19 October, 2013

Introduction to
Finite Element Analysis
for Skeletal Structures
Dr. Nick A Alexander 2006
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Bristol
2
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
General Structural Problem
For the following structure
we want to compute

Bending moments, shear
forces, axial forces
Bending, shear and axial
stresses and strains
Deflections
3
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Finite Element Analysis (FEA),
The basic idea
Complex structures systems are often too complicated to simply derive
relationships between applied loads, deflections and internal stresses.

Hence large structures are divided up into many individual finite elements;
that have a much simpler structural form,
e.g. a beam or column

The relationship between load, displacement, stresses and strains in a
finite element can be determined

Thus, it is computationally possible for a complex structure to be modelled
by assembling (aggregation) many individual finite elements. The
aggregation process must satisfy equilibrium and continuity.
4
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Restraints
Modelling Idealisation
Nodes
connection points
(not necessarily
hinges)
Elements
Loads
5
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
For a finite element, we need to derive
the relationship between
External Loads
Deflections/deformations
Internal stresses and strains
6
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Deriving force-displacement
relationship for general finite element.
Five basic steps

(i) Conjecture a displacement function
(ii) Use nodal boundary conditions
(iii) Derive straindisplacement relationship
(iv) Derive stressdisplacement relationship
(v) Use principle of Virtual Work

7
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
f
1

f
2

u
1

u
2

x
Node
(a hinge) Element
Deformed shape
8
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
(i) Conjecture a displacement function

( ) | | | | ) 1 ( 1
2
1
2 1
a
a
a
x x a a x u N =
(
(

= + =
x
u(x)
9
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
(ii) Express u(x) in terms of nodal displacements by
using boundary conditions.

(

=
(

2
1
2
1
1
0 1
a
a
L u
u
u(0) = u
1
u(L) = u
2

| | ) 2 ( a u A =
Deformed shape
10
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
Sub (2) into (1)

( ) | || | | | u
L
x u x u
1
1
1
0 1
, 1

(
(

= = A N
( ) | | ) 3 ( , 1 u u
L
x
L
x
x u C =
(

=
Displacement polynomial that satisfies boundary conditions
11
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
(iii) Derive strain-displacement relationship by using
mechanics theory
( ) | | ( ) | | ) 4 (
1 1
u
L L
u u
dx
d
dx
du
x
(

= = = = B C c
Axial Strain
12
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
(iv) Derive stress-displacement relationship by using
elasticity theory
( ) ( ) | | ) 5 ( u E x E x B = = c o
Axial Stress
Elastic Modulus
13
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
(v) Use principle of Virtual Work

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
| | | | | | | |
T T
u dx B B u EA dx u B u B EA
dx x x A
dydz dx x x dxdydz x x W
I
} }
}
}} } }}}
= =
=
= =
.
.
. .
c o
c o c o
Internal work
| | f u
f
f
u u W
T
E
=
(
(

=
2
1
2 1
External work
Bar cross-sectional area A
Work = Stress x Strain x Volume
14
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
Equate internal and external work
| | | |
T T T
u dx B B u EA f u
W W
I E
}
=
=
| | | | | | | | ) 6 (
}
= = dx B B EA u f
T
k , k
Stiffness matrix
15
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Bar Element example
Resultant stiffness matrix

| | | |
) 7 (
1 1
1 1
0
1 1
1 1
1 1
0
1
1
2 2
2 2
(

=
(
(

(
(

=
}
}
L
EA
dx EA
dx EA
L
L L
L L
L L
L
L
L




k
16
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (1); Element coords.
Element axes are not all the same.
So there is a need for a coordinate transformation

X
Y
Z
Global axes
17
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (1); Element coords.


F
X
F
Z
u
(
(

(
(

=
(
(

v
u
Z
X
f
f
F
F
u u
u u
cos sin
sin cos
| | f F
f
f
f
f
F
F
F
F
v
u
v
u
z
x
z
x
R =
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
cos sin 0 0
sin cos 0 0
0 0 cos sin
0 0 sin cos
u u
u u
u u
u u
f
u1

f
v1

f
v2

f
u2

F
x1

F
z1

F
x2

F
z2

for forces

u (8)
18
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (1); Element coords.
Similarly for displacement

u
1

v
1

v
2

u
2

X
1

Z
1

X
2

Z
2

| |u U
v
u
v
u
Z
X
Z
X
R =
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
cos sin 0 0
sin cos 0 0
0 0 cos sin
0 0 sin cos
u u
u u
u u
u u
u
(9)
19
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (1); Element coords.
Element force-displacement in global coordinate

