OUTLINE OF FEA AND ITS

PURPOSE
 FEA Steps
Step 1- Discretize and Select Element Types

Step 2 - Select a Displacement Function

Step 3 - Define the Strain/Displacement and Stress/Strain Relations

Step 4 - Derive the Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

Step 5 - Assemble the Element Equations and Introduce Boundary

Step 6 - Solve for the unknown Displacements/DOF

Step 7 - Solve for the Element Strains and Stresses

Step 8 - Interpret the Results

Step 1- Discretize and
Select Element Types
Step 1- Discretize and
Select Element Types

1D Element 2D Element 3D Element

Discretization
 Fem Concepts
 Node - a generalised joint
 - connection point at which equations are written
 - there are at most 6 unknowns (degrees of freedom) at a node
(3 displacements, 3 rotations)

 Element - connection between a group of nodes representing

stiffness or other properties approximately
 - interpolation of displacement between the nodal values is
used - this becomes more accurate as element size is reduced

 Reference node - an extra point used to orient the cross-section

of a beam
Elements – 1D, 2D, 3D
Other Elements
3D Solid elements

 Tetrahedron element

 Brick element

 Penta element
FE Convergence
 Numerical Approximation
· FE Model – A mathematical model of the real structure, based on many
approximations.
· Real Structure – Infinite number of nodes (physical points or particles), thus infi
number of DOF’s.
· FE Model – finite number of nodes, thus finite number of DOF’s.
· FE Model is “stiffer” than the real structure.
· In general, displacement results are smaller in magnitudes than the exact value

 Convergence test
FEM solution of displacement
provides a lower bound of the
exact solution.
Convergence – Cont’d

 Types of Refinement:
• h-refinement: reduce the size of the element (“h” refers to the typical size of
the elements);
• p-refinement: Increase the order of the polynomials on an element (linear to
quadratic, etc.; “h” refers to the highest order in a polynomial);
• r-refinement: re-arrange the nodes in the mesh;
• hp-refinement: Combination of the h- and p-refinements (better results!).

 Types of Errors:
· Modeling Error (beam, plate … theories)
· Discretization Error (finite, piecewise … )
· Numerical Error ( in solving FE equations)
Step 2 - Select a
Displacement Function
1. Choose Displacement Function within each element.

2. Functions – Linear, Quadratic and Cubic

3. Function – defined using the nodal values of the element

Step 3 - Define the
Strain/Displacement and
Stress/Strain Relationships
Step 4 - Derive the Element
Stiffness Matrix and Equations

(Rayleigh-Ritz Method) – Function

Required [ Potential Energy]

(Galerkin Method)- Governing

Equation Required
Step 5 - Assemble the
Element Equations and
Introduce Boundary conditions
 Step 6 - Solve for the
unknown Displacements/DOF

Step 7 - Solve for the Element Strains and S

Step 8 - Interpret the Results