Fourth - Order Improved Finite Difference Approach To Pure Bending Analysis of Line Continuum.

IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
FOURTH - ORDER IMPROVED FINITE DIFFERENCE APPROACH TO

PURE BENDING ANALYSIS OF LINE CONTINUUM.
O.M. Ibearugbulem1, J. C. Ezeh2, U.O. Okpara3
1, 2, 3
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
Abstract
Analytical Methods provides exact solutions which have restrictions due to their inherent difficulties. On the other hand,
Numerical methods provide approximate solution to governing differential equations. In this research, Improved Finite Difference
Method (IFDM) using Polynomial series was used to develop a finite difference pattern. The patterns were applied in analyzing
pure bending of line continuum with various boundary conditions. The results obtained from this numerical method were
compared with those from exact method to check the accuracy of the solution. The results were found to be identical and very
close to the exact results, with percentage difference ranging from 0 0.02%. Hence, Improved Finite Difference Method
provides simple and approximate solution that are close to the exact value for pure bending analysis of line continuum.
Key Words: Improved Finite Difference, Polynomial Series, Linear continuum, Numerical Methods
--------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION
The behavior of flexural linear continuum was defined by
formulating governing differential equations. These
problems were solved by means of various analytical
approaches to obtain exact solution (Chaje, 1974). Due to
their inherent difficulties, such analytical and exact solutions
have restrictions (Ibearugbulem et al., 20I3; Iyengar, 1988).
In areas of considerable practical interest, they are either
difficult or impossible to obtain. Hence, numerical methods
are engaged to obtain approximate solutions (Ugural, 1999).
Thus Finite Difference Method is regarded as a numerical
method that has its merit due to its straight forward approach
and minimum requirement on hardware.
(2)
Equation (2) is known as the First Backward Difference

Where x means grid spacing/ length of segments along
member; i means station number.
Hence, the Central Difference is given as
=
+1 1
. (3)
2. POLYNOMIAL SERIES.
Many numerical methods are based on Polynomial series
1.1 FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD

The Finite Difference Method is one of the most general
numerical techniques. It refers to the process of replacing the
partial derivatives by finite difference quotient and then
obtaining solution of resulting system of algebraic equations
(Yoo and Lee, 2011). In applying this method, the
derivatives in the governing differential equation under
consideration are replaced by differences at selected nodes.
These nodes make the finite difference mesh.
expansion which is given as a function, f(x)

= +
+1
..
Equation (4) can be re-written as

= +
..+
(1)
Equation (1) is known as the First Forward Difference and
( ) ... (4)
Where f (k) = k th derivative of the function.
The first order expansion gives the form

+
1!
2!
.. (5)
Applying equation (5) to expand the function f(x) at points

(x+1) and (x-1) yields
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Volume: 03 Issue: 02 | Feb-2014, Available @ http://www.ijret.org
579
+1 = +
3.
4 = 3 + 3 +

2
+

1!
2!
3
4
+

3!
4!

+
. . (7)
!
IMPROVED
FINITE
DIFFERENCE
FORMULATION.
For the derivation of improved derivatives, the polynomial
series is applied once the grid parts are evenly spaced.
Figure 1 schematically indicates the grid parts for central
differences.
6
y5
y4
y3
y0
y1
0 h 1
y2
h 2
h 3
h 4
h 5
h 6
Figure 1: Computational grid for finite difference

approximation
h is the grid spacing / segment length.
Taking y3 as the pivotal point and expanding the function y 3
using the series and truncating at the fourth-order derivative
yIV gave;
2
3
3 +
3
2
6
4
+
(8)
24 3

2
+
+
1!
2!
3
4
+
+
3!
4!

