BLD 519: Advanced Structural Analysis

Module 2:
Comparison of Exact and FEM Solutions
 1. FEM Solution- 1 Finite element
Question

Determine the joint displacements and the stresses and strains in the bar using P  100 , L  10 ,
A1  4 , A2  2 and E  1000 .

Solution
Discretisation
Stiffness Matrix
EA  1  1 42
K = Ke =  1 1  , A = A (1) = = 3
Le   2

EA  1  1 1000* 3  1  1  1  1
K = Ke = =  1 1  =  1 1  = 250  1 1 
Le   12    
Displacement
Ku f

 250  250  u1   f1 
 250 250  u  = f 
   2  2

 250  250  0   f1 
 250 250  u  = 100
   2  

100  u1   0 
250 u 2 = 100 and u2 = = 0.40 u  = 0.40
250  2  
Strain
u 2  u1 0.40  0
 =  (1) = = = 0.0333
L 12
Stress
 =  (1 ) = E  (1) = 1000* 0.0333 = 33.3
 2. FEM Solution- 2 Finite Elements

Question
Determine the joint displacements and the stresses and strains in the bar using P  100 , L  10 , A1  4 ,
A2  2 and E  1000.

Solution
Discretisation
Stiffness Matrix

K = K1 + K 2
E A (1 )  1  1 43
K1 =  1 1  , A (1) = = 3.5 , L ( 1 ) = 6
L (1)   2

1000* 3.5  1  1  1  1
K1 =  1 1  = 583.33  1 1 
6    

E A( 2)  1  1 3 2
K2 =  1 1  , A( 2) = = 2.5 , L ( 2 ) = 6
L(2)   2

1000* 2.5  1  1  1  1
K2 =  1 1  = 416.67  1 1 
6    

 583.33  583.33 0 
 583.33 583.33  416.67  416.67
K = K1 + K 2 =  
 0  416.67 416.67 

 583.33  583.33 0 
 583.33 1000  416.67
= 
 0  416.67 416.67 
Displacement
Ku f

 583.33  583.33 0  0  f1 

 583.33 1000  416.67 u  =
 0 
  2  
 0  416.67 416.67  u 3  100

 1000  416.67 u 2   0 
 416.67 416.67  u  = 100
   3  

1000u 2 - 416.67 u 3 = 0 (1)

 416.67 u 2 + 416.67 u 3 = 100 (2)
Adding Equations 1 and 2
583.33 u 2 = 100 and u 2 = 0.1714
From Equation 1,
416.67 u 3 = 1000u 2
1000u 2 1000* 0.1714
u3 = = = 0.4121
416.67 416.67
 u1   0 
u  0.1714
 2 =  
u 3   0.4121
Strain

u 2  u1 0.1714 0
 (1) = = = 0.0286
L (1) 6
u u 0.4121 0.1714
 (2) = 3 2 = = 0.0401
L( 2) 6

Stress

 (1 ) = E  (1) = 1000* 0.0286 = 28.6

 ( 2 ) = E  ( 2 ) = 1000* 0.0401 = 40.1
 3. FEM Solution- 3 Finite Elements
Question
Determine the joint displacements and the stresses and strains in the bar using
P  100 , L  10, A  4 , A  2 and E  1000 .
1 2

Solution
Discretisation
Stiffness Matrix
K = K1 + K 2 + K 3

E A (1 )  1  1
K1 =  1 1  ,
L (1)  

( A2  A1 ) x
A(x) = A1 
L
( 2  4 )*4 2 10
At x = 4 , A = 4  = 4 =
12 3 3
( 2  4 ) *8 4 8
At x = 8 , A = 4  = 4 =
12 3 3

10
4
A (1) = 3 = 11 , L ( 1 ) = 4
2 3

1000*11  1  1  1  1
K1 =  1 1  = 916.67  1 1 
4*3    

10 8

A( 2) = 3 3 = 3 , L(2) = 4
2
1000* 3  1  1  1  1
K2 =  1 1  = 750  1 1 
4    
 8
2
3 7
A(3) = = , L(2) = 4
2 3

1000* 7  1  1  1  1
K3 =  1 1  = 583.33  1 1 
4 *3    

K = K1 + K 2 + K 3

 916.67  916.67 0 0 
 916.67 916.67  750  750 0 
=  
 0  750 750  583.33  583.33
 
 0 0  583.33 583.33 

 916.67  916.67 0 0 
 916.67 1666.67  750 0 
=  
 0  750 1333.33  583.33
 
 0 0  583.33 583.33 
Displacement

Ku f

 916.67  916.67 0 0  0  f1 

 916.67 1666.67 u 
  750 0   2 =
 0 
 
 0  750 1333.33  583.33 u 3   0 
     
 0 0  583.33 583.33  u 4  100

1666.67  750 0  u 2   0 
  750 1333.33  583.33 u   0 
   3 =  
 0  583.33 583.33  u 4  100

1666.67 u 2 - 750 u 3 = 0 (1)

 750 u 2 + 1333.33 u 3 - 583.33u 4 = 0 (2)
 583.33 u 3 + 583.33 u 4 = 100 (3)
From Equation 1,
1666.67 u 2 = 750 u 3
750u 3
u2 = (4)
1666.67

Substituting Equation 4 into Equation 2

750u3
 750 * + 1333.33 u 3 - 583.33u 4 = 0 (5)
1666.67
Solving Equations 3 and 5 simultaneously
 583.33 u 3 + 583.33 u 4 = 100 (3)
995.83 u 3 - 583.33u 4 = 0 (5)

Adding Equations 3 and 5

412.5 u 3 = 100 and u 3 = 0.2424

From Equation 4,
750u 3 750* 0.2424
u2 = = = 0.1091
1666.67 1666.67

From Equation 3,

583.33 u 4 = 100 + 583.33 u 3 = 100 +583.33 * 0.2424

100 (583.33 * 0.2424)

u4 = = 0.4138
583.33

 u1   0 
u   0.1091
 2 =  
u 3  0.2424
   
u 4  0.4138
Strain

u 2  u1 0.1091 0
 (1) = = = 0.0273
L (1) 4

u3  u 2 0.2424 0.1091
 (2) = = = 0.0333
L( 2) 4

u 4  u3 0.4138 0.2424
 ( 3) = = = 0.0429
L ( 3) 4

Stress

 (1 ) = E  (1) = 1000* 0.0273 = 27.3

 ( 2 ) = E  ( 2 ) = 1000* 0.0333 = 33.3

 ( 3 ) = E  ( 3 ) = 1000* 0.0429 = 42.9

4. Comparison of the Exact and FEM Solutions

Stress
Strain
Displacement

Deductions from the Practice Questions

The following could be deduced from the comparison of the exact results with the
approximate FEM results.
1. The higher the number of finite elements, the closer the FEM solution to the exact
solution. Hence, the accuracy of the FEM results increased with increase in the number
of the finite elements and the decisions made by the analyst, on the number of finite
elements used, would have significant effects on the results obtained.
2. The higher the number of finite elements, the bigger the matrices involved and the
more advanced the method of matrix analysis required for the solutions. Hence, FEM
analysis is normally carried out with the aid of software.