ENT501 / ENT515 / ENT724

ENT501

NUMERICAL TECHNIQUES IN CIVIL

ENGINEERING

PAST EXAM QUESTIONS

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Appendix A - Equation Sheet

y ∗j +1 = y j + Δxf ( x j , y j )

Δx
y j +1 = y j + [ f ( x j , y j ) + f ( x j +1 , y ∗j +1 )]
2

Numerical Integration

n=2, Location ± 1 / 3 Weight = 1.000

n=3, Location ± 0.77459 Weight = 0.55556

0.000 0.88889

1. a) A real four noded element and its associated Master element are
shown in Fig. 1. The nodes A, B, C, D of the real element
correspond to the nodes 1, 2, 3, 4 of the Master element
respectively. The shape functions for the four noded element are
given below.

1 1
N1 (ξ ,η ) = (1 − ξ )(1 − η ) N 2 (ξ ,η ) = (1 + ξ )(1 − η )
4 4
1 1
N 3 (ξ ,η ) = (1 + ξ )(1 + η ) N 4 (ξ ,η ) = (1 − ξ )(1 + η )
4 4

Obtain the Jacobian matrix for Gauss point ξ = 1 / 3 , η = −1 / 3

⎡J J 12 ⎤ ⎡ ∂x / ∂ξ ∂y / ∂ξ ⎤
J = ⎢ 11 =
⎣ J 21 J 22 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣∂x / ∂η ∂y / ∂η ⎥⎦
[16 marks]

Fig. 1

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b) The motion of a particle in a damped vibration system is governed

by the following equation:
d 2 x dx
+ + x = cos t
dt 2 dt
dx
When t is zero, x t =0 = 0 , and = 1.
dt t =0
dx
Find the particle position x and the speed when t = 1.0 using
dt
the improved Euler method with time step Δt = 0.5 .
[17⅓ marks]

2. a) The ground flow system shown in Fig. 2 was subjected to a constant

recharge of q = 0.0001 m/day. The steady distribution of the water
level is governed by

d 2h q
2
=−
dx T

where T = 1 m 2 / day and q=0.0001 m/day.

Use finite difference method to calculate the steady water levels

at x=100, 200 and 300 m.
[12 marks]

Fig. 2

Check the numerical answer using traditional maths.

[3⅓ marks]

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b) For the above system (shown in Fig. 2), the recharge suddenly
ceases at the steady state. The distribution of the water level is
then governed by

∂h ∂2h
=D 2
∂t ∂x

where D=100.0 m 2 / day . Calculate the water level at x=100, 200

and 300 m at the time of 60 days after the cessation of the
recharge.

[18 marks]

3. The dimensions of a triangular plane stress element is shown in Fig. 3.

The plate thickness is 0.1 m. Nodes 1 and 3 are fixed (i.e.
u1 = v1 = u 3 = v3 = 0 ). A vertical load -7000 N and a horizontal load
10000 N are applied at node 2. It is known that

⎡ − 1 0 1 0 0 0⎤ ⎡ 1 0.3 0 ⎤
[B] = ⎢⎢ 0 − 1 0 0 0 1⎥⎥ m −1 10 ⎢
and [D ] = 10 × ⎢0.3 1 0 ⎥⎥ N / m2 .
⎢⎣− 1 − 1 0 1 1 0⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 0 0.35⎥⎦

derive the stiffness matrix [k ] = tΔ[B] [D][B], where t is the plate

T
a)
thickness and Δ is the area of the triangular element.
[10 marks]

b) find the nodal displacements u 2 and v 2 .

[8 marks]

c) find the nodal forces Fu1 , Fv1 , Fu 3 and Fv 3 .

[5⅓ marks]

{ }
d) find the three strain components using ε e = [B] u e { }
[5 marks]

{ }
e) find the three stress components using σ e = [D] ε e { }
[5 marks]

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Fig. 3

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4. a) The strain matrix [B ] and the elasticity matrix [D ] of a 2D constant

strain triangular element are given as

⎡ − 1 0 1 0 0 0⎤ ⎡ 1 0.3 0 ⎤
[B] = ⎢⎢ 0 − 2 0 0 0 2⎥⎥ , [D] = 10 ⎢0.3 1 0 ⎥⎥
⎢ 11

⎢⎣− 2 − 1 0 1 2 0⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 0 0.35⎥⎦

If the nodal displacements of the element are known as

{u } = 10 [0 .0
e −4
0 .0 0 .0 0 .0 2 .0 2 . 0 ] , compute
T

i) [
the strain values {ε e } = ε xx ε yy γ xy ]T = [B ]{u e };
[5 marks]
ii) the stress values σ xx[ σ yy τ xy ] = [D ]{ε };
T e

[5 marks]

iii) if the volume of the element V = tΔ = 1 , compute the

e
[ ]
elemental stiffness matrix K = V [B] [D][B]
T

[8 marks]

iv) { } [ ]{ }
find the nodal forces F e = K e u e
[5 marks]

b) Use Gauss Quadrature to evaluate the following integral:

+1
∫ −1
(3ξ 5 − 5ξ 4 + 2ξ 3 − 3ξ 2 + ξ + 1)dξ

check your answer using an analytical method.

[10⅓ marks]

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Equation Sheet

y ∗j +1 = y j + Δxf ( x j , y j )

Δx
y j +1 = y j + [ f ( x j , y j ) + f ( x j +1 , y ∗j +1 )]
2

Numerical Integration

n=2, Location ± 1 / 3 Weight = 1.000

n=3, Location ± 0.77459 Weight = 0.55556

0.000 0.88889

-7- TURN OVER

ENT501 / ENT515 / EN724

1. a) A real four noded element and its associated Master element are
shown in Fig. 1. The nodes A, B, C, D of the real element
correspond to the nodes 1, 2, 3, 4 of the Master element respectively.
The shape functions for the four noded element are given below.