+
(6)
!
1 =
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
2
3
3
3
2
6
4
+
(9)
24 3
Subtracting equations (9) from equation (8) gave:
2 = 3 3 +
4 2 = 23 +
3 =
4
2
2 2
2
6
3
3
3 . That is
3 (10)
Adding equations (8) and (9) gave:

4
. That is
12 3
1
2
3 = 2 2 23 + 4
(11)
12 3
Taking differences between nodes y3 and y5 and y3 and y1
equations (8) and (9) shall give:
42
83
5 = 3 + 23 +
3 +
3
2
6
164
+
3
(12)
24
42
83
1 = 3 23 +
3
3
2
6
164
+
3
(13)
24
Subtracting equation (13) from equation (12) gives:
83
5 1 = 43 +
3
(14)
3
Adding equations (12) and (13) gives:
164
3 + 1 = 23 + 42 3 +
3 (15)
12
From equation (14), we have:
1
22
3 =
5 + 1
3 (16)
4
3
From equation (15), we have:
1
42
3 =
3 (17)
1
3
42 5
12
Subtracting equation (16) from equation (10) gave:
4
5
2
1
2
22
0=
3 +
3
2 4 2 4
6
3
That is;
4
5
2
1
0= 3 3
3 + 3
2 3 + 42 3
2
4 + 2 = 23 + 2 3 +
_______________________________________________________________________________________
580
.
This implies;
31 32 34 35
32 3 =
+
+
2
2
1
3 =
1 + 22 24 + 5 (18)
23
2
23
4
2 3
5
23
0= 2 2 + 2
+
2
12
4
42
2
4
+
3
12
That is;
0 = 122 243 + 124 4
35 31 + 63
3
+ 44
3
This implies;
34 3 = 31 122 + 183 124 + 35
1
3 =
42 + 63 44 + 5 (19)
4 1
Substituting equations (18) into equation (10) gives:
4
2
2
1
3 =
1 + 22 24 + 5
2 2
6 23
That is;
4
2
1
2
4
5
3 =
2 2 12 6 6 12
=
+ (20)

Equation (20) shows the first derivative of the improved
finite difference.
Substituting equation (19) into equation (11) gives:
= 22 23 + 42
3
2 1
1 42 + 63 44
12
4
+ 5
That is;
2
23
4
1
2
3
4
3 = 2 2 + 2
+
+
2
2
2
12
3
2
32
5
122

+ +
=
(21)
Equation (21) shows the second derivatives of the improved
finite difference.
From equation (8), we can obtain:
2
3
4
4 = 3 + 3 +
3 +
3 +
(22)
2
6
24 3
2
3
4
2 = 3 3 + 3
3 +
(23)
2
2
24 3

41 21 = 23 +
3 3
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
1
2
4 2
. (24)
2
6 3
Adding equation (22) and equation (23) gives:
4
4 + 2 = 23 + 2 3 +
12 3
1
2
3 = 2 2 23 + 4
(25)
12 3
From equation (12) and equation (13), we have:
42
83
5 = 3 + 23 +
3 +
2
6 3
164
+
(26)
24 3
42
83
1 = 3 23 +
3
2
6 3
4
16
+
(27)
24 3
83
5 1 = 43 +
. (28)
3 3
Adding equation (26) and equation (27) gives:
164
5 + 1 = 23 + 4 2 3 +
(29)
12 3
1
22
3 =
5 1
. . (30)
4
3 3
1
42
3 =
2
+
(31)
3
5
42 1
12 3
4
2
2
5
1
22
0 =
3
+
+
2
2
6
4
4
3 3
That is;
64
62
35
31
0 = 3 3 23 3 + 3 + 83
This implies that

1
63 = 3 31 + 62 64 + 35
3 =
1 + 22 24 + 5 (32)
23
2
23 4
4
1
23
5
0= 2 2 + 2
3
+
12
42 42 42
42
+
12 3
That is
1
42
65 44
5
2 3 = 2 2 + 2 2 + 2
3 = 4 1 42 + 63 44 + 5 (33)
Substituting equation (32) into equation (24), we have:

1
3 =
2
2 4
2
1
1 + 22 24 + 5
6 23
3 =
_______________________________________________________________________________________
581
That is;
4
2
1
1
1
1
=
+

