CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & COMPUTER SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
MECH 460- FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND OUTLINE -WINTER 2015
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. R. Sedaghati, Professor
Office: EV04-125, Tel: 848-2424 (ext. 7971)
Email: ramin.sedaghati@concordia.ca
Office hours: Wednesdays 15:00 17:00

LECTURES:

Monday and Wednesday,

Time: 13:15 -14:30 Room: MB-2.430

LABORATORY:
3 hours/week (alternate weeks)-Please see lab schedule
Section TI, Monday 10:20-13:05

Lab Instructor: Hamidrezsa Yazdani, (E-mail: h_yazd@encs.concordia.ca)

Section TJ, Monday 10:20-13:05
Section TK, Wednesday 14:45-17:30

Lab Instructor: Alireza Gorjipoor, (E-mail: a_gorjip@encs.concordia.ca)

TEXTBOOK (MANADATORY):

A First Course in the Finite Element Method,

Daryl L. Logan, CL-Engineering, Fifth SI Edition, 2012.

OBJECTIVES:
This course should lead to a sound understanding of the fundamentals underlying the
theoretical aspects of the FINITE ELEMENT METHOD, and of the way the basic concepts are
employed in the analysis of engineering problems. The ability of the students to apply the
concepts involved in this field will be developed and it will be enhanced through adequate
training in the solution of representative simple problems. Commercial software packages
currently used in industry for design purposes will be introduced and students should
become familiar with their utilization. Course tests will assess mainly the students
understanding of the theory and their skill in solving simple problems.

COURSE GRADING:
The course grade will be based on:
Labs (20%)
Midterm exam (open book) (25%)
Final exam (open book) (55%).

Wednesday March 11, 2015.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
1- Midterm is optional. There will be no make up test for the midterm. Students who miss
the test would write the final for 80%.
2- Attendance in all labs is mandatory.

3- The expectation of originality form must be signed and submitted to the instructor at the
beginning of the semester. You must also write the following statement on each piece of
work that you submit: I certify that this submission is my original work and meets the
facultys expectation of originality, with your signature, I.D., and the date.
4-In order to pass the course, you have to obtain at least 50% of mark from the Final
Exam.
5- Electronic communication devices (including cell phones) are not allowed in examination
rooms.
6- Only "Faculty Approved Calculators" will be allowed in examination rooms.
7- In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University's control, the content
and/or evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change
COURSE OUTLINE:
1. Introduction
Historical Background and the Basic Concept of the Finite Element Method.
2. Introduction to the Stiffness or Displacement Method
System Stiffness Equation. Definition of Stiffness Matrix. Unit Displacement Method.
Potential Energy Approach (Castiglianos method).
3. Computer Implementation of the Stiffness Equations
From Element Equations to System Equations. Compatibility and Equilibrium Equations.
Assembly Process. Boundary Conditions.
4. Development of Truss Element
Developing a Truss Stiffness Equation. Element and Global Coordinate Systems. Global
Stiffness Matrix and its Form. Boundary and Especial Boundary Conditions. Truss Element in
3D Space.
5. Development of Beam Element
Developing Beam Stiffness Equation. Driving Beam Element with Combined Bending and
Stretch actions. 3D Beam Element. Element and Global Reference Axes. Global Stiffness
Matrix in 2D and 3D Beam Element.
6. Derivation of Element Equations from Virtual Work
Virtual Work of Internal and External Forces. Stress Strain Relations. Shape Functions.
Derivation of Stiffness and Mass Matrix using Virtual work. Equivalent Nodal Force Vectors
due to Surface Forces, Body forces, Initial Stress and Initial Strains. Thermal and Modal
Analysis. Beam Element with a Nodal Hinge.
7. Two-Dimensional Elements
Plane stress and Plane Strain Equations. Shape functions. Stiffness and Mass Matrices.
Treatment of Body Forces, Surface Forces and Thermal Strains. Finite Element Solution of a
Plane Stress Problem.
8. Weighted Residual Methods
Basic Functions. Residual and Error. Method of Moments. Galerkin Method. Least Squares
Method. Collocation Method. Boundary Value Problems. Satisfaction of the Natural Boundary
Conditions. Indirect Satisfaction of the Natural Boundary Conditions.
9. Non-structural Problems
Derivation of the Basic Differential Equation. One Dimensional Finite Element Formulation
using Galerkin weighted residual method. Finite Element Model for Heat Transfer with
Convection.