Finite

element
method
Prof. Jinwoo Lee

© 2017 Cengage Learning

 Development of the
Linear-Strain Triangle
Equations
8
Chapter Objectives
✓ To develop the linear-strain triangular (LST) element stiffness matrix.
✓ To describe how the LST stiffness matrix can be determined.
✓ To compare the differences in results using the CST and LST elements.

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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• The LST element has six nodes and twelve

unknown displacement degrees of freedom.
• The displacement functions are quadratic.
• Available in many commercial finite element
analysis computer programs.

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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 1 : Select Element Type

➢ First we select our element type as the linear-strain

triangle.
➢ For the 12 degrees of freedom, the unknown nodal
displacements are given by:

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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 2 : Selecting a Displacement Function

➢ We use the quadratic displacement function in each
element as:

➢ Notes, The displacement compatibility among adjoining

elements is satisfied because three nodes are located along
each side and a parabola is defined by three points on its
path.
➢ The displacement function expressed in matrix form:

or

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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Pascal Triangle

➢ The complete cubic function is used for the quadratic-

strain triangle (QST), with an internal node necessary
as the tenth node.
 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 2 : (Cont.)
➢ Solving for the ai’s, we have:

or

➢ It is best to invert the [X] matrix by using a digital

computer.
➢ The general displacement functions can be expressed
in terms of the shape functions and nodal degrees of
freedom as:
where
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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 3 : Define the Strain-Displacement and

Stress/Strain Relationships
➢ The element strains are given by:

➢ Substituting for u and v, we obtain the strain-

generalized displacement equations as:

➢ or

➢ Therefore, the element is called a linear-strain triangle

(LST).
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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 3 : (Cont.)
➢ Substituting in the equations for the ai’s we get:

where [B] is a function of the variables x and y and the

coordinates (x1, y1) through (x6, y6), given by:

➢ The stresses are given by:

where [D] is the equation for either plane stress or plane strain

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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 4 : Derive the Element Stiffness Matrix and

Equations
➢ Determine the stiffness matrix by using the equation:

➢ The [B] matrix is of the form:

➢ where the 𝛽′s and 𝛾′s are now functions of 𝑥 and 𝑦 as well
as of the nodal coordinates.
➢ The stiffness matrix is very cumbersome to obtain in explicit
form, so it will not be given here. Therefore, the integration
is best carried out numerically.
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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 4 : (Cont.)
➢ The element body forces and surface forces should not be
automatically lumped at the nodes.

➢ These forces can be added to any concentrated nodal forces

to obtain the element force matrix.

➢ The element equations are given by:

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 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 5-7 : Assembling the Global Stiffness Matrix

and Calculating Stresses

➢ Assembling the global stiffness matrix and equations,

determining the unknown global nodal displacements, and
calculated the stresses, are identical methods to those for
the CST.
➢ Instead of constant stress in each element, there is linear
variation of the stresses in each element.
➢ Common practice was to use the centroidal element
stresses.
➢ Current practice is to use the average of the nodal
element stresses.

© 2017 Cengage Learning

 8.1 Derivation of the LST Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

• Step 5-7 : Assembling the Global Stiffness Matrix

and Calculating Stresses

➢ Assembling the global stiffness matrix and equations,

determining the unknown global nodal displacements, and
calculated the stresses, are identical methods to those for
the CST.
➢ Instead of constant stress in each element, there is linear
variation of the stresses in each element.
➢ Common practice was to use the centroidal element
stresses.
➢ Current practice is to use the average of the nodal
element stresses.

© 2017 Cengage Learning

 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• Example LST element

➢ To illustrate some of the procedures outlined in Section 8.1 for
deriving an LST stiffness matrix, consider the following example.
Figure 8–3 shows a specific LST and its coordinates. The triangle
is of base dimension b and height h, with midside nodes.
 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• Displacement function
 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• Displacement function
➢ Solving the equations simultaneously for the ai’s, we
obtain

➢ The displacement expression for u

 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• Displacement function
➢ Solving the equations simultaneously for the ai’s, we
obtain

➢ The displacement expression for u

 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• Shape function
➢ The general displacement expressions in terms of the
shape functions

➢ These shape functions are then given by

 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• [B] Matrix
➢ Previous chapter,

➢ The Matrix for [B] is

 8.2 Example LST Stiffness Determination

• [B] Matrix

➢ The strains are given

 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• Comparison of Constant- and Linear-Strain Triangle

Elements
➢ For a given number of nodes, a better representation of
true stress and displacement is generally obtained
using the LST element vs. the CST element.
➢ For example, using one LST yields better results than
using four CST elements with the same number of
nodes.
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ Consider the cantilever beam subjected to a
concentrated load as shown in the figure:

➢ We will compare the results using the CST and LST

elements for this loading situation.
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ Table 8–1 lists the series of tests run to compare results
using the CST and LST elements
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ Table 8–2 compares the results of the models

➢ The larger the number of degrees of freedom for a

given type of triangular element, the closer the solution
converges to the exact one
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ Table 8–2 compares the results of the models

➢ For a given number of nodes, the LST analysis yields

somewhat better results for displacement than the CST
analysis (compare run A-1 to run B-1).
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ However, one of the reasons that the bending stress
predicted by the LST model B-1 compared to CST
model A-1 is not as accurate is as follows.
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)

➢ It is clear that the LST analysis yields more accurate

results for displacement.
➢ However, the stress predicted by the CST is more
accurate.
➢ This is due to the location of where the stress is
reported.
➢ Both LST and CST analysis yield results good enough
for most plane stress/strain problems.
➢ Remember that finite element displacements will always
be less than (or equal to) the exact ones.
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ Another analysis using CST and LST models is
performed as shown below.
➢ A comparison of CST and LST models of a plate
subjected to parabolically distributed edge loads.
 8.3 Comparison of Elements

• (Cont.)
➢ The LST model converges to the exact solution for horizontal
displacement at point A faster than does the CST model.
➢ However, the CST model is quite acceptable even for modest
numbers of degrees of freedom. Ex) a CST model with 100 nodes
(200 degrees of freedom).
 ABAQSU Program

• Mesh Module
 ABAQSU Program

• Mesh Module