BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING

POST GRADUATE PROGRAM IN HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING

HYDRAULIC STRUCTURE -I ASSIGNMENT-4

Prepared by: Basha Abreha

ID. NO. 0400070PK

Submitted to: Mengiste Abate (PH.D Candidate)

August 2013
 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

Question. Determine the stresses and strains within the given beam using finite element
analysis

Solution:-
Each element
has a length of
L/2

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 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

Figure 1. The original problem and the equivalent finite element model

From this we can establish a relationship between the loads and displacements using

--------------------------------------------------------------- (1)

However, we cannot apply this directly to the entire member. We must first apply the
relationship to the individual elements and then use them to create an overall relationship for the
beam.

Element 1

Consider element 1 and apply the unique nodal loads to the element. We can obtain the nodal
force vector, the displacement vector and the stiffness matrix to form a relationship using (1) the
nodal vector for element 1 is given as

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2)

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 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

The displacement vector for sep-1 is

Figure 2 element 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------ (3)

Considering the element length is L/2, the cross sectional area is A and Young’s modulus is E,
the stiffness matrix is for element 1 is

--------------------------------------------------- (4)

Therefore, using (1), the relationship for element 1 is

-------------------------------------- (5)

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Element 2

Now consider element 2 and apply the unique nodal loads to the element. The nodal vector for
element 2 is given as

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (6)

The displacement vector for element 2 is

Figure2. Element 2

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (7)

Considering the element length is L/2, the cross sectional area is A /2 and Young’s modulus is E,
the stiffness matrix is for element 2 is

---------------------------------------------------------- (8)

The relationship for element 2 is

-------------------------------------- (9)

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 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

 Overall Relationships

We can now create an overall relationship for the member. However, before we can do this, we
must first apply compatibility. We must first obtain the structure load vector, structure
displacement vector and structure stiffness matrix, which will then be used to obtain an overall
relationship for the member.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (10)

Where:-

F = Structure load vector

K = Structure stiffness matrix

δ = Structure displacement vector

Figure 3. Compatibility

Consider the forces. We can apply compatibility to create relationships for the forces that affect
each node. Therefore,

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 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

, ,

Therefore, the structure load vector becomes

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (11)

Considering the displacements and applying compatibility, we obtain

, ,

Therefore, the structure displacement vector becomes

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (12)

 Now consider the stiffness matrix. The stiffness matrix from element 1 can be combined with
the stiffness matrix from element 2 to give the structure stiffness matrix.

---------------------------------------------- (13)

This simplifies to give

------------------------------------------------------------- (14)

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 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

Therefore, the overall relationship for the member is

------------------------------------------------- (15)

Solution
As a relationship between the loads and the displacements has been derived for the member, we
can now solve the problem. We can apply the known loads and displacements that act on the
member. By inspection, the forces are

F1 = Unknown

F2 = 2W

F3 = W

By inspection, the displacements are

δ1 = 0

δ2 = Unknown

δ3 = Unknown

Using these, expression (15) becomes

----------------------------------------------- (16)

Multiplying through, we obtain

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (17)

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (18)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- (20)

Solving gives the unknown force and the unknown displacements

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(21)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(22)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(23)

 These values can then be used to obtain expressions for stress and strains for the two
elements.

 For Element 1,
The strain is

-------------------------------- (24)

The stress is

---------------------------- (25)

 For Element 2
The strain is

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 Hydraulic Structure –I Assignment-4

------------------------------ (26)

The stress is

---------------------------- (27)

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