

0493 88
0873 47
0551 02
0551 02
0210 2
0210 2



0518 37
0

3 0879 59

15 0596 94

15 0596 94

125 0369 39
0369 39
125
The last choice gives results that come closest to the values from the relaxation
used as acheck.
method I

0518 37
0654 37
0515
0879 59
0524 57
0875

0596 94

0608
versus

or a dierence of 1 819 1 %
0596 94
1 819 1
0608

0369 39
8 111 9
0402
0369 39
8 111 9
0402

76
245
19
245
4
49
4
49
4
245
4
245

19
245
66
245
1
49
1
49
1
245
1
245

4
49
1
49
265
931
20
931
4
931
53
931

4
49
1
49
20
931
265
931
53
931
4
931

4
245
1
245
4
931
53
931
984
4655
4
4655

4
245
1
245
53
931
4
931
4
4655
984
4655