SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL

AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Assignment 1 - FE Fundamentals
Lunar Lander Leg Analysis
by

Minh Nguyen Vo Nhat

Student ID:

z5026422

Faculty of Engineering
March 2015

Table of Contents
1.1. Problems.......................................................................................2
1.2. Researchs Purporse........................................................................2
2.1. Theoretical model.............................................................................3
2.2. Prototype........................................................................................6

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1.

Problems

We have the lander as in Figure 1. The intermediate transverse support

struts form equilateral triangles which are evenly spaced along the truss. All
tubing can be assumed to be 25x1.6 CHS 6060T5 aluminium. The properties
of this material is in Table 1

Figure 1. Theoretical model of the MTAS

Density

2700 Kg/m2

Ultimate Tensile Stress

186 MPa

Yield Tensile Stress

145 MPa

Poissons ratio

0.33

Youngs Modulus of Elasticity

68.9 GPa

The task is analysing one of the lander legs to determine the allowable force,
which can withstand when it impacts the ground
2. METHODOLOGY

This section was separated into three subsections: hand calculation, FE

approach by MATLab and FE approach by advanced FEA solver, which is
ANSYS. Then the result would be compared to validation.
There are some assumptions:
a. The joints are pinned joints, which means there are no bending moments.
b. Not consider with the mass of truss.
2.1.

Hand calculation

Method of joints was used.

1.clc;
2.clear;
3.symsa;
4.%Definecoordinatorofpoints
5.Co=[100000;748.52348.100;666.67266.6766.67;666.67
266.6766.67;497.05696.220;333.33533.33133.33;333.33
533.33133.33;245.571044.320;0800200;0800200]
6.i=1;
7.j=1;
8.k=1;
9.%Calculatethelengthofelement
10.whilei<=10;
11.j=1;
12.whilej<=10;
13.k=1;
14.whilek<=3;
15.F(i,j,k)=Co(j,k)Co(i,k);
16.k=k+1;
17.end
18.j=j+1;
19.end
20.i=i+1;
21.end
22.i=1;
23.%Calculatesin(alpha);sin(beta);sin(gamma)
24.whilei<=10;
25.j=1;
26.whilej<=10;

27.k=1;
28.Fx(i,j)=F(i,j,1)/((F(i,j,1))^2+(F(i,j,2))^2+
(F(i,j,3))^2)^(1/2);
29.Fy(i,j)=F(i,j,2)/((F(i,j,1))^2+(F(i,j,2))^2+
(F(i,j,3))^2)^(1/2);
30.Fz(i,j)=F(i,j,3)/((F(i,j,1))^2+(F(i,j,2))^2+
(F(i,j,3))^2)^(1/2);
31.j=j+1;
32.end
33.i=i+1;
34.end
35.%Definethecoefficiencymatrix
36.Fmat=[120000000000
37.120000000000
38.102100000000
39.102100000000
40.011011100000
41.011011100000
42.011011100000
43.000102021200
44.000102021200
45.000000110011
46.000000110011
47.000000110011];
48.
49.Fxfilter=[Fx(1,2),Fx(1,3),Fx(2,3),Fx(2,5),Fx(3,4),Fx(3,5
),Fx(3,6),Fx(5,6),Fx(5,8),Fx(5,9),Fx(6,7),Fx(6,9)];
50.Fyfilter=[Fy(1,2),Fy(1,3),Fy(2,3),Fy(2,5),Fy(3,4),Fy(3,5
),Fy(3,6),Fy(5,6),Fy(5,8),Fy(5,9),Fy(6,7),Fy(6,9)];
51.Fzfilter=[Fz(1,2),Fz(1,3),Fz(2,3),Fz(2,5),Fz(3,4),Fz(3,5
),Fz(3,6),Fz(5,6),Fz(5,8),Fz(5,9),Fz(6,7),Fz(6,9)];
52.Fcomp=[Fxfilter;Fyfilter;Fxfilter;Fyfilter;Fxfilter;Fyfi
lter;Fzfilter;Fxfilter;Fyfilter;Fxfilter;Fyfilter;Fzfilter]
;
53.i=1;
54.whilei<=12;
55.j=1;
56.whilej<=12;
57.A(i,j)=Fmat(i,j)*Fcomp(i,j);
58.j=j+1;
59.end
60.i=i+1;
61.end
62.B=[0a0000000000];
63.B=transpose(B)
64.x=inv(A)*B;
65.vpa(x,5)

1.1. Full FE approach by MATLAB

1.1.1.