1 1
N1 (ξ ,η ) = (1 − ξ )(1 − η ) N 2 (ξ ,η ) = (1 + ξ )(1 − η )
4 4
1 1
N 3 (ξ ,η ) = (1 + ξ )(1 + η ) N 4 (ξ ,η ) = (1 − ξ )(1 + η )
4 4

Obtain the Jacobian matrix for point ξ = 1 / 2 , η = −1 / 3

⎡J J 12 ⎤ ⎡ ∂x / ∂ξ ∂y / ∂ξ ⎤
J = ⎢ 11 =
⎣ J 21 J 22 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣∂x / ∂η ∂y / ∂η ⎥⎦
[14 Marks]

b) For the master element point (0.5 , 0) , find the co-ordinates (x, y)
of the corresponding point in the real element.

[10 Marks]

Fig. 1

c) Use numerical integration to evaluate the following expansion and

check your answer using an analytical method.

+1
∫−1
(12ξ 5 + 10ξ 4 − 4ξ 3 − 6ξ 2 + 2ξ + 1)dξ

[9⅓ Marks]

33⅓ Marks

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2. a) The ground water flow system shown in Fig. 2 was subjected to a

constant recharge of q = 0.001 m/day. The steady state distribution
of the water level is governed by

d 2h q
2
=−
dx D

where D = 1 m 2 / day .

i) Use finite difference method to calculate the steady water

levels at x=10, 20 and 30 m.
[12 Marks]

Fig. 2

ii) Check the numerical answer using traditional maths.

[3⅓ Marks]

b) For the above system (shown in Fig. 2), the recharge suddenly
ceases at the steady state. The distribution of the water level is
then governed by

∂h ∂ 2h
=D 2
∂t ∂x

where D=1.0 m 2 / day . Calculate the water level at x=10, 20 and

30 m at the time of 80 days after the cessation of the recharge.
The boundary conditions are the same as those in 2a).

[18 Marks]

33⅓ Marks

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3. Two uniform plane members AC and BC are pin-joined at C and pin-fixed at

A and B. Their Young’s modulus, cross-sectional area and in-plane
geometry are shown in Fig. 3. The relationship between the nodal forces
and the nodal displacements of an inclined uniform pin-jointed plane
member PQ is given by
⎡ EA 2 EA EA EA ⎤
⎢ cos α sin2α − cos2 α − sin2α ⎥
⎧FxP ⎫ ⎢ L 2L L 2L
EA 2 ⎥⎧⎪ P ⎫⎪
u
⎪ P ⎪ ⎢ EAsin2α EA 2
sin α −
EA
sin 2α − sin α ⎥
⎪Fy ⎪ ⎢ 2L ⎥⎪⎨ P ⎪⎬
L 2L L v
⎨ Q ⎬ = EA
⎪Fx ⎪ ⎢− cos2 α − sin2α sin2α ⎥⎪ Q ⎪
EA EA 2 EA u
cos α
⎪Fy ⎪
Q ⎢ L 2L L 2L ⎥ ⎪v ⎪
⎩ ⎭ ⎢ EA EA 2 EA EA 2 ⎥⎩ Q ⎭
⎢ − sin2α − sin α sin2α sin α ⎥
⎣ 2L L 2L L ⎦
where L is the length of the member, α is the angle between the
inclined member and the horizontal position.

a) write the similar relationships respectively for members AC and

BC.
[8 Marks]

b) write the relationship between the nodal forces and the nodal
displacements for the whole pin-jointed structure shown in Fig. 3.
[8 Marks]

c) If both nodes A and B are pin-fixed (i.e. u A = v A = u B = v B = 0 ) and

a horizontal load F1 and a vertical load F2 are applied at node C,
find the horizontal and vertical displacements u C and vC of node
C.
[10 Marks]

d) Find the restriction forces at node A (i.e. FxA and F yA )

[7⅓ Marks]

33⅓ Marks

Fig. 3

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4. a) The position x of a moving javelin and its velocity v in the

horizontal direction can be described by the linked equations
dx
v=
dt
dv
= −0.2v
dt

When t=0 s, the initial position is x(0) = x0 = 0 m and the initial

dx
horizontal velocity is v(0) = v0 = = 50 m/s. If it takes 3
dt t = 0
seconds for the javelin to touch the ground, use appropriate
numerical methods and take 3 steps (i.e Δt = 1 second) to
calculate the whole distance x (3) that the javelin has gone during
the 3 seconds.

[15 marks]

b) The strain matrix [B ] and the incomplete elasticity matrix [D ] of a

2D constant strain triangular element are given as

⎡ − 1 0 1 0 0 0⎤ ⎡1 0.3 ⎤
[B] = ⎢⎢ 0 − 2 0 0 0 2⎥⎥ , [D] = 10 ⎢ 1 0 ⎥⎥
⎢11

⎢⎣− 2 − 1 0 1 2 0⎥⎦ ⎢⎣0 0 0.35⎥⎦

i) please find the complete elasticity matrix for this element.

[5 Marks]

If the nodal displacements of the element are known as

{u } = 10 − 4 [0 . 0 0 . 0 − 1 . 0 0 . 0 1 . 0 2 . 0 ]T , compute

ii) [
the strain values ε xx ε yy γ xy ]T ;
[6 Marks]

iii) [
the stress values σ xx σ yy τ xy ]T ;
[4 Marks]

iv) What is the size of elemental stiffness matrix K e ? [ ]

[3⅓ Marks]

33⅓ Marks

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