+

2 2 12 1 6 2 6 4 12 5
1
3 =
81 + 84 5 (34)
12 1
Substituting equation (33) into equation (25), we have:
1
3 = 2 2 23 + 4
2 1
42 + 63 44 + 5
12 4 1
That is;
1
= 2 2 23 + 4
1 42 + 63 44 + 5
122
1
3 =
162 303 + 164 5
122 1
(35)
Ignoring higher order term in equation (10) gives:
1
3 =
2 (36)
2 4
Similarly;
1
2 =
1 (37)
2 3
1
1 =
2 (38)
2 2
1
4 =
3 (39)
2 5
1
5 =
4 (40)
2 6
Substituting equations (36) to (34) into equation (35) gives:
3 =
1
( 2 + 0 + 163 161 304
243
+ 302 + 165 163 6 + 4 )
4 + 2 = 23 + 2 3 +
( + +

+ )
(41)
Equation (41) shows the third derivatives of the improved

finite difference.
From equation (22) and (23), we can obtain:
2
3
4
4 = 3 + 3 +
3 +
3 +
(42)
2
6
24 3
2
2 = 3 3 +

3
3 +
(43)
2
6
24 3
12 3
This implies that

3 =
1
2
2
+
(44)
4
2
3
2
12 3
From equations (26) and (27), we can obtain;

42 83
+
2 3
6 3
2
16
+
. (45)
24 3
5 = 3 + 23 +
42 83

2 3
6 3
164
+
. (46)
24 3
1 = 3 23 +

5 + 1 = 23 + 42 3 +
164
12 3
This implies that:

3 =
1
42
2
+
. . (47)
1
3
5
42
12 3

2
23 4
2
1 23
5
2 + 2
3
+ 2
2
2
12
4
4
42
2
4
+
=0
12 3
This implies that:
That is;
1
=
161 + 292 294 + 165 6
243 0
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
3 =
42
63
44
1
5
+
+
+
4
4
4
4
4
3 =
1
42 + 63 44 + 5 (48)
4 1
Substituting equation (48) into equation (47) gives:

3 =
1
23 + 5
42 1
42 1 1 42 + 63
12 4
44 + 5
That is;
1
23 5
1
42
63 44
5
=
42
42 42 32
32
32 32
32
That is;
1 42
53 44
5
=
+
122 32
22 32
122
_______________________________________________________________________________________
582

1
1 + 162 303 + 164
122
5
. . (49)
Ignoring higher order term in equation (11) gives:
3 =
1
= 2 2 23 + 4 (50)
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
Table -1: Schematic representation of Higher order

Finite Difference Expression.
COEFFICIENTS

Similarly;
1
2 = 2 1 22 + 3 (51)
1
= 2 0 21 + 2 (52)
4 =
1
24 + 5 (53)
2 3
5 =
1
25 + 6 (54)
2 4
Substituting equations (50) to (54) into equation (49) gives:

1
3 =
( 0 + 21 2 + 161 322
124
+163 302 + 603 304 + 163
324 + 165 4 + 25 6 )
That is;
1
=
0 + 181 632 + 923 634 + 185
124
6

+ +
=
+ ()
Equation (55) shows the fourth derivative of the improved
finite difference.
The coefficients of the corresponding function values in the
improved finite difference expressions of the first-order,
second-order, third-order and fourth-order derivatives as
given in equations (20), (21), (41) and (55) are used to
develop finite difference patterns and are schematically
given on table 1.
-1
16
-30
16
-1
-8
-1
-1
16
-1
18 -63
29
-29 16
-1
92 -63 18
-1
4. BASIC EQUATION FOR PURE BENDING.

