Finite element Analysis for

Engineers

By
Rajashekar Kailash,
Graduate Engineer,
Rail Solutions
Overview
1. Introduction
2. Numerical Methods
3. General Description
4. Advantages of FEA
5. Step by Step procedure in FEA
6. Convergence
7. Limitations of FEA
Numerical Methods
 Structural analysis is formulated on the three fundamental relations.
1. Equilibrium
2. Constitutive
3. Compatibility
 Analytical approach is effective in case of simple geometry, boundary conditions,
loadings and material properties.
 Various numerical methods have evolved for solving such complex problems.
 For numerical approach, the solutions will be approximate when any of these
relations are only approximately satisfied.
 Commonly used numerical methods are Finite Element method, Finite Difference
Method, Finite Volume Method, Boundary Element Method, Extended Finite
element method, Mesh free method…
Introduction
 Numerical technique to find approximate solutions of complex elasticity and
structural analysis.
 Originated as a method of stress analysis in the design of aircrafts.
 All the complexities, like varying shape, boundary conditions and loads are
considered.
 A number of popular brand of finite element analysis packages are now available
commercially.
 Not only for the analysis in solid mechanics, but even in several other domains
like fluid flow, heat transfer.
General Description
 Field variables or Basic unknowns describe the behavior of the entire structure.
 Displacements in solid mechanics, velocities in fluid mechanics and temperatures
in heat flow problems
 FEM reduces the infinite field variables to a finite number by dividing the entire
system into small parts called elements.
 Expresses the unknown field variables in terms of assumed approximating
functions.
 Approximating functions are defined in terms of field variables of specified points
called nodes.
 Thus in the finite element method, the unknowns are the field variables
(displacements) of the nodal points.
Advantages of FEA
 Solutions can be obtained for all problems unlike classical methods.
 It can take acre of any geometry, boundary conditions, material properties, loading
conditions.
 Effective in solving problems involving anisotropic materials, composites and non
linearity.
 Superior to other methods.
 Enables computer programming.
Steps in FEM
1. Discretization of the continuum
 Most important step in the finite element method.
 Process of modeling a structure using suitable number, shape and size of the
elements.
 Should be good enough to depict the actual behavior.
 As to be such that the results converge to the true solution, if any. Ex. - Too fine
mesh will lead to extra computational effort.

Discretization by Triangular and Quadrilateral Mesh

Steps in FEM (Contd.)
 Should be done in such a way that there should be nodes present at these
locations of discontinuities to capture its effect.

Geometric Discontinuity

Loading Discontinuity

Material Discontinuity
Boundary Discontinuity
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
 Should be refined in the following situations
1. Curved Geometry
2. High stress gradients.
 Gives approximate solutions, lower bound values.
 It is desirable that as the is refined, the solution
converges to a particular value. Refined Mesh at the Boundaries

 Shape of the element also affects the accuracy of analysis.

 Defining the aspect ratio as ratio of largest to smallest size in an element.
 Research has sown that the aspect ratio should be as close to unity as possible.
Steps in FEM (Contd.)

Effect of Aspect ratio on the accuracy of result

Steps in FEM (Contd.)
2. Choice of approximating functions
 At each node, unknown displacements are to be identified as these are the
basic unknowns.
 Displacement function is the starting point of the mathematical analysis.
 May be approximated in the form a linear function or a higher-order function.
 Generally expressed as polynomial expressions.
Convergence Requirements
1. The displacement function must be continuous within the elements.
2. Should include the rigid body displacements of the element.
3. Displacement should be compatible between adjacent elements.
4. Displacement model should be independent of the orientation of the local
coordinate system.
 All these criteria are met by using complete polynomial functions by Pascal’s
Triangle.
Steps in FEM (Contd.)

Pascal’s Triangle
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
Determination of shape functions
 Aim is to find the field variables at nodal points.
 Relates the field variable at any point within the element to the field variables of
nodal points.

Shape functions for a Bar Element

Steps in FEM (Contd.)
3. Formation of the elemental matrices
 In assembling the element stiffness equation, [k] {δ } = {F}, the first step is to
derive the expression for element stiffness property and nodal force vector.
 Variational formulation is the generalized method using the variational principle of
solid mechanics.
Element Stiffness matrix for a Bar Element
Steps in FEM (Contd.)

Equivalent Loading on an Element

 Necessary for the external loads to be acting at the joints, which does not happen
always.
 Should be replaced by equivalent loads acting at the joints.
Steps in FEM (Contd.)

 For the case of uniformly distributed load, the equivalent load is given by
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
4. Formation of the global matrices
 Local stiffness and mass matrices are assembled to form the respective global
matrices.
 Assembly is done through the nodes which are common to adjacent elements.
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
1 2 3 4 5 6
1

6
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
5. Assigning Loads and Boundary Conditions
 Applied loads are assigned to the corresponding nodes in the load matrix.
 Boundary restraints are imposed in the displacement matrix to the corresponding
degrees of freedom.

6. Solution of simultaneous equations

 Stiffness matrix is inverted to find the unknown displacements.
 Special mathematical techniques are used to make the operation efficient.
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
7. Post Processing
 Nodal displacements are used for the calculation of stresses or stress-resultants.
 Using strain-displacement relation and then stress-strain relation, the stress at the
element level are derived.
 In Isoparametric formulation, the stresses are calculated at the Gauss points.
 Have to be extrapolated to the corresponding nodes of the element.
 Stress at a particular node joining more than one element will have different
magnitude as calculated from adjacent elements.
 Stress resultants are then modified by finding the average of resultants.
Steps in FEM (Contd.)
8. Convergence
 After the analysis, how do we know that the results that we get are correct ?
 The two available methods are the P-method and the H-method.
 Many small elements are used in H-method.
 Special care should be taken at the locations of high stress gradients.
 Large elements and complex shape functions are used in P-method.
 Visualized by plotting one solution variable over the iterations that have been run.
 Best variable to use is the strain energy. This will provide the smoothest
convergence plots.

Variable

Polynomial / Mesh size

Limitations of FEA
 Every physical problem is formulated by simplifying certain assumptions.
 The results will be erroneous if any mistake occurs in the input data.
 The accuracy depends to a great extent on the mesh grading of the continuum.
 Improper selection of shape of the element will lead to a considerable error in the
solution.
 During arithmetic operations, the numbers would be constantly round-off to some
fixed working length.
 Finally, one must remember that structural behaviour is not dictated by the
computer programs.
Case Study
 Every physical problem is formulated by simplifying certain assumptions.