Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University

CE5601 Nonlinear Structural

Analysis & Finite Element Method

CE5010 Structural Design and FEA

Dr Zhaohui Huang
September 2015

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University

Introduction

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Basic concept of Finite element method

The basic idea in the finite element method is to find the solution of a
complicated problem by replacing it by a simpler one. Since the actual
problem is replaced by a simpler one in finding the solution, we will be
able to find only an approximate solution rather than the exact solution.
In the finite element method, the solution region is considered as built up
of many small, interconnected subregions called finite elements. In each
piece or element, a convenient approximate solution is assumed and the
conditions of overall equilibrium of the structure are derived. The
satisfaction of these conditions will yield an approximate solution for the
displacements and stresses.

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University

Engineering applications of FE method

1. Civil engineering structures;
2. Aircraft structures;
3. Heat conduction;
4. Geomechanics;
5. Hydraulic and water resources engineering, hydrodynamics;
6. Nuclear engineering;
7. Biomedical design;
8. Electrical machines and electromagnetics, and so on.

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University

General description of the FE method

In the finite element method,
the actual continuum or body of
matter, such as a solid, liquid,
or gas, is represented as an
assemblage of subdivisions
called finite elements.
These elements are considered to be interconnected at specified joints
called nodes or nodal points. The nodes usually lie on the element
boundaries where adjacent elements are considered to be connected.
Since the actual variation of the field variable (e.g., displacement, stress,
temperature, pressure, or velocity) inside the continuum is not known,
we assume that the variation of the field variables inside a finite element
can be approximated by a simple function. These approximating
functions (also called interpolation models) are defined in terms of the
values of the field variables at the nodes.

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General description of the FE method

When field equations (like
equilibrium equations) for the
whole continuum are written, the
new unknowns will be the nodal
values of the field variable. By
solving the finite element
equations, which are generally in
the form of matrix equations, the
nodal values of the field variable
will be known.
Once these are know, the approximating functions define the field
variable throughout the assemblage of elements.
The solution of a general continuum problem by the finite element
method always follows an orderly step-by-step process.

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Composite frame building

Beams

Floor slabs

Connections

Columns

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Beam elements
Slab elements
1.

Stress and Strain

Connection elements
Column elements
A composite steel-framed building can be modelled as an assembly
of finite beam, column, connection and slab elements. It is assumed
that the nodes of these different types of element are defined in a
common reference plane that is assumed to coincide with the midsurface of the concrete slab element.

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University

The step-by-step FE procedure for static

structural problem
Step 1: Divide structure into discrete
elements (discretization);
Step 2: Select a proper interpolation or
displacement model;
Step 3: Derive element stiffness
matrices and load vectors;
Step 4: Assemble element equations to
obtain the overall equilibrium equations.
Step 5: Solve for the unknown nodal
displacements;
Step 6: Compute element strains and
stresses.

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Part I
Introduction to Theory of Finite Elements

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Chapter 1
Basic Theory of Continuum Mechanics

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The stress
The Traction vector

Fig. 1.1 Deformable body under combined loading.

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The stress
Consider now an arbitrary plane that divides the volume V in
two distinct volumes V1 and V2. Since V1 and V2 are in reality
in contact, a set of equal and opposite forces, F + and F
respectively, must exist that holds them together.
Considering that this force is uniformly distributed along the
surface of the section cut, the equivalent pressure load can
be defined as:

F
p
S

(1.1)

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The stress
Assumption: In Continuum Mechanics, the internal force of a
deformable body is considered uniformly distributed along an
arbitrary section cut. No assumption is made on the size of
volume V, therefore the concepts discussed can be assumed
to apply for an arbitrarily small volume V such that the
deformable body degenerates to a single material point.
However, as volume V decreases so does the surface of the
assumed slice S +. Thus, the pressure measure introduced in
equation (1.1) cannot be mathematically sound.

F
p
S

(1.1)

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The traction vector

Definition 1.1. The traction vector is defined as the limit
of the pressure load applied over a surface, as this
surface contracts to a material point (therefore tending to
a very small value equal to ).

F
T lim
S S

(1.2)

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The stress tensor

The Traction vector has been defined
as the limiting value of a force
measure over the value of an arbitrary
surface, as the latter tends to zero.
Instead of defining Traction in terms of
arbitrary surfaces, Cauchy introduced
the concept of stress.
Cauchy proved that the Traction
vector can be decomposed in a
set of nine perpendicular
components that bare certain
mathematical properties.

Fig. 1.2 Components of the stress tensor.

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The stress tensor

These nine components are
the components of the so
called stress tensor . Without
loss of generality, these can be
defined on the three positive
surfaces (i.e. the surfaces
whose outward normal vector
points to the positive axis) as
presented in Fig. 1.2.

Fig. 1.2 Components of the stress tensor.

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The stress tensor

The stress tensor is written in matrix
form as:

xx

yx

zx

xy

xz

yy

yz

zy

zz

(1.3)

Fig. 1.2 Components of the stress tensor.

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The stress tensor

Cauchy also proved by means of the
Principle of conservation of Linear
Momentum that for the cube in Fig. 1.2 to
be in equilibrium, the following symmetry
conditions must hold:

xy yx
xz zx
yz zy

(1.4)

Fig. 1.2 Components of the stress tensor.

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University

The stress tensor

Therefore, the more convenient
vectorial notation of the stress
tensor is implemented and will
be adopted in these notes

xx

yy

zz

xy

yz
xz

(1.5)

Fig. 1.2 Components of the stress tensor.