FEM for 3D bar

Based on the lecture given in our class, there are 3 displacements of 3

dimensions xyz of each two node i,j for each element, which first 3 is belong
to first node and the rest is belong to last node of the element which is:
(

(2.1)

The elemental stiffness matrix for global stiffness matrix assemble was
given by

(2.2)

Where Lij and l,m,n was given by:

And for the forces there are 3 component forces of 3 dimensions xyz of
each two node i,j for each element, which first 3 is belong to first node and
the rest is belong to last node of the element which is:
(2.2)
After that, solving this linear equations in matrix form

(2.3)
When the solution is accquired, lets find elemental force for each member.

(2.4)

With Hookes law, stresses can be calculated by:

(2.5)

1.1.2.

MATLAB coding
1.clc;
2.clear;
3.symsab;
4.%Addnnodesbyanx3matrixofcoordinator
5.node=[100000;748.52348.100;666.67266.6766.67;666.67
266.6766.67;497.05696.220;333.33533.33133.33;333.33533.33
133.33;245.571044.320;0800200;0800200];
6.numnode=size(node,1);
7.%Addmelementsbymx2matrixcontenttwonodesofthe
element
8.ele=[12;13;14;23;24;25;34;35;36;45;47;56;57;5
8;59;510;67;69;710;89;810;910];
9.numele=size(ele,1);
10.%Setmaterialproperties
11.E=68.9E6;
12.%Setcrosssection
13.r1=25;
14.r2=251.6;
15.A=pi*(r1^2r2^2);
16.%Findthelengthofelementofeachtwonodes
17.fori=1:numnode
18.forj=1:numnode
19.L(i,j)=sqrt((node(i,1)node(j,1))^2+
(node(i,2)node(j,2))^2+(node(i,3)node(j,3))^2);
20.end
21.end
22.
23.%Calculatethestiffnessmatrix
24.Stiff=zeros(3*numnode,3*numnode);
25.fori=1:numele
26.forj=1:numnode
27.ifele(i,1)==j
28.j;
29.ele(i,2);
30.L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
31.l=(node(ele(i,2),1)
node(ele(i,1),1))/L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
32.m=(node(ele(i,2),2)
node(ele(i,1),2))/L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
33.n=(node(ele(i,2),3)
node(ele(i,1),3))/L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
34.matN=[l^2l*ml*nl^2l*ml*n;l*mm^2m*n
l*mm^2m*n;l*nn*mn*nl*nn*mn*n;l^2l*ml*nl^2
l*ml*n;l*mm^2m*nl*mm^2m*n;l*nn*mn*nl*nn*m
n*n];
35.K=E*(A/L(ele(i,1),ele(i,2)))*matN;
36.Ki(:,:,i)=K;
37.%Assembleelementalmatrixtoglobalmatrixby
addingup
38.fork=1:3
39.forh=1:3
40.Stiff(3*(ele(i,1)1)+k,3*(ele(i,1)

