Finite element method I - lecture notes.

BEAMS Page 1 of 15
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BEAMS
RITZ-RAYLAYGH METHOD and FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Principle of minimum potential energy.

The potential energy of an elastic body is defined as

Total potential energy (V)= Strain energy (U) − potential energy of loading (Wz)

In theory of elasticity the potential energy is the sum of the elastic energy and the work potential:
1
V = U − Wz = ∫ σ ijε ij d Ω − ∫ X i ui d Ω − ∫ pi ui d Γ
2Ω Ω Γ

Ω – domain of the elastic body, Γ – boundary, σ ij – stress state tensor, ε ij – strain state tensor ,
ui – displacement vector, pi – boundary load (traction), Xi– body loads
The potential energy is a functional of the displacement field. The body force is prescribed over the volume of the body, and the traction is
prescribed on the surface Γ . The first two integral extends over the volume of the body. The third integral extends over the boundary.

The principle of minimum potential energy states that,

the displacement field that represents the solution of the problem fullfills the displacement boundary conditions and
inimizes the total potential energy.

V = U − Wz = min! ,
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Total potential energy of the beam loaded by the distributed load p   :

N
m
l l
1
V = ∫ EI ( w′′) 2 dx − ∫ pwdx ,
20 0

where the function w(x) describes deflection of the beam

Ritz method

1.The problem must be stated in a variational form, 3. The parameters ai are determined by requirement that the
as a minimization problem, that is: functional is minimized with respect to ai
find w(x) minimizing the functional V(w) ∂V
= 0, i = 1,..., n .
∂ai
2. The solution is approximated by a finite linear combination of the
form:
n
[ A] {a}= {b}
wɶ ( x) = ∑ aiϕ i ( x)
i =1 4. The solution provides ai, and the approximate solution
where ai denote the undetermined parameters termed Ritz n
coefficients, wɶ ( x) = ∑ aiϕ i ( x) .
and φi are the assumed approximation functions (i=1,2...n). i =1
The approximate functions φi must be linearly independent
Hence the approximate internal forces in the beam
and
Mɶ q ( x) = EIwɶ ′′( x),
3. Finally functional V is approximated by the function of n variables
ai Tɶ ( x) = − EIwɶ ′′′( x).
V=V(a1, a2 , a3 , ....an )
 Finite element method I - lecture notes. BEAMS Page 3 of 15
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EXAMPLE
N 
Find the deflection of the cantilever beam under the load p0   using the analytical solution of the differential equation and compare it to the
m
approximate solution using Ritz method ~ ( x) = a + a x + a x 2 + a x 3 .
with the function w 1 2 3 4

w(x)

p0
x

Exact analytical solution

M ( x) p0
w′′( x) = g M q ( x) = (l − x ) 2 ,
EI 2

w( x )
w( x ) = 0 , d =0
dx
Solution
p0
w( x) = (6l 2 − 4lx + x 2 ) x 2 ,
24 EI
p p0 l2 /8 EI
Max. deflection w(l)=

~ ( x) = a + a x + a x 2 + a x 3 has to satisfy the displacement boundary conditions

The approximate solution w 1 2 3 4

wɶ ( x = 0) = 0, wɶ ′( x = 0) = 0 .
Thus
~ ( x) = a x 2 + a x 3 .
w 3 4

EI l3 l4
V= (4a32l + 12a3 a4l 2 + 12a42l 3 ) − p(a3 + a4 ) .
2 3 4
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∂V EI p0l 3
∂a3
=
2
(8la3 + 12l a4 ) − 3 = 0,
2 W(x)
~
W(x)
-2 pl
* 10 EJ 12.5

∂V EI p0l 4
∂a4
=
2
(12l a3 + 24l a4 ) − 4 = 0.
2 3
8.35
W(x)
~
2 W(x)
5 p0l pl
a3 = , a4 = − 0
12.5
4.427
8.203
24 EI 12 EI
4.167
1.318
1.172
Finally the approximate solution is
l l 3l x
l
4 2 4

5 p0l 2 2 p 2

wɶ ( x) = x − 0 x3 ,
Mg(x) * pl
~
Mg(x) 0.5
24 EI 12 EI Mg(x)
~
Mg(x)
5 pl 0.417 0.292
Mɶ q ( x) = p0l 2 − 0 x, 0.167
12 2 0.281 0.42
0.125
− p0l
Tɶ ( x) = . l
4
l
2
3l
4
l
x

