Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

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The Finite Element Method for the Analysis of Linear Systems

Prof. Dr. Michael Havbro Faber Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich, Switzerland

Method of Finite Elements I

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Contents of Today's Lecture

Motivation, overview and organization of the course Introduction to the use of finite element - Physical problem, mathematical modeling and finite element solutions - Finite elements as a tool for computer supported design and assessment

Basic mathematical tools

Method of Finite Elements I

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Motivation In this course we are focusing on the assessment of the response of engineering structures

Method of Finite Elements I

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Motivation In this course we are focusing on the assessment of the response of engineering structures

Method of Finite Elements I

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Motivation What we would like to establish is the response of a structure subject to loading. The Method of Finite Elements provides a framework for the analysis of such responses however for very general problems. The Method of Finite Elements provides a very general approach to the approximate solutions of differential equations. In the present course we consider a special class of problems, namely: Linear quasi-static systems, no material or geometrical or boundary condition non-linearities and also no inertia effect!

Method of Finite Elements I

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Organisation The lectures will be given by: M. H. Faber Exercises will be organized/attended by: J. Qin By appointment, HIL E13.1

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Organisation PowerPoint files with the presentations will be uploaded on our homepage one day in advance of the lectures http://www.ibk.ethz.ch/fa/education/ss_FE The lecture as such will follow the book: "Finite Element Procedures" by K.J. Bathe, Prentice Hall, 1996

Method of Finite Elements I

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Overview

Method of Finite Elements I

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Motivation, overview and organization of the course

Overview

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Physical problem

Physical problem, mathematical modeling and finite element solutions

Change physical problem Improve mathematical model

- we are only working on the basis of mathematic models! - choice of mathematical model is crucial! - mathematical models must be reliable and effective

Mathematical model governed by differential equations and assumptions on -geometry -kinematics -material laws -loading -boundary conditions -etc. Finite element solution Choice of -finite elements -mesh density -solution parameters Representation of -loading -boundary conditions -etc. Assessment of accuracy of finite element Solution of mathematical model

Refinement of analysis Design improvements Method of Finite Elements I

Interpretation of results

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Reliability of a mathematical model The chosen mathematical model is reliable if the required response is known to be predicted within a selected level of accuracy measured on the response of a very comprehensive mathematical model

Effectiveness of a mathematical model The most effective mathematical model for the analysis is surely that one which yields the required response to a sufficient accuracy and at least costs

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Example Complex physical problem modeled by a simple mathematical model

M = WL = 27,500 Ncm
1 W ( L + rN )3 W ( L + rN ) at load W = + 5 3 EI AG 6 = 0.053cm
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Introduction to the use of finite element

Example Detailed reference model 2D plane stress model for FEM xx xy analysis + = 0
x yx in domain of bracket + = 0 x y y yy

nn = 0, nt = 0 on surfaces except at point B

and at imposed zero displacements
Stress-strain relation: 1 xx 0 xx E yy = 1 0 yy 1 2 xy 1 xy 0 0 2 u v u v + Strain-displacement relation: xx = ; yy = ; xy = x y y x
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Introduction to the use of finite element

Example Comparison between simple and more refined model results

M = WL = 27,500 Ncm

1 W ( L + rN )3 W ( L + rN ) at load W = + 5 3 EI AG 6 = 0.053cm

at load W

= 0.064cm

x =0

= 27,500 Ncm

Reliability and efficiency may be quantified!

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Observations Choice of mathematical model must correspond to desired response measures The most effective mathematical model delivers reliable answers with the least amount of efforts Any solution (also FEM) of a mathematical model is limited to information contained in the model bad input bad output Assessment of accuracy is based on comparisons with results from very comprehensive models however, in practice often based on experience

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Observations Sometimes the chosen mathematical model results in problems such as singularities in stress distributions The reason for this is that simplifications have been made in the mathematical modeling of the physical problem Depending on the response which is really desired from the analysis this may be fine however, typically refinements of the mathematical model will solve the problem

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Finite elements as a tool for computer supported design and assessment FEM forms a basic tool framework in research and applications covering many different areas - Fluid dynamics - Structural engineering - Aeronautics - Electrical engineering - etc.