1)+h)=Stiff(3*(ele(i,1)1)+k,3*(ele(i,1)1)+h)+K(k,h);
41.Stiff(3*(ele(i,2)1)+k,3*(ele(i,2)
1)+h)=Stiff(3*(ele(i,2)1)+k,3*(ele(i,2)1)+h)+K(3+k,3+h);
42.Stiff(3*(ele(i,1)1)+k,3*(ele(i,2)
1)+h)=Stiff(3*(ele(i,1)1)+k,3*(ele(i,2)1)+h)+K(k,3+h);
43.Stiff(3*(ele(i,2)1)+k,3*(ele(i,1)
1)+h)=Stiff(3*(ele(i,2)1)+k,3*(ele(i,1)1)+h)+K(3+k,h);
44.end
45.end
46.end
47.end
48.
49.end
50.%Applyingboundarycondition,wetrimthematrixoutofzero
rowsand
51.%columns
52.i=9;
53.whilei>=7
54.j=3;
55.whilej>=1
56.Stiff(3*i+j,:)=[];
57.Stiff(:,3*i+j)=[];
58.j=j1;
59.end
60.i=i1;
61.end
62.
63.%Applyforces,whichhavetheforceFy=aatnode1
64.fzz=transpose([0a0000000000000000000]);
65.
66.%Solvethelinearequations
67.size(fzz);
68.x=linsolve(Stiff,fzz);
69.
70.%AddBCzerodisplacementbacktoglobalsolution
71.fori=22:30
72.
73.x(i)=0;
74.x(i)=0;
75.x(i)=0;
76.
77.end
78.
79.%Calculateelementalaxialforce:
80.fori=1:numele
81.forj=1:numnode
82.ifele(i,1)==j
83.u(i,1)=x(3*ele(i,2)2)x(3*ele(i,1)2);
84.u(i,2)=x(3*ele(i,2)1)x(3*ele(i,1)1);
85.u(i,3)=x(3*ele(i,2))x(3*ele(i,1));
86.l=(node(ele(i,2),1)
node(ele(i,1),1))/L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
87.m=(node(ele(i,2),2)
node(ele(i,1),2))/L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
88.n=(node(ele(i,2),3)
node(ele(i,1),3))/L(ele(i,2),ele(i,1));
89.
F(i)=[E*(A/L(ele(i,1),ele(i,2)))]*[lm
n]*[u(i,1);u(i,2);u(i,3)];
90.[lmn]*[u(i,1);u(i,2);u(i,3)];
91.%Calculatethestress
92.Sigma(i)=F(i)/A;

93.
94.end
95.end
96.end
97.vpa(F,6)
98.vpa(Sigma,6)

1.2.
1.1.3.

Result

After running the code, with the concentrated force as a constant a, in

these element, the maximum internal stresses is -12015.208*a , which is
tension stress, and it is exactly the same as hand calculation. So the
allowance force is a

2. CONCLUSIONS

From the introduction of this paper, there were one goal set forth to be
accomplished. It was to research and develop a system which have
requirement and performance specifications for the drive train in a full sized
passenger vehicle. This goal was achieved through the use of the MATLAB
model and equations discussed in the Methodology section of the paper. The
requirements were placed into the mathematical model, while the
specifications were defined by equations to set the desired functionality of
the passenger vehicle. Additionally, the MATLAB code used all
aforementioned parameters to create a theoretical model of a single pulse of
the system and how each component would react. Within the Methodology,
the prototype designed in the project was discussed to show the governing
parameters around the modeling. After the manufacturing phase was
completed, the system was constructed and data was collected. The data
was presented in the Results chapter. Overall, this goal was nearly succeed.
Although most of the goals were satisfied, there is still plenty of research
and development left for future work. This project set the foundations for the
potential of creating a full sized drive train; however, multiple areas are
recommended for additional research and improvement.
REFERENCE
1. Nakashima, A. - The effect of vibration on human performance and health: A
review
of
recent
literature
(2004),
from
http://pubs.drdc.gc.ca/PDFS/unc48/p523433.pdf
2. SAE. - Transmission Options. Retrieved September 16, 2008, from
http://www.sae.org/automag/features/transopt/page5.htm
3. Rasmussen, Griffin - Human Body Vibration Exposure and Its Measurement
(2008) from http://www.zainea.com/body.htm
4. ANSYS, LS-DYNA User's Guide.

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