Finite Element method

P. J. Guruprasad
Department of Aerospace Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai
Mumbai 400076
April 22, 2021

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 Displacement-based finite element method
In general, the potential energy of a linear elastic body subjected to displacement and traction
boundary conditions can be represented as
Z Z Z
1 X
Π= {ε} [C]{ε}dV − {u} f dV − {u}T f t dS −
T T b
ui Ric (1)
V 2 V S i

Here, {u} = [u v w ], the displacement field; {ε} = [εx εy εz γxy γyz γxz ], the strain
field; [C] contains the components of the fourth order elastic stiffness tensor; f b = [fxb fyb fzb ],
body forces; f t = [fxt fyt fzt ], surface tractions; ui nodal degrees of freedom of the structure; Ric
are the loads applied to the degrees of freedom by external agencies; S and V are the surface area
and volume of the structure, respectively.
Finite element form
Displacements within an element are interplated from elemental nodal degrees of freedom (d.o.f)
{û} as
{u} = [N]{û}
where [N] is the shape function matrix. The choice of the shape functions will determine the
accuracy of the approximate solution. Using the strain-displacement relation, the components of
the strain can be written as below
{ε} = [∂]{u}
that leads to
{ε} = [B]{û} where, [B] = [∂][N]

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 Displacement-based finite element method

Finite element form

The differential operator [∂] is given by:
∂
 
∂x 0 0
0 ∂
 ∂y 0 
0 ∂ 
0 ∂z 
[∂] =  ∂

∂
0

 ∂y ∂x

0 ∂ ∂ 
∂z ∂y

∂ ∂
∂z 0 ∂x

Note that the size of the operator matrix [∂] is 6 × 3 and 3 × 2 for a 3-D and 2-D problem,
respectively. Substitution for {u} and {ε} into the potential energy expression lead to
n n
1X X X
Π= {û}T
n [k]n {û}n − {û}T
n {Re }n − ui Ric
2
n=1 n=1 i

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 Displacement-based finite element method

In the potential energy expressions we have defined the following:

Definitions
element stiffness matrix: Z
[ke ] = [B]T [C ][B]dV
Ve

element load vector:

Z Z
T b
{Re } = [N] {f }dV + [N]T {f t }dS + {Ric }
Ve Se

where, Ve and Se denotes the volume and surface of an element. Note that in the surface integral,
[N] is evaluated on S e

Static equilibrium equation

Extremizing the functional form of the potential energy, i.e.,

δΠ = 0

we get the global form of the static equilibrium equation as

[K ]{Û} = {R}

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 Displacement-based finite element method
Assembly of the global equation system
The aim of the assembly is to form the global equation system

[K ]{Û} = {R}

using element equations

[ke ]{uˆe } = {Re }

where, [ke ], {uˆe } and {Re } are the stiffness matrix, displacement vector and the load vector of an element; [K ] and {Û} and
{R} are the global stiffness matrix, displacement vector and load vector

Assembly steps
Introduce the following vectors and a matrix where element vectors and matrices are simply stored:

{Uˆd } = {{uˆ1 }, {uˆ2 }, ....}; {Rd } = {{R1 }, {R2 }, ....}

 
[k1 ] 0 0 ...
[Kd ] =  0 [k2 ] 0 .. 
0 0 [k3 ] 0 ..

The total potential energy for the body can be reqritten in the following form:

1 ˆ T 1
Π= {Ud } [Kd ]{Uˆd } − {Uˆd }T {Rd } = {Û}T [A]T [Kd ][A]{Û} − {Û}T [A]T {Rd }
2 2

where, [A] is the matrix providing transformation from global to local enumeration or numbering of nodes. Using the condition of minimum potential
energy (δΠ = 0) we get the assembled global equation system:

[A]T [Kd ][A]{Û} − [A]T {Rd } = 0

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 Displacement-based finite element method

Consistent element nodal loads

Z Z
{R} = {N}T f b dV + {N}T f t dS + {Ric }
V S

Representation of {R} converts loads distributed throughout an element or over its surface to discrete loads at element
nodes
These loads are known as work equivalent loads
Work done by nodal loads in going through nodal displacements is equal to work done by distributed loads in going
through admissible displacement field associated with the element shape function
These loads are called consistent because they are based on same shape functions as used to calculate the element
stiffness matrix
These loads are statically equivalent to the original distributed load; that is, both {R} and the original loading have the
same resultant force and the same moment about an arbitrarily chosen point
Inconsistent loading or lumping is the conversion of distributed load to nodal load that is inconsistent with the equation
for {R} above but is statically eqivalent
Lumping can be done by computing the total force on an element caused by distributed loading, then assigning the same
fraction of the total force to each element node and by ignoring any nodal moments that would be present in the
consistent vector {R}
Lumping leads to poor result in coarse mesh, produce locally poor results in fine mesh and lead to failure of the patch test

Note: Concentrated force Ric can also be regarded as a large traction acting on small area leading to resultant force {R} only
due to concentrated force equal to
Xn
[N]T c
i {Ri }
i=1

where [N]i is the value of [N] at the location of {Ric }

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 Displacement-based finite element method

General remarks on equilibrium and compatibility of solutions:

Equilibrium of nodal forces and moments is satisfied; this is a direct consequence of
[K ]{û} = {R}
Compatibilty is ensured at nodes (note: elements are compatible at nodes to the extent of
d.o.f they share)
Equilibrium is usually not satisfied across inter-element boundaries
Compatibility may or maynot be satsfied across inter-element boundaries (most elements to be
discussed in this course are compatible)
Equilibrium is usually not satisfied within elements since this requires satisfaction of the
governing differential equation of the problem at every point in an element
Compatibility is satisfied within elements as long as element displacement field is continuous
and single-valued

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