The fourth order differential equation of a bent line
continuum was given by Ugural (Ugural, 1999) as:
4
4 =
Where w is the deflection and P is the applied uniformly

distributed load per meter length of the continuum.
5. LINEAR CONTINUUM WITH VARIOUS

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS.
Three line continua with different boundary conditions were
studied in this work namely: Pin Roller supports (P R),
Clamped Clamped supports (C C) and Clamped Roller
supports (C R). Their boundary conditions are shown in
table 2. Also, the line continua were studied using 3
different cases namely:
Case 1: Dividing the linear continuum into 4 equal lengths
_______________________________________________________________________________________
583
Table -2: Line continua and their boundary conditions.

Linear Continuum
24
384
Boundary Conditions
0 = 0,
Pin Roller Linear

Continuum ( P R)
C-R
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
2 0
= 0 = 0;
2
Table -3c: Result data for case 3 and exact values

Linear
continuum
P-R

= 0,
= = 0.
2
0
= 0 = 0;
2
= 0,
= = 0
2
0 = 0,
Clamped Clamped
Linear Continuum (C C)
0
= 0 = 0;
()
= 0,
= ()
= 0.
0.0054994
(5.6% Diff)
Exact result
54
384
C-C
4
384
C-R
24
384
Case 3
(n=7)
0.0130214
(0% Diff)
0.0027794
(6.7% diff)
0.0053714
(3.13% Diff)
0 = 0,
Clamped Roller Linear

Continuum (C R)
6. APPLICATION AND RESULT OF IMPROVED

FINITE DIFFERENCE ANALYSIS
The derived coefficients and patterns are applied to the
governing equation at each node using the 3 different cases
with the appropriate boundary conditions being satisfied to
generate the required matrix equations, from which the
deflections at each node were determined. The results of the
pure bending analysis are presented on table 3. Exact result
obtained from previous analysis is also shown in the table
for comparison.
Table -3a: Result data for case 1 and exact values
Linear
Case 1
Exact result
continuum
( n =3)
P-R
54
0.0130484
384
(0.21% Diff)
C-C
4
0.0033484
384
(28.6% Diff)
C-R
24
0.0058964
384
(13.2% Diff)
Table -3b: Result data for case 2 and exact values
Linear
Case 2
Exact result
continuum
(n=5)
P-R
54
0.0130264
384
(0.04% Diff)
C-C
4
0.0029194
384
(12.2% Diff)
7. CONCLUSIONS
The result for the pure bending analysis of line continua of
three boundary conditions using Improved Finite Difference
are presented on table 3. It can be seen from the analysis that
the results from P-R boundary condition are virtually the
same as exact results. Results emerging from C-C boundary
condition shows a percentage difference ranging from 6.7%
- 28.6% while that of C-R boundary condition ranges from
3.13% - 13.2% from the exact result.
Also, these results suggest that as the number of nodes (or
division) increases, the more accurate the result becomes.
Finally, the results from the pattern developed from this
improved finite difference analysis are effective and is
recommended for use in structural engineering.
REFERENCES
[1]. Alexander Chajes (1974). Structural Stability Theory
New Jersey. Prentice Hall, Inc.
[2]. Awele, M., Ayodele, J.C., and Osaisai, F.E. (2003).
Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers.
Ibadan. Beaver Publications.
[3]. Ibearugbulem, O. M., Ettu, L. O., Ezeh, J. C. and Anya,
U. C. (2013). New Shape function for
Analysis of Line continuum by Direct Variational
Calculus. International Journal of Engineering &
Science, Vol. 2, issue 3; Pp. 66 71, ISBN 2319
1805.
[4]. Goodwine, B. (2010). Engineering Differential
Equations: Theory and Applications. New York:
Springer Science + Business Media, LLC2011.
[5]. Szilard, R. (2004). Theories and Application of Plate
Analysis. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
[6]. Ugural, A.C (1999). Stress in Plates and Shells
(2nd Ed.).Singapore: McGraw-Hill.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
584
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
[7]. Yoo, H.C. and Lee, C.S. (2011). Stability of Structures.

Principles and Applications. USA:
Butterworth- Heinemann. Elsevier Inc.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
585

Fourth - Order Improved Finite Difference Approach To Pure Bending Analysis