AE-308 Finite Element Method

Problems on Solid Mechanics Shashank Agrawal

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Ettimadai, Coimbatore (TN)

January 27, 2011

Applications of FEM

We will be dealing with mainly following applications of FEM

Sructural applications Fluid mechanics applications Applications on heat transfer problems

Structural Applications of FEM

Types of structural problems

Statics problems Dynamics problems Strength of material problems or solid mechanics problems.

Statics and dynamics problems consider the eect of external forces only Strength of material problems consider eect of internal stresses. All of these types of problems are governed by applying Newtons second law and can be solved using FEM In this part, we will be dealing with solid mechanics problems Method of solving
Dierential equation approach (RDX method) Rayleigh-Ritz method, using PSTP

Solid Mechanics problems

Nature of the problems

Load applied to an elastic or deformable material to determine the stresses, strains and deections of dierent points inside the body Geometrical constraints should be satised Boundary conditions should be satised The nal solution has to be a continuous solution If deections are eld variable then
strains are obtained by taking the derivative i.e. high accuracy w.r.t. rst and second (bending moment) derivatives is needed also third derivative (shear force) if needed

Formulation of the problem

Variables involved
three displacements (u(x,y,z), v(x,y,z), w(x,y,z)) six strains (three normal strains, x , y , z ) and three shear strains (xy , yz , zx ) six stresses (x , y , z , xy , yz , zx )

Constants
E, G, .....for isotropic material all the stines or compliance matrix coecients if the material is not isotropic density, if it is a dynamics problem or body forces are involved

Formulation of the problem

Forces
Body forces, surface forces, concentrated forces Externally applied moments, moments due to above forces

Equations
all the equations are obtained by applying Newton's second law of motion Equations for external equilibrium of the system Equations for internal equilibrium of the system Boundary conditions Stress-strain relationships (Hooke's Law) Compatibility equations

Solutions should satisfy all the above equations

Governing Equations

Plane stress problem Plane strain problem Mohr's circle Principal stresses and principal strains Equations of equilibrium (for two dimensional problems)
these equations are to be satised throughout the volume of the material X and Y denote the body forces acting per unit volume
xy x + +X =0 x y y xy + +Y =0 y x

Governing Equations

Boundary Conditions
and Y are the components of the surface forces acting on X the surface of the body i.e. at the boundary, then

= l x + mxy X = my + l xy Y

l and m denote the direcion cosines of the normal N at the boundary.

Governing Equations

Compatibility equations

Above set of equations are not sucient for the determination of the stresses its a statically indeterminate problem to obtain the solution, elastic deformation of the body has to be considered.
x y

u x v = y

xy =

u and v cannot be taken arbitrarily and there exists a denite relationship between strain components as well
2 y 2 xy 2 x + = y 2 x 2 x y

u v + y x

above equation is the condition of compatibility.

Compatibility equations: plane stress case

Considering the case of plane stress distribution, we have

x

= =

1 ( y ) E x 1 ( x ) E y

xy =

1 2(1 + ) = xy G xy E

Compatibility equations: plane stress case

substituting above stress-strain relations for plane stress case, we get following
2 xy 2 2 ( ) + ( ) = 2 ( 1 + ) x y y x y 2 x 2 x y

Combining these compatibility equations with equilibrium equations gives us:

( 2 2 X Y + )(x + y ) = (1 + )( + ) 2 2 x y x y

Compatibility equations: plane strain case

Considering the case of plane strain

z = (x + y )

From Hooke's law,

x

= =

1 [(1 2 )x (1 + )y ] E 1 [(1 2 )y (1 + )x ] E
xy =

Substituting these relations for plane strain case in the compatibility equations,
And combining equations of equilibrium as before, we get following:
( 2 2 1 X Y + 2 )(x + y ) = ( + ) 2 x y (1 ) x y

2(1 + ) xy E

Overall set of equations

For a two dimensional problem, the following equations need to be solved:

If body forces are constant and weight of the body is the only body force acting
xy x + =0 x y y xy + + g = 0 y x ( 2 2 + )(x + y ) = 0 x 2 y 2

To these equations, boundary conditions have to be added.

Stress function

These equations are usually solved by introducing a stress function as follows:

x = y = 2 gy y 2 2 gy x 2 2 x y

xy =

hence, for any (x , y ), both of the equilibrium conditions are satised substituting these relations into the compatibility equations, gives us the following equation
4 4 4 + 2 + =0 x 4 x 2y 2 y 4

Hence when body force is the only force acting, solution of above equation will give all the stresses, strains and deections