2 0.031 -0.083
T(x) * pl
~
T(x) l l 3l
l
4 2 4
Graphs presenting exact (bold line) and approximate (dashed line ) solutions x
of the cantilever beam: 0.5
displacement, bending moment, shear force ~
T(x)
1 T(x)
 Finite element method I - lecture notes. BEAMS Page 5 of 15
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Finite Element Method approach

Approximation : local, with nodal displacements w1 , w2 , θ1 and θ 2 as unknown parameters

w1=q 1 w2 =q 3 Positive directions:

w( ) upward for translation
1 =q2 2 =q4 counter clockwise for rotation

1 2
le

Simple beam finite element

Lets assume first the polynomial approximation within the element
w(ξ ) = α1 + α 2ξ + α 3ξ 2 + α 4ξ 3

with four unknown parameters α i .

The required new parameters : nodal displacements w1 , w2 , θ1 and θ 2 (degrees of freedom – DOF of the element)

 q1   w1 
q   θ 
{q}e =  2  =  1  .
4

Nodal displacement vector w(ξ ) = ∑ N i (ξ )qi .

q3  w2  i =1
q4  θ 2  w(ξ ) =  N (ξ )  {q}e ,
e
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Relation between α1 , α 2 , α 3 ,α 4 and q1 , q2 , q3 , q4

q1 = w(0) = α1 , displacement and node 1

dw
q2 = (0) = α 2 , slope at node 1
dξ
displacement at node 2
q3 = w(l ) = α1 + α 2le + α 3le2 + α 4le3 ,
dw slope at node 2
q4 = (l ) = α 2 + 2α 3le + 3α 4le2 .
dξ  
1 0 0 0
In the matrix form  
α1    q 
 q1   1 0 0 0  α1  α   0 1 0 0  1
q     2    q2 
 2  0 1 0 0  α 2    = −3 −2 −1  q3
α3   2
3
 =  .  
 q3   1 le le2 le3  α 3  α 4   le l le2 le   q4 
   e
q4   0 1 2le 3le2  α 4  2 1 −2 1
  l3
 e le le3 le2 
The approximate deflection may be presented in the form
ξ2 ξ3
N1 (ξ ) = 1 − 3 +2 ,
le2 le3
α1   q1  ξ2 ξ3
α  q 
N 2 (ξ ) = ξ − 2 + ,
3  2   le le2
w(ξ ) = 1, ξ , ξ , ξ    =  N1 (ξ ), N 2 (ξ ), N 3 (ξ ), N 4 (ξ )   2  ,
 2

α 3   q3  ξ2 ξ3
N 3 (ξ ) = 3 −2 ,
α 4   q4  le2 le3
−ξ 2 ξ 3
N 4 (ξ ) = + 2.
le le

The functions N i (ξ ) are called shape functions of the beam element.

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N i (ξ ) describes deflection of the beam element , where qi = 1 , and for j ≠ i q j = 0 (see graphs).

N( ) N( )
1 3

1 1

e e

N( ) N( )
2 4

tg =1 tg =1

e e

Shape functions of a beam element

w(ξ ) =  N (ξ )  {q}e ,
w′(ξ ) =  N ′(ξ )  {q}e ,
w′′(ξ ) =  N ′′(ξ )  {q}e .

Total potential energy of the beam element of the length le

l l
EI e e

Ve = U e − Wze = ∫ ( w′′(ξ )) dξ − ∫ p (ξ ) w(ξ )dξ −

2
. i i −
Pw M jϑ j
2 0 0
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l l
EI e EI e
Ue = ′′ ξ ′′ ξ ξ =  q  e { N ′′}  N ′′ {q}e dξ =
2 ∫0 2 ∫0
w ( ) w ( ) d

 N ′′ N ′′ N1′′ N 2′′ N1′′ N 3′′ N1′′ N 4′′ 

 1 1 
le 
EI N 2′′ N1′′ N 2′′ N 2′′ N 2′′ N 3′′ N 2′′ N 4′′ 
=  q  e ∫  dξ {q} .
0  N ′′ N ′′ N 3′′ N 2′′ N 3′′ N 3′′ N3 N 4 
′′ ′′
e
2
 3 1 
 N ′′ N ′′ N 4′′ N 2′′ N 4′′ N 3′′ N 4 N 4 
′′ ′′
 4 1

 le le le le

 ∫ N1′′ N1′′d ξ ∫ N1′′N 2′′dξ ∫ N1′′N 3′′dξ ∫ N ′′N ′′dξ 
1 4
0 0 0 0 
 le le le le 
 N 2′′ N1′′d ξ
1
U e =  q  e [ k ]e {q}e ,  ∫0 ∫ N ′′N ′′dξ ∫ N ′′N ′′dξ
2 2 2 3
′′ ′′
∫0 N 2 N 4 dξ 
2 [k ]e = EI  l
0
le
0
le le 
 N ′′ N ′′d ξ 
e

