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VSRD-MAP, Vol. 1 (3), 2011, 104-109

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Stress Analysis of a Structural Member

Using Finite Element Method
1

Swatantra Kr. Porwal* and 2Pradeep Kr.

ABSTRACT
Strength and Stiffness are two main criteria for design of failure of a structural member such as beam of any
building. For calculation of the stress & stiffness value, the beam is discredited into the smaller elements like
rectangular, triangular, hexahedral and tetrahedral; and for equal discetization isoparametric element is used. In
this paper, the beam as structural element, subjected to load is considered. Its deformation from its original
position is assessed. As the value of the stress becomes maximum, the structure starts failing. For protection of
the structural element from failure, this work proposes to discretize the beam into the smaller elements called
finite elements. The results are calculated and compared with the values obtained by other conventional methods
of analysis.
Keywords : Strength, Stiffness, Isoparametric Elements.

1. INTRODUCTION
Most of the researchers have been worked in the field of structural element & the main aim of all researchers is
to design a safer structural element or to protect the failure of the structural element. So to protect the failure of
the structural element two criteria is most important these are Stiffness & Strength or Stress which are applying
on it. Whenever a beam is loaded, it deflects from its original position. In modern design offices following are
the two design criteria for a beam- (i) Strength (ii) Stiffness. As per the strength criterion of the beam design it
should be strong enough to resist bending moment and shear force or in other words the beam should be strong
enough to resist the bending stresses and shear stresses but as per the stiffness criterion of the beam design
which is equally important, it should stiff enough to resist the deflection of the beam or in other words the beam
should be stiff enough not to deflect more than the permissible limit under the action of the loading. In actual
____________________________
1

Associate Professor & H.O.D, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Virendra Swaroop Group of Institutions, Unnao,
Uttar Pradesh, INDIA. 2Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, HBTI, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA.
*Correspondence : swatantraporwal@yahoo.com

Swatantra Kr. Porwal et al / VSRD International Journal of Mechanical, Auto. & Prod. Engg. Vol. 1 (3), 2011

practice some specifications are always laid to limit the maximum deflection of a beam to a small of its span.
Structural design engineering process includes material selection for construction; determine appropriate
structural system for a particular case, Determination of forces/ stresses acting on a structural element because it
will give the information that how much stresses are acting on the structure element. If the stress value is less
than the allowable stress value then the structure is safe but if the stress value is greater than the allowable stress
value then the structure failure will occur. Structural engineers are responsible for engineering design and
analysis. The role of a structural engineer today involves a significant understanding of both static and dynamic
loading, and the structures that are available to resist them. The complexity of modern structures often requires a
great deal of creativity from the engineer in order to ensure the structures support and resist the loads they are
subjected to. At the time of manufacturing lot of the stresses act on the structural element due to the axial
loading, bending moment etc. whose value is greater than the expected value so In this work the calculation of
the stress by using the stiffness value with the concept of Finite Element Analysis will be done & according to
this process there will be a development of a software which will first calculate the stiffness value & after that it
will calculate the stress value by using the concept of FEM.

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was first developed in 1943 by R. Courant, who utilized the Ritz method of
numerical analysis and minimization of variation calculus to obtain approximate solutions to vibration systems.
Shortly thereafter, a paper published in 1956 by M. J. Turner, R. W. Clough, H. C. Martin, and L. J. Topp
established a broader definition of numerical analysis. The paper centered on the "stiffness and deflection of
complex structures". It is very difficult to obtain analytical solution for many engineering problems. An
analytical solution is a mathematical expression that gives the values of the field variable at any location in the
body. For problems involving complex shapes, material properties & complicated boundary conditions, it is
difficult & in many cases intractable to obtain analytical solution that satisfies the governing differential
equation. Hence for most of the practical problems the engineer resorts to numerical methods that provides
approximate but acceptable solution. The three methods that are used are as follows1.Functional Approximation 2.Finite Difference Method 3.Finite Element Method
In Functional Approximation Raly-Ritz, Galerkin & collocation method are used which are based on the trial &
error method so the calculated result is not more accurate while in finite difference method the original body or
the system is discritized by a mesh of nodal points so the calculated result is accurate from the theoretical point
of view but not from practical point of view. While in FEM, a body or a structure may be divided into the
smaller elements of finite dimensions called Finite Element. The original body or the structure is then
considered as an assemblage of these elements connected at a finite number of joints called Nodes or Nodal
Points & the calculated result from this method is more accurate as compared to other method.

3. ISOPARAMETRIC ELEMENT
.x = N1x1+N2x2+..+ Nnxn
y =N1y1+N2y2+. .+ Nnyn

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z=N1z1+N2y2+.. + Nnyn
{x} = [N] {xn}
where [N] are the shape function of the parent rectilinear element &{xn} are the nodal coordinates of the
element. The shape function will be expressed through the natural coordinate system rest& t.
The shape function [N] used in the above transformation thus help us to define the geometry of the element in
the Cartesian coordinate system. If these shape function [N] are the same as the shape functions [N] used to
represent the variation of displacement in the element, these elements are called isoparametric element.