(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
v
u
v
u
L
EA
f
f
f
f
v
u
v
u
| |u f k =
| | | | | || || | | | | |
1
, ,
T T
= = = R R R k R K K U F
Local coordinates
Global coordinates
Element nodal forces and displacements in
local coordinates
Element stiffness matrix
in local coordinates (extended)
Element stiffness matrix
in global coordinates
Element nodal forces and displacements
in global coordinates
20
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (1); Element coords.
Element stiffness matrix in global coordinates

| | | || || |
(
(
(
(
(

= =

u u u u u u
u u u u u u
u u u u u u
u u u u u u
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2
1
sin sin cos sin sin cos
sin cos cos sin cos cos
sin sin cos sin sin cos
sin cos cos sin cos cos
L
EA
R k R K
(10)
21
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (2); Structure matrix
Element and nodal numbering

Element
number
1
2
3
Node number
1
2
3
| |
(
(
(
(

=
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
1
L
EA
K
| |
(
(
(
(

=
1 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
1 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
3
L
EA
K
45
90
L m
| |
(
(
(
(
(

=
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
2 L
EA
K
P [kN]
22
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (2); Structure matrix
Create Structure stiffness matrix
from element stiffness matrices

(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

3
3
1
1
3
3
1
1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

3
3
2
2
1
1
3
3
2
2
1
1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
Z
X
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
z
x
1,3 1,1
3,1
3,3
23
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

3
3
2
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
3
3
2
2
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
Assembling issue (2); Structure matrix
2,3 2,2
3,2
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

3
3
2
2
1
1
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
0 0
1 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
Z
X
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
z
x
3,3
24
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+
+

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

3
3
2
2
1
1
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
0 0
0 0 1 0 1 0
0 1 0 0 0 1
Z
X
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
z
x
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
1 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
1 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
Assembling issue (2); Structure matrix
2,1
1,1
2,1
2,2
25
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
bb ba
ab aa
k k b
k k a
b a
Assembling issue (2); Structure matrix
0 0
0
0 0





bb ba
ab aa
k k b
k k a
b a
ith Elements
Stiffness Matrix with
Node numbers a and b
a
b
i
ith Element
ith Element in Structure
Stiffness Matrix with
Node numbers a and b
26
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+
+

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

3
3
2
2
1
1
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
0 0
0 0 1 0 1 0
0 1 0 0 0 1
Z
X
Z
X
Z
X
F
F
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
z
x
Assembling issue (2); Structure matrix
Structure stiffness matrix
vector of nodal displacements

vector of nodal forces
| |
s s s
U F K =
27
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (3); Supports
How to deal with the problem of supports (restraints) ?
These are nodes where the displacements are known, zero in
the perfectly rigid support case.

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+
+

=
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

3
3
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
0 0
0 0 1 0 1 0
0 1 0 0 0 1
0
Z
X
P
F
F
F
F
L
EA
z
x
z
x
known applied nodal loads P
unknown nodal
Displacements A
unknown
support
Reactions
R
known
support
Displacements
A
s

28
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Assembling issue (3); Supports
This system of equations needs to be partitioned to determine
the unknown nodal displacements and support reactions.

| | | |
| | | |
(

A
A
(

=
(

s
K K
K K
P
R
22 21
12 11
| | | |
| | | |A + A =
A + A =
22 21
12 11
K K P
K K R
s
s
| |
(

=
(

+
= = A =
(

2 2 1
1
1
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
1
22
3
3
0
1
EA
PL
EA
L
P
P K
Z
X
| |
(
(
(
(

=
(

(
(
(
(

= A =
(
(
(
(

P
P
P
K
F
F
F
F
EA
PL
L
EA
z
x
z
x
0 0 0
0 1
2 2 1
1
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
12
2
2
1
1
Determine
nodal
displacements
Determine
support
reactions
| | | | ( )
s
K P K A = A

21
1
22
Solve system of algebraic equations
key numerical process
29
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Finishing off; calculate element
internal stresses, strains and actions.
Calc. nodal displacements in local coordinates, eqn (9)




Calc. element strains, equation (4)

( ) | | | |
EA
P
u x
EA
PL
L L
=
(

= =
0
1 1
B c
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

2
2
1
1
1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1
2 2 1
1
0
0
v
u
v
u
EA
PL
For
Element 1
(

=
(

EA
PL
u
u 0
2
1
Negative sign indicates
Compression

For
Element 1
30
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Finishing off; calculate element
stresses, strains and actions.
Calc. element stresses, equation (5)



Calc. element axial forces



( ) ( )
A
P
x E x = = c o
Negative sign indicates
Compression

( ) ( ) P A x x F = =o
For
Element 1
For
Element 1
31
Dr Nick. A. Alexander, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol
Summary of FEA
Divide complex structure into
many finite elements
connected at nodes
Compute
Element Stiffness
Matrices (global Coords.)
Assemble
Structure Stiffness Matrix
and applied load vector
Introduce Supports
(partitioning)
Solve partitioned system
determine reactions and
nodal displacements
Compute element
nodal displacements
in local coords
Compute element internal
stresses, strains and actions
*
* key numerical process