∫ 3 1 . ∫ N 3′′N 2′′dξ ∫ N ′′N ′′dξ

3 3 ∫0 N 3′′N 4′′dξ 
0 0 0

 le le le le

 ∫ N 4′′ N1′′d ξ ∫ N 4′′N 2′′dξ ∫ N ′′N ′′dξ
4 3 ∫0 N 4
′′ N ′′d ξ 
4
 0 0 0 
Matrix [ k ]e is named stiffness matrix of beam element. After integration
 6 3le −6 3le 
 2
−3le le2 
2 EI 3le 2le
[ k ]e = 3
le  −6 −3le 6 −3le  .
 
2
3le le −3le 2le2 
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The external work done by the traction p:

le le le

W = ∫ p(ξ ) w(ξ )dξ = ∫ p(ξ )  N (ξ )  {q}e dξ = ∫  N1 (ξ ) p(ξ )dξ , N 2 (ξ ) p (ξ )dξ , N 3 (ξ ) p (ξ )dξ , N 4 (ξ ) p(ξ )dξ  {q}e dξ ,
p
ze
0 0 0

 q1 
q  le
 
Wze =  F1 , F2 , F3 , F4   2  =  F  e {q}e
p e e e e
Fi e = ∫ N i (ξ ) p (ξ ) dξ
e q ,
 3 0
 q4 

Fi e - equivalent nodal forces

F1=3p0 le/ 20 F3= 7p0 le/ 20
p0le F2=p0 le2/ 30 F4= -p0 le2/ 20
F1e = F3e =
p0 e p0 e 2
2 2 2 2 p0le2
p0 e p0 e F =
2
e

12 12 12
1 2
− p0le2
1 2 F4e =
p0 12 P0

Equivalent nodal forces corresponding to the constant and linear distribution of p0 load
(kinematically equivalent or work-equivalent !)
 Finite element method I - lecture notes. BEAMS Page 10 of 15
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Total potential energy of the beam element

q [ k ] {q} − q { F }
1
2  1×4 e 4×4e 4×1 e  1×4 e 4×1 e .
Ve = U e − Wze =

The conditions for finding the minimum of Ve:

∂Ve
=0, i = 1, 2,3,… , n
∂qi

6 3le −6 3le  q1   F1 
2
−3le
2 q   F 
2 EI 3le 2le le  2  2
  = 
[ k ]e {q}e = {F }e . le −6 −3le −3le
3
6  q3   F3 
3le le
2
−3le 2l e
2  q4   F4 
e e
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Set of linear equations for one element model of the considered cantilever beam:
 F1 
6 3l −6 3l  0   F 
   2 
2 EI 3l 2l −3l l  0   p0l 
2 2

 = 
l 3 −6 −3l 6 −3l  q3   2 
3l l 2 −3l 2l 2 q4   − p0l 2 
 
 12 
Constraints q1=0 and q2=0 may be taken into account by
 F1 
F 
 
the transformation of the set of equation to the form [ A]  2  = {b} or by reductionof the problem to
 q3 
 q4 
2 EI pl
3
(6q3 − 3lq4 ) = 0 ,
l 2
2 EI − p0l 2
( −3lq3 + 2l q4 ) =
2
,
l3 12
1 p0l 4
q3 =
8 EI
Solution is:
1 p0l 3
q4 =
6 EI
 3 1  p0l 2  −2 1  p0l 3 5 p0l 2
2 2
pl
Finally the deflection function from the one element model is w(ξ ) =  −  ξ + +  ξ = ξ − 0 ξ3
 8 6  EI  8 6  EI 24 EI 12 EI
The same result as obtained in the case of Ritz method – why?
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Dividing the beam into LE elements

q1 q3 q5 q7
 q1   w1  q2 q4 q6 q8
q   θ  1 1 2 2 3 3 4
 2  1  e e e

 q3   w2  p0
   
 q  θ  P
global nodal displacements vector {q} =  4  =  2  . e
=
3
 q5   w3  M
 q6  θ 3 
   
q7   w4 
 q  θ 
 8  4 
N=8 nodal diplacements (degrees of freedom of the FE model)