{x} = [N] {xn}

4. CONSTITUTIVE MATRIX
To determine the stresses in the members of a structure or in a deformable solid it is necessary to know the
components of stress as a function of the components of strain & vice versa. We assume that material is elastic
& obeys the hooks law According to hooks law the six components of stress may be expressed as a linear
function of six component of strain.

C11 C12 C16

C21 C22 C26

C31 C32 C36

C41 C42 C46

xy

yz

C51 C52 C56

yz

zx

C61 C62 C66

zx

xy

C=E/(1+)(1-2)

(1-)

(1-)

(1-2) /2

5. ELEMENT STRAINS AND STRESSES

If {}is the vector of strains at any point inside an element the relation can be expressed as,
{} = [B] {d}
Where B is the strain displacement matrix and will be functions of the derivatives of shape function [N].
If {} is the vector of stresses corresponding to the strains{}, the element stresses can be expressed in the

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Swatantra Kr. Porwal et al / VSRD International Journal of Mechanical, Auto. & Prod. Engg. Vol. 1 (3), 2011

form:
{}= [C] [B] {d}
Where [C] is the constitutive matrix.

6. DATA ANALYSIS
A Beam may be defined as a structural element which has one dimension (length) considerable larger compared
to the other two direction i.e. width & depth and is supported at a few points .Basically there are two materials
one is concrete & other is Timber the modulus of Elasticity of concrete is E1 = 12; 000 MPa, & modulus of
Elasticity of Timber is E2 = 8000 MPa. A Top rectangular concrete element having a width of 300 mm, a depth
of 50 mm while the bottom rectangular timber element are 50 mm width, 150 mm depth & the length of the
beam is 4 m. Two types of loads are there one is Axial Load & other is uniformly distributed load & the value of
the axial load is 50 KN while the value of the uniformly distributed load is 1 KN/m. The proposed element is
capable of applying the longitudinal axial force at various levels of the composite cross-section.
So for the calculation of the stress & stiffness value the beam will be discritized into the smaller element ,for the
discritization few types of element are available like rectangular element, triangular element, hexahedral
element, tetrahedral element etc. for the equal discritization isoparametric element is used.

7. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
This work will develop software in c language & this software will calculate the stress value then compared the
given result.

8. RESULT
Literature survey represents that most of the scientist have been worked in the field of structural engineering &
Finite Element Analysis & the main aim of all scientist is to design a safer structural element or to protect the
failure of the structural element which occurs during the manufacturing stage & loading condition it has been
discussed that during the manufacturing stage more residual stresses occurs & the calculation of these stresses is
must. So to protect the failure of the structural element during manufacturing stage & loading condition
analytical work is done. This analytical work includes the finite element analysis for every time dependent
effects & manufacturing stage. At the time of loading, two criteria are more important these are Stiffness &
Strength or Stress which are applying on it. So the calculation of these values strength & stiffness is must & for
the calculation of these values this work provides software which will calculate the strength & stress value by
using the concept of FEM.

8.1. Result For Composite Element

Element no.
Element no.1
Element no.2
Element no.3

Stress(N/mm2)
2.204003*10-32
4.461329*10-29
8.399692*10-25

Stress Axial(N/mm2)
3.344563*100
3.355793*100
3.378253*100

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Element no.4 -4.713445*10-22 3.423173*100

Element no.5 -3.087994*10-20 3.513013*100
Element no.6 1.331879*10-32 3.692693*100
Element no.7 6.837800*10-29 4.052053*100
Element no.8 -7.506775*10-25 4.770773*100
Element no.9 -1.526572*10-22 6.208213*100
Element no.10 1.490771*10-20 0.908309*101
Element no.11 5.384875*10-33 1.483285*101
Element no.12 -2.767851*10-29 2.633237*101
Element no.13 -1.158530*10-24 4.933141*101
Element no.14 -9.225919*10-22 0.953295*102
Element no.15 2.275467*10-21 1.873257*102
Element No16 3.194633*10-32 3.713180*102
Element No17 4.427411*10-29 7.393026*102
Element No18 -1.057705*10-24 1.475272*103
Element No19 -4.339839*10-22 2.947210*103
Element No20 -1.175277*10-20 5.891088*103
Element No21 2.832121*10-32 1.177884*104
Element No22 -2.605936*10-29 2.354355*104
Element No23 9.886222*10-26 4.710537*104
Element No24 -4.856365*10-22 0.942074*105
Element No25 3.429494*10-20 2.063931*105

9. CONCLUSION
As per the Result & discussion, this software or work provides a value of stiffness, deflection & Stress which is
important to protect the failure of the structural element .As discussed that during the manufacturing stage more
residual stresses occurs & during the loading condition structural element failure occurs due to the failure of the
strength & stiffness value & by the deflection value it can be calculated that at which point the stress will be
maximum. To calculate all these value analytical work is done & have been discussed that by using the FEM the
analysis of any part or element can be done of a body or structure so due to this reason this analytical work
includes the Finite Element Analysis for every Time dependent effects & Manufacturing stage.
At last this work will provide a new path to structural engineering by providing the value of stiffness, deflection
& stress & will also protect the failure of the structural element which will be important for both a user who will
be used to the structure & the developer who will be manufactured to the structure.

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