UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF

ENGINEERING

Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace Engineering)

DISCOVER . LEARN .
EMPOWER
Course Description

Total-45 Lecture
Each Lecture-40 minutes

2
 Course Evolution

 Assignment

 Quiz

 Surprised Test

 Midterm Exam

 Final Exam

 Attendance

3
 COURSE OBJECTIVE

 Introduction to FEM analysis.

 Advantages.
 Application.
 Governing Equation for one dimensional Equation.
 Solving Method of FEM analysis.

4
 Constant Strain Triangular Elements
• The triangular element can be used to represent the arbitrary geometry much easily.
• On the other hand, rectangular elements, in general, are of limited use as they are not well
suited for representing curved boundaries.
• However, an assemblage of rectangular and triangular element with triangular elements near
the boundary can be very effective.
• Triangular elements may also be used in 3-dimensional axi-symmetric problems, plates and
shell structures.
• The shape function for triangular elements (linear, quadratic and cubic) with various nodes
can be formulated. An internal node will exist for cubic element.
 Shape function using Cartesian coordinates

• Polynomials are easiest way of mathematical operation for expressing variation of displacement. For
example, the displacement variation within the element can be represented by the following function in
case of two-dimensional plane stress/strain problems.
u = α⍺0 + ⍺⍺1x + ⍺⍺2y
v = ⍺⍺3 + ⍺⍺4x + ⍺⍺5y
where ⍺0, ⍺1, ⍺2 ….. are unknown coefficients.
• Displacement vectors at any point P, in the element can be expressed with the following relation.
• For “m” node element having three degrees of freedom at each node, the displacement
function can be expressed as
𝑢 = 𝛼0 + 𝛼1𝑥 + 𝛼2𝑦 + 𝛼3𝑥2 + 𝛼4𝑥𝑦 + 𝛼5𝑦2+ . .…. . .+𝛼𝑚−1𝑦𝑛
𝑣 = 𝛼𝑚 + 𝛼𝑚+1𝑥 + 𝛼𝑚+2𝑦 + 𝛼𝑚+3𝑥2 + 𝛼𝑚+4𝑥𝑦+. . . . .+𝛼2𝑚−1𝑦𝑛
𝑤 = 𝛼2𝑚 + 𝛼2𝑚+1𝑥 + 𝛼2𝑚+2𝑦 + 𝛼2𝑚+3𝑥2 + 𝛼2𝑚+4𝑥𝑦+. . . . .+𝛼3𝑚−1𝑦𝑛

Where, {𝛼}𝑇 = [𝛼0 𝛼1 . . . 𝛼3𝑚−1] and,

[𝜙]𝑇 = [1 𝑥 𝑦 𝑥2 𝑥𝑦 . . . . 𝑦𝑛]
Where,
• The interpolation function can be obtained from the above as:

• Such three-node triangular element is commonly known as a constant strain triangle

(CST) as its strain is assumed to be constant inside the element.