The basic eld equation that corresponds to the triangular element is

 = a + bx + cy

(1)

where a,b and c correspond to the eld variables, there are three boundary conditions (for node
i, j and k)
Substituting all the known three boundary conditions in the equation 1
1. At node i, where =i ; x=xi and y =yi
2. At node j, where =j ; x=xj and y =yj and
3. At node k, where =k ; x=xk and y =yk
Thus substituting the values from equation 1, 2, 3 in the equation 1

i = a + bxi + cyi j = a + bxj + cyj k = a + bxk + cyk

(2)

By solving the above equation the constants a,b and c should be found out, converting the
above equation to the matrix form
2

2 3

i
1 xi yi
a
4  5 = 41 x
5  4b5
y
j
j j
k
1 xk yk
c
Thus from the above equation the value of the a, b and c can be computed as follows:
2 3

3 1

a
1 xi yi
4 b 5 = 41 x
j yj 5
c
1 xk yk

i
4
 j 5
k

(3)

Let
2

1 xi yi
A = 41 xj yj 5
1 xk yk
Thus A

= jA1 j adjA Let








1 xi yi 
jAj = 1 xj yj  = 2A(constant)
1 xk yk 
2

1 1 1
xj yk
adjA = 4xi xj xk 5 = 4 (yk yj )
yi yj yk
xk xj

(xi yk xk yi ) (xi yj xj yi )
yk yi
(yj yi ) 5
xi xk
xj xi

Sub the known values in the equation in 3

2 3

a
1 4xj yk xk yj
4b5 =
(yk yj )
2
A
xk xj
c

(xi yk xk yi ) (xi yj xj yi )
i
yk yi
(yj yi ) 5  4j 5
xi xk
xj xi
k
1

(4)

Spiting the 3, the values of a, b and c can be calculated

a=

1
[(x y
2A j k

xk yj )i

(xi yk

xk yi )j + (xi yj

xj yi )k ]

b=

1
[(y
2A j

yk )i + (yk

yi )j + (yi

yj )k ]

c=

1
[(x
2A k

xj )i + (xi

xk )j + (xj

xi )k ]

Modifying the above equations

a=

1
[a  + aj j + ak k ]
2A i i

1
[b  + bj j + bk k ]
2A i i
1
c = [ci i + cj j + ck k ]
2A
Sub the value of a (from 5), b (from 6) and c (from 7) in the equation 1

b=

=

1
[(a  + aj j + ak k ) + (bi i + bj j + bk k ) + (ci i + cj j + ck k )]
2A i i

Rearranging the above equation we have

 = i [

1
1
1
(ai + bi + ci )] + j [ (aj + bj + cj )] + k [ (ak + bk + ck )]
2A
2A
2A

Thus the shape function are

Ni =

1
1
1
(ai + bi + ci ); Nj =
(aj + bj + cj ); Nk =
(a + bk + ck )
2A
2A
2A k

(5)
(6)
(7)