2/28/2019

Lecture 17:Axisymmetric Problems

AML706 Finite Element Methods

Axisymmetric Solids

• The solids with an axis of symmetry or solids of revolution

with axisymmetric loading (and support) are modeled as
simple 2D elements. As seen from the figures below all
stresses are independent of rotational angle. Eg. Flywheel,
bearing, thick‐walled pressure vessels

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Condition for Axisymmetric Problems

1. The problem domain must have an axis of symmetry. It is

customary to align this symmetry axis with the z‐axis
z axis of the
cylindrical (r,θ,z) coordinate system.
2. The boundary conditions are symmetric about the axis.
Therefore all BCs are independent of θ
3. All loading conditions are symmetric about z
hence these are also independent of
circumferential direction θ
4. Also, the material properties must be
homogeneous or symmetric. This condition
always satisfied for isotropic materials
5. Lastly, the solutions are independent of θ

Axisymmetric as Special 2D Problems

• Where there is symmetry in geometry and loads we can

model such problems as special two
two‐dimensional
dimensional problems.

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Axisymmetric Formulation
• Consider the elemental volume shown here. Now we write
the potential energy in axisymmetric
form
• Here we note that all integrals
are independent of θ

2π 2π 2π
π= 1
2 ∫ ∫σ T
εr dA dθ − ∫ ∫u T
f r dA dθ − ∫ ∫ u Tr dl dθ − ∑u P
T T
i i
0 A 0 A 0 L i
⎛ ⎞
π = 2π ⎜ 12 ∫ σ T εrdA − ∫ uT f rdA − ∫ uT Trdl ⎟ − ∑ uiT Pi
• where⎝ A A L ⎠ i
u = [u, w]T ; f = [ fr , fz ]T ; T = [Tr ,Tz ]T

Stress Strain Relations

• We can write strains for this case as

ε = [εr , ε z , γ rz , εθ ]
• Using derivatives of displacements this can be written as
⎡ ∂u ∂w ∂u ∂w u ⎤
ε =⎢ , , + ,
⎣ ∂r ∂z ∂z ∂r r ⎦⎥
• The stress vector for this case is
σ = [σ r , σ z , τ rz , σ θ ]
• Now the stress‐strain relation is given as σ = Dε where D is
⎡ 1 k 0 k ⎤
⎢ ⎥
E(1− ν ) ⎢ k 1 0 k ⎥ ν 1− 2ν
D= ;k = ;s =
(1+ ν )(1− 2ν ) ⎢ 0 0 s 0 ⎥ 1− ν 2(1− ν )
⎢ k k 0 1 ⎥
⎣ ⎦

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Axisymmetric Galerkin Formulation

• The Galerkin formulation for an axisymmetric modeling can

be given as
2π ∫ σ T ε (φ ) rdA − (2π ∫ φ T f rdA + 2π ∫ φ T Trdl + ∑φiT Pi ) = 0
A A L i

• Here the strain vector is given as

φ = [φr , φ z ]T
⎡ ∂φ ∂φ ∂φ ∂φ φ ⎤
T

ε (φ ) = ⎢ r , z , r + z , r ⎥
⎣ ∂r ∂z ∂z ∂r r ⎦

Axisymmetric Modeling using Triangular

Elements
• The area of axisymmetry is now divided into triangular finite
elements. By revolving these elements we actually get the
discretized solid object. Therefore though each element is a
triangle, it actually represents a solid ring of triangular section
about the axis of symmetry.
• Following the discussion on CST and replacing x, y coordinates
with r,z we have a similar formulation now. Using 3 shape
function N1, N2 and N3 we write {{u}=[N]{q}
} [ ]{q} where
⎡ N 0 N 0 N 0 ⎤
N =⎢ 1 2 3
⎥
⎢⎣ 0 N1 0 N 2 0 N 3 ⎥⎦

q = [q1, q2 ,q3,q4, q5,q6 ]T

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Axisymmetric ‐ Isoparametric Formulation

