Finite

element
method
Prof. Jinwoo Lee

© 2017 Cengage Learning

 Axisymmetric
Elements 9
Chapter Objectives
✓ To review the basic concepts and theory of elasticity equations for axisymmetric
behavior.
✓ To derive the axisymmetric element stiffness matrix, body force, and surface
traction equations.
✓ To illustrate some practical applications of axisymmetric elements.
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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Axisymmetric Element
➢ The axisymmetric element is a two-dimensional element
that is triangular tori such that each element is symmetric
with respect to geometry and loading about an axis.
➢ Each vertical cross section of the element is a plane triangle.
➢ The nodal points describe circumferential lines.
➢ The z axis is called the axis of symmetry or the axis of
revolution.

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Examples Using Axisymmetric Elements

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Description of strain

➢ Because of symmetry in geometry, material

properties, boundary conditions, and loads about
the z axis, the stresses are independent of the 𝜃
coordinate.

➢ Therefore, all derivatives with respect to 𝜃 vanish, and

the displacement component 𝑣 (tangent to the 𝜃
direction, 𝑢𝜃), the shear strains 𝛾𝑟𝜃 and 𝛾𝜃𝑧, and the
shear stresses 𝜏𝑟𝜃 and 𝜏𝜃𝑧 are all zero.

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Description of strain
➢ The normal strain in the radial direction is then given by

➢ The tangential strain – The change of length due to

circumferential displacement

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Description of strain
➢ The longitudinal normal strain

➢ The shear strain in the 𝑟−𝑧 plane

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Description of strain
➢ Summarizing the strain-displacement relationships

➢ The stress/strain relationship for the isotropic material

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Step 1 : Select Element Type
➢ Consider the axisymmetric solid where the element has
three nodes with two degrees of freedom per node:
➢ Typical triangular element

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Step 2 : Select displacement functions
➢ The element displacement function are taken to be:

➢ Linear displacement function, constant-strain triangle

➢ The nodal displacements & general displacement
functions are:

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Solve for the ai

Performing
the inversion
operations

where,

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ We define the shape functions as:

➢ Substituting in, we find that the general displacement

function is:

or

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Step 3 : Define the strain/displacement and
stress/strain relationships
➢ Consider the plane cross-section of the axisymmetric
element:

➢ The normal strain in the radial direction, the tangential

strain, the longitudinal normal strain, and the shear
strain in the r-z plane are respectively given by:

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Using the element displacement function with the
axisymmetric strain definitions we obtain:

➢ Rewriting, substituting, and simplifying we get:

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Substituting the ai

➢ Writing in simplified matrix form we get:

where,

(the gradient matrix)

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Rewriting in compact matrix form we have:
where:

➢ The matrix [B] is called the gradient matrix and is a

function of the r and z coordinates. Therefore, in
general, the strain εθ will not be constant

➢ The stresses are given by:

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Step 4 : Derive the element stiffness matrix and
equations
➢ The stiffness matrix is
or

which is obtained after integrating along the

circumferential boundary
➢ These equation can be evaluated by one of three
methods:
1. Numerical integration (Gaussian quadrature)
2. Explicit multiplication and term-by-term integration
3. Evaluating [B] for a centroidal point (𝑟,ҧ 𝑧)ҧ of the element
𝑟𝑖 +𝑟𝑗 +𝑟𝑚 𝑧𝑖 +𝑧𝑗 +𝑧𝑚
𝑟ҧ = 𝑧ҧ = 𝐵 𝑟,ҧ 𝑧ҧ ത
= [𝐵]
3 3

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)

➢ Loads such as gravity (in the direction of the z axis) or

centrifugal forces in rotating machine parts (in the direction
of the r axis) are body forces

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)

➢ Body forces can be found by:

where for a machine part moving with a

constant angular velocity ω about the z axis, with material
mass density ρ, and radial coordinate r

➢ Zb is the body force per unit volume due to the force of

gravity

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Considering the body force at node i, we have:

where:

➢ Multiplying and integrating we obtain:

➢ The origin of the coordinates have been taken as the

centroid of the element, and (𝑅ത𝑏 ) is the radially directed
body force per unit volume evaluated at the centroid of
the element. © 2017 Cengage Learning
 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Considering the body force at node i, we have:

where:

➢ Multiplying and integrating we obtain:

➢ The origin of the coordinates have been taken as the

centroid of the element, and (𝑅ത𝑏 ) is the radially
directed body force per unit volume evaluated at the
centroid of the element.
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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ Surface forces can be found by:

where again [NS] denotes the shape function matrix

evaluated along the surface where the surface traction
acts

➢ For radial and axial pressures pr and pz, respectively, we

have

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• (Cont.)
➢ We can use the previous equation written for each node
separately.
➢ For instance, for node j, substituting in Nj we have:

➢ Integrating explicitly, we obtain the total distribution of

surface forces to nodes i, j, and m as:

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 9.1 Derivation of the stiffness matrix
• Step 5 – Step 7
➢ Assembling the total stiffness matrix, total force matrix,
and total set of equations; solving for the nodal degrees
of freedom; and calculating the element stresses are
analogous to those for the CST element.
➢ The only difference is that the stresses are not constant
in each element
➢ The stresses are determined using one of two methods
that we used to determine the LST element stresses:
1. Determine the centroidal element stresses
2. Determine the nodal stresses for the element and then
average them
✓ Method 2 has been shown to be more accurate in some
cases
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 9.3 Applications of Axisymmetric Elements

• Applications of Axisymmetric Elements

➢ A stepped 4130 steel shaft

with a fillet radius subjected
to an axial pressure in
tension

➢ Fatigue analysis for

reversed axial loaded
required an accurate stress
concentration factor

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 9.3 Applications of Axisymmetric Elements

[Sample Dimension] [FE modeling]

UTM
[Displacement – Load graph] Load cell
10000

8000

grip
6000
Load (N)

4000 Sample 1
Sample 2
2000 Sample 3
FE result
0
0.0 0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4.0
Displacement (mm) Laser
extensometer
 ABAQSU Program

• Part Module
 ABAQSU Program

• Load Module
 ABAQSU Program

• Mesh Module
 ABAQSU Program

• Mesh Module
 ABAQSU Program

• Mesh Module
 ABAQSU Program

• Mesh Module