Strain energy U e of each of the elements

q [ k * ] {q} ,
1 1
U e =  q  [k ]e {q}e e = 
2 1×N N ×N e N ×1
2 e
1x4 4x4 4x1
.

 k ∗  =  k ∗  =  k ∗  =
1 2 3

element 1 with the global DOF : element 2 with the global DOF : element 3 with the global DOF :
q1, q2 , q3, q4 q3, q4 , q5, q6 q5, q6 , q7, q8
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LE
1  LE ∗  1
U = ∑ U e =  q   ∑  k   {q} =  q  [ K ]{q} .
e =1 2  i =1 e
 2
1
V = U − Wz =  q  [ K ]{q} −  q  { F } ,
2
∂V
= 0, i = 1, 2,3,… , n
∂qi

[ K ]{q} = {F } . + displacement boundary conditions (constraints)

For each element the internal forces M,T are calculated separately:

 q1 
q 
 ′′ ′′ ′′ ′′   
M q (ξ ) = EIw′′(ξ ) = EI N1 , N 2 , N 3 , N 4  2  ,
  q3
 
 q4  M (ξ ) = 12 (ξ − le )q + 6 (ξ − 2 l )q − 12 (ξ − le )q + 6 (ξ − le )q  EI ,
e q  3 1
le2
e 2
le3
3
le2 3 
4
 le 2 3 2
 q1 
q  T (ξ ) = −  12 ( q − q ) + 6 ( q + q )  EI .
   l3 1 3 l2 2 4 
T (ξ ) = − EIw′′′(ξ ) = EI  N1′′′ , N 2′′′ , N3′′′ , N 4′′′   2  .  
  q3 e e

 
q4 
e
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For the case of 3-element model shown in the figure the final set of linear equations is

k111 k121 k131 k141 0 0 0 0

1
 q1   F1 
q   F 
1 1 1
k21 k22 k 23 k24 0 0 0 0
 2  2
1
k31 1
k32 1
k33 + k112 1
k34 + k122 k132 k142 0 0  q3   F3 
1
k41 1
k42 1
k 43 + k212 1
k44 + k222 k 232 k242 0 0    
 q4   F4 
 = 
0 0 k312 k322 k332 + k113 k342 + k123 k133 k143  q5   F5 
 q6   F6 
0 0 k412 k422 k 432 + k21
3
k442 + k22
3
k 232 k243    
0 0 0 0 q7   F7 
k313 k323 k333 k343 q   F 
0 0 0 0 3  8  8
k413 k423 k 43 k443

6 3le –6 3le 0 0 0 0  F1 
3le 2l 2
−3le l2
0 0 0 0    F2 
0
e e
0  
–6 −3le 12 0 –6 3le 0 0    p0le 
 q3   0 
3le le2 0 4le2 −3le le2 0 0    
2 EI q4   p0le 
 = 
le3  q5   M 
0 0 –6 −3le 12 0 –6 3le
 q6   pl 
0 0 3le le2 0 4le2 −3le le2   P + 0 e 
q7   2 
0 0 0 0 –6 −3le 6 −3le q   − p l 2 
 8  0 e

0 0 0 0 3le le2 −3le 2le2  12 
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FEM calculations:
1. Generation of stiffness matrices [ k ]e for all elements
4x4
2. Assembling the element matrices to obtain the global stiffness matrix [K ]
{F }
NxN

3. Finding the equivalent nodal force vector

{q}
Nx1

4. Imposing the boundary conditions and the solution of the final set of linear equations – finding all nodal displacements
5. Calculation of the internal forces (bending moment, shear force) and the stresses within the elements Nx1

The example

Final set of equations (3 active DOF)

12 0 3l  q3   − P 
2 EI     M1 M2
0 4l 2 l 2  q4  =  M 1  .
l3
3l l2 2l 2  q6   M 2  P
1 1 2 3

A B 2 C
 q3   w2  7l 2 3l −12l  − P 
    l  
q4  = θ 2  = 3l 15 −12  M 1  .
q  θ  96 EI −12l −12 48  M 
 6  3   2

(exact solution – why?)