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Introduction to the use of finite element

Finite elements as a tool for computer supported design and assessment The practical application necessitates that solutions obtained by FEM are reliable and efficient however also it is necessary that the use of FEM is robust this implies that minor changes in any input to a FEM analysis should not change the response quantity significantly Robustness has to be understood as directly related to the desired type of result response

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Basic mathematical tools

Vectors and matrices

Ax = b

AT is the transpose of A
a1i aii a1n amn

a11 A = ai1 am1

if A = AT there is m = n (square matrix) and aij = a ji (symmetrical matrix)

x1 b1 x b 2 x= , b= 2 xn bm
Method of Finite Elements I

1 0 I = 0 0

0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

0 0 0 is a unit matrix 1

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Basic mathematical tools

Banded matrices symmetric banded matrices

aij = 0 for j > i + mA , 2mA + 1 is the bandwidth
3 2 A = 1 0 0 2 3 4 1 0 0 1 4 0 1 4 3 1 4 5 6 0 1 6 7

mA = 2

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Basic mathematical tools

Banded matrices and skylines

mA + 1

3 2 A = 0 0 0

2 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 5 6 1 1 6 7 4 0 1 4 3

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Basic mathematical tools

Matrix equality

A ( m p ) = B ( n q ) if and only if m = n, p = q, and aij = bij

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Basic mathematical tools

Matrix addition
A ( m p ) , B ( n q ) can be added if and only if m = n, p = q, and if C = A + B, then cij = aij + bij

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Basic mathematical tools

Matrix multiplication with a scalar

A matrix A multiplied by a scalar c by multiplying all elements of A with c B = cA bij = caij

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Basic mathematical tools

Multiplication of matrices

Two matrices A ( p m ) and B ( n q ) can be multiplied only if m = n C = BA cij = air brj , C ( p q )

r =1 m

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Basic mathematical tools

Multiplication of matrices

The commutative law does not hold, i.e. AB = CB does not imply that A = C AB BA, unless A and B commute The distributive law hold, i.e.

however does hold for special cases (e.g. for B = I) Special rule for the transpose of matrix products

E = ( A + B ) C = AC + BC

( AB )
The associative law hold, i.e. G = (AB)C = A(BC) = ABC
Method of Finite Elements I

= BT AT

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Basic mathematical tools

The inverse of a matrix

The inverse of a matrix A is denoted A 1 if the inverse matrix exist then there is: AA 1 = A 1A = I The matrix A is said to be non-singular The inverse of a matrix product:

( AB )

-1

= B -1A -1

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Basic mathematical tools

Sub matrices

A matrix A may be sub divided as: a11 A = a21 a31 a11 A= a21 a12 a22 a32 a12 a22 a13 a23 a33

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Basic mathematical tools

Trace of a matrix

The trace of a matrix A ( n n ) is defined through: tr ( A) = aii

i =1 n

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Basic mathematical tools

The determinant of a matrix

The determinant of a matrix is defined through the recurrence formula det( A ) = (1)1+ j a1 j det(A1 j )
j =1 n

where A1 j is the ( n 1) ( n 1) matrix obtained by eliminating the 1st row and the j th column from the matrix A and where there is if A = [ a11 ] , det A = a11

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Basic mathematical tools

The determinant of a matrix

It is convenient to decompose a matrix A by the so-called Cholesky decomposition 1 0 0 T L = l21 1 0 A = LDL l31 l32 1 where L is a lower triangular matrix with all diagonal elements equal to 1 and D is a diagonal matrix with components dii then the determinant of the matrix A can be written as det A = d ii
i =1 n

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Basic mathematical tools

x3

Tensors

Let the Cartesian coordinate frame be defined by the unit base vectors ei A vector u in this frame is given by

e3 e2 e1 x2

u = ui ei
i =1

simply we write u = ui ei i is called a dummy index or a free index

x1

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Basic mathematical tools

Tensors
An entity is called a tensor of first order if it has 3 components i in the unprimed frame and 3 components i' in the primed frame, and if these components are related by the characteristic law

i' = pik i
where pik = cos ( ei' , e k ) In the matrix form, it can be written as
' = P
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Basic mathematical tools

Tensors

An entity is called a second-order tensor if it has 9 components tij in the unprimed frame
' and 9 components tij in the primed frame,

and if these components are related by the characteristic law

' tij = pik p jl tkl

Method of Finite Elements I