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01 FEM Introduction
01 FEM Introduction
Finite element method is one of the discretization method that is widely used
It is a method that uses mesh structure
(There are also other meshless techniques)
Finite Element Method: FEM
Finite Element Analysis: FEA
Elastic modulus : E
Poisson ratio :
The exact solution for this simple problem can be found easily as follows:
Displacement:
Strain:
Stress:
Finite element method (FEM), is a discretization technique in which the whole domain
is divided into several manageable (finite number of) pieces.
These pieces are called elements and the solution for these elements are previously
known (derived).
The solution for the whole domain is obtained after assembling the whole elements
and imposing the boundary conditions
Elements
k1 k2
Fundemental Concepts
Procedure:
· Divide structure into pieces (elements with nodes)
· Describe the behavior of the physical quantities on each element
. Calculate stiffness behavior of each element
· Connect (assemble) the elements by considering the connectivity (proper node order)
property of the elements to form approximate system of equations for the whole
structure
· Solve the system of equations involving unknown quantities at the nodes
(displacements for structural analysis)
· Calculate desired quantities (e.g., strains and stresses) at selected elements
If eneyone has the exact analytical solution and if it is easy to apply it, it is nonsense to
search for a solution by FEM.
Many of structural engineering problems can be threated as linear static problem with
the acceptance of the following assumptions.
Linear static analysis gives an idea about the behavior of the structure and can be
accepted as a good approach for many of the analyses.
Also for many cases static analysis is the base for nonlinear analysis. Before going into
details of nonlinear analysis a simple static analysis should be performed to gain an idea
about system behavior.
Computational Mechanics
Computational
Mechanics Continium Mechanics:
Solids and Stuctures,
Fluids,
Multiphysics
Systems
Statics (Linear)
Computational
Solid and Structural
Mechanics
Dynamics (Nonlinear)
Displacement
Equilibrium
FEM Model Formulation Mixed
Hybrid
Stiffness
FEM Model Solution Flexibility
Mixed
As a summary:
▪ Design Analysis: Reduces the number of experiments and hand calculations and
enables computer
▪ FEM/FEA is the commonly worldwide used analysis and simulation method
▪ Can work with CAD/CAM applications in an integrated manner
▪ ...
▪ Mechanics/Space/Aeronautics/Civil/Automotive
▪ Structural Analysis (statics/dynamics, linear/nonlinear)
▪ Heat/Fluid
▪ Electromagnetics
▪ Geomechanics
▪ Biomechanics
▪ ...
3-D Solid Element (3-D fields - temperature, displacement, stress, flow velocity, ...,etc.)
The first book on the FEM was published in 1967 (by Zienkiewicz and Chung)
FEM was applied to a wide variety of engineering problems in late 1960s and early
1970s
References
• Lee H.H., Finite Element Simulations with Ansys Workbench 2019, SDC Publications, 2019
• Kattan P.I., Matlab Guide to Finite Elements An Interactive Approach, Springer, 2002
• Cook D.C., Finite Element Modeling for Stress Analysis, John Wiley and Sons, 1995
• Liu Y., Lecture Notes: Introduction to Finite Element Method, University of Cincinnati, 2003
• KWon Y.W. and The Finite Element Method Using MATLAB, CRC Press, 1997
• Ansys Worknech Traing Notes, ANSYS Inc., 2020