• We can write the displacements in r and z directions resp. as

u = (q1 −q5)ξ +(q3 −q5)η +q5
w= (q2 −q6)ξ +(q4 −q6)η +q6
• The same functions are used to interpolate the r, z
coordinates also in the isoparametric formulation

( 1 − r3 )ξ + (r
r = (r ( 2 − r3 )η + r3
z = (z1 − z3 )ξ + (z2 − z3 )η + z3

Calculating Strains

• The strain relation is converted to a matrix form

⎧ ∂u
∂ ⎫ ⎡ ∂r ∂ ∂z ∂ ⎤⎧ ∂u ⎫
⎪ ⎪ ⎢ ⎥⎪ ⎪
⎪ ∂ξ ⎪ ⎢ ∂ξ ∂ξ ⎥⎪ ∂r ⎪
⎨ ⎬ =⎢ ⎥⎨ ⎬
⎪ ∂u ⎪ ⎢ ∂r ∂z ⎥⎪ ∂u ⎪
⎪ ∂η ⎪ ⎢ ∂η ∂η ⎥⎪⎩ ∂z ⎪⎭
⎩ ⎭ ⎣ ⎦
• Here the (2x2) matrix is the Jacobian of transformation, J
• ⎡ ∂r ∂z ⎤ On taking the derivatives we have
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ∂ξ ∂ξ ⎥ ⎡ r z ⎤
J =⎢ J = ⎢ 13 13 ⎥
∂r ∂z ⎥ ⎢⎣ r23 z23 ⎥⎦
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ ∂ η ∂η ⎥⎦

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Element Strains

• Using the definition of J we have

⎧ ∂u
∂ ⎫ ⎧ ∂u ⎫
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎪ ∂ξ ⎪ ⎪ ∂r ⎪
⎨ ⎬= J⎨ ⎬
⎪ ∂u ⎪ ⎪ ∂u ⎪
⎪ ∂η ⎪ ⎪⎩ ∂z ⎪⎭
⎩ ⎭
• The inverse transformation of the above is
⎡ ⎤
• where J‐1 is the inverse of J given by −1 1 ⎢ r13 −z13 ⎥
⎡ ∂u ⎤ J =
⎡ ∂u ⎤ ⎡ ∂w ⎤ ⎡ ∂w ⎤ det J ⎢⎣ −r23 z23 ⎥⎦
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ∂r ⎥ = J −1 ⎢ ∂ξ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ∂r ⎥ −1 ⎢ ∂ξ ⎥
⎢ ∂u ⎥ ∂u =J ⎢
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ∂w ⎥ ∂w ⎥
⎣ ∂z ⎦ ⎢⎣ ∂η ⎥⎦ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎣ ∂z ⎦ ⎣⎢ ∂η ⎥⎦

Strain Displacement Relation

• From strain‐displacement relation

⎡ ∂u ∂ ⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ∂r ⎥ ⎡ ⎤
⎢ ∂w ⎥ ⎢ ( z23 (q1 − q5 )− z13 (q3 − q5 )) / det J ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ (−r23 (q2 − q6 )− r13 (q4 − q6 )) / det J ⎥
∂z
ε =⎢ ⎥=⎢ ⎥
⎢ ∂u ∂w ⎥ ⎢ (−r23 (q1 − q5 )− r13 (q3 − q5 )+ z23 (q2 − q6 )− z13 (q4 − q6 )) / det J ⎥
⎢ ∂z + ∂r ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢⎣( N1q1 + N 2 q3 + N1q5 ) / r ⎥⎦
⎢u ⎥
⎢⎣ ⎥⎦
r
• This will lead to {ε}=[B]{q}

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Strain Displacement Relation

• The strain‐displacement relation is ε = Bq

• Where B is the element strain
strain‐displacement
displacement matrix given as

⎡ z z31 z12 ⎤
⎢ 23 det J 0
det J
0
det J
0 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 0 r32 0 r13 0 r21 ⎥
B =⎢ det J det J det J ⎥
⎢ r32 z23 r13 z31 r21 z12 ⎥
⎢ det J det J det J det J det J det J ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ N1 / r 0 N2 / r 0 N3 / r 0 ⎦