Dim e ns ions and Units for Finite El

e m e ntAnal
ys e s
Pol
ym e rFEM.com Tu torial

Back ground:
Finite e l e m e nt program s do not cons ide r th e units of give n q uantitie s , it is th e us e r's
re s pons ib ility to e ns ure th at th e give n num b e rs h ave cons is te nt units . Th e re are
num e rous diffe re nt s e ts of units th at can b e us e d w h e n pe rform ing FE s im ul ations . Th e
b e s t s e t of units w illde pe nd on th e prob l e m , typical l
y th e m os t accurate re s ul ts are
ob taine d if th e units are ch os e n s uch th at th e val ue s of th e input q uantitie s to th e FE
s im ul ation are cl os e to unity. By h aving th e input q uantitie s cl os e to 1, th e influe nce of
round-off e rrors and truncation e rrors are re duce d.

Cas e 1: SI units Cas e 2: SI units (s m al

lparts )
Bas e dim e ns ions : Bas e dim e ns ions :
Le ngth in m e te rs (m ) Le ngth in m il l
im e te rs (m m )
Force in Ne w tons (N) Force in Ne w ton (N)
Tim e in s e conds (s ) Tim e is s e conds (s )

Th e fol
low ing dim e ns ions ne e d to b e us e d: Th e fol
low ing dim e ns ions ne e d to b e us e d:

[Pre s s ure ]= N/m 2 = Pa [Pre s s ure ]= N/m m 2 = 1e 6 Pa = MPa

[Stre s s ]= N/m 2 = Pa [Stre s s ]= N/m m 2 = 1e 6 Pa = MPa
[Ve locity]= m /s [Ve locity]= m m /s = 1e -3 m /s
[Acce l
e ration]= m /s 2 [Acce l
e ration]= m m /s 2 = 1e -3 m /s 2
[Mas s ]= kg [Mas s ]= Mg = 1e 3 k g
[Vol um e ]= m3 [Vol um e ]= m m 3 = 1e -9 m 3
[D e ns ity]= k g /m 3 [D e ns ity]= Mg/m m 3 = 1e 12 k g/m 3
[Ene rgy]= Nm = J [Ene rgy]= 1e -3 J = m J

Us age e xam pl e : if th e de ns ity = 1000

k g/m 3, th e n in th e FE program s pe cify th e
Cas e 3: SI units (s m al
lloads ) de ns ity as 1000e -12.
Bas e dim e ns ions :
Le ngth in m icrom e te rs (µ m )
Force in m icro Ne w tons (µ N)
Tim e in s e conds (s )

Th e fol
low ing dim e ns ions ne e d to b e us e d:

[Pre s s ure ]= 1e 6 Pa = MPa

[Stre s s ]= 1e 6 Pa = MPa
[Ve locity]= 1e -6 m /s = µ m /s
[Acce l
e ration]= 1e -6 m /s 2 = µ m /s 2
[Mas s ]= kg
[Vol um e ]= 1e -18 m 3
[D e ns ity]= 1e 18 k g / m 3
[Ene rgy]= 1e -12 Nm = pJ

W e b : Polym e rFEM.com
Em ail : jorge n@ polym e rFEM.com
Jorge n S. Be rgs trom
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