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The strain tensor

Similarly to the definition of the stress tensor, the strain
tensor is defined on the grounds of the following matrix
form:

xx

yx

zx

xy

xz

yy

yz

zy

zz

(1.6)

where again the following symmetry conditions hold:

xy yx
xz zx
yz zy

(1.7)

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The engineering notation of strains

In Finite Elements theory, rather than using the matrix form
introduced above, the so called engineering notation of
strains is implemented.
In this, the shear strains xy , xz , yz are substituted with
their engineering counterparts xy , xz , yz .
Between the two, the following relations hold:

xy 2 xy
xz 2 xz
yz 2 yz

(1.8)

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The engineering notation of strains

Accordingly, the following vector notation of the strain
tensor is used throughout these notes

xx

yy

zz

xy

yz
xz

(1.9)

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Compatibility Equations
The compatibility equations of the theory of Continuum Mechanics are
geometric relations that define the evolution of strains as a function of the
displacements imposed into a deformable body. In the general case of Large
Displacements the compatibility equations assume the following form:
ux 1
xx

x 2

ux
uy

1
yy

y 2

uz 1 ux

zz

z 2 z

ux u y

xy

u y uz

yz

z y

uy

uz ux

x
z

zx

ux
x
ux
y

ux ux u y u y uz uz

x
z x

2
uz

2
uz

2
2
uy
uz


z
z
ux u y u y uz uz

y x y
x y
ux u y u y uz uz

z y z
y z

ux
uy

1.10

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Compatibility Equations
Relation (1.10) is written in the following vector form:

1.11

where {e} will be herein defined as the linear part of the

strain vector whereas {} will be the nonlinear component
of the deformation vector.

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Small Displacements
According to the Small Displacement
assumption, the contribution of {} in
equations (1.10), i.e. the nonlinear part
of the deformation, is neglected leading
to the following compatibility relations:

Depending on the assumption

introduced (Large or Small
Displacements) for the Finite Element
formulation, equations (1.10) or (1.12)
will be used to derive the corresponding
Finite Element strain-displacement
matrix.

xx
yy

ux
x
uy

y
u
zz z
z

(1.12)

ux u y
xy

y x

u y uz
yz

z y

uz ux
zx

x z

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The Principle of Virtual

Work

Consider the case of a deformable body of volume V and surface S.

The body is deforming under the impact of body loads (i.e.
gravitational loads) B and surface tractions TS. The work produced by
these, external, forces over a virtual displacement component u is
evaluated through the following expression:

Wext Bx u x B y u y Bz u z dV TSx u x TSy u y TSz u z ds

V

(1.13)

Equation (1.13) is conveniently written in the following compact form:

Wext Bi ui dV TSi ui ds
V

i x, y , z

(1.14)

where the Einstein summation convention is used (e.g. a summation

is assumed over all indices that appear twice in a product).

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The Principle of Virtual

Work

Using Cauchys principle, the work done by the traction forces is

written as:

T u ds
S

Si

ij

v j ui ds

1.15

Applying the Gaussian Integral theorem on the surface integral of

the r.h.s of equation (1.15), the following relation is established:

ij

v j ui ds ij ui dV
V

,j

(1.16)

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The Principle of Virtual

Work
Combining equations (1.15) and (1.16) and substituting into
equation (1.14), the following relation is derived:

Wext Bi ui dV ij ui , j dV
V

(1.17)

or, after some algebraic manipulation

Wext Bi ij , j ui dV ij ui , j dV
V

(1.18)

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The Principle of Virtual

Work

According to the theory of Continuum Mechanics, a variation on the

displacement field ui of a deformable
body gives rise to a strain field
.
while at the same time to body rotates as a rigid formation.
That is, the theory of Continuum Mechanics assumes that the
effect of variation of the displacement field is expressed through
the following set of compatibility equations

ui , j ui , j ij ij ij ij

i , j x, y , z

where: ij is the i j component of the strain tensor

ij

is the i j component of the rotation tensor .

(1.19)

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The Principle of Virtual

Work

Since rotations are rigid body motions (e.g. they do not result
into stresses within the deformable body) the work produced over a
rotation component ij is equal to zero and therefore

ij ui , j ij ij

(1.20)

Substituting relation (1.20) into relation (1.18) the following

equation is derived

Wext Bi ij , j ui dV ij ij dV
V

(1.21)

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The Principle of Virtual

Work

Since the deformable body is under equilibrium the following

relation holds

Bi ij , j 0

(1.22)

and therefore equation (1.21) reduces to

Wext ij ij dV
V

(1.23)

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The Principle of Virtual

Work

Combining equations (1.14) and (1.23) the following relation is derived

ij

ij dV Bi ui dV TSi ui ds

The work produced by

the internal stress field
over the strain field (e.g.
the internal work of the
deformable body)

(1.24)

The work produced from the

external forces over an external
and virtual displacement field

This is the Principle of Virtual Work for a

deformable body.

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The Principle of Virtual

Work
The principle of Virtual work, as expressed from equation
(1.24) holds provided the following assumptions are valid:
1. The field of virtual displacements u does not violate
any kinematical assumptions. That is, it does not
violate
the boundary conditions of the problem. Then and only then,
the compatibility equations defined in
relation (1.19) are
valid.
2. The externally applied forces B and TS provide a
statically
accepted system of forces. That is, the deformable body under the
effect of such forces is under equilibrium.
Then, and only then,
relation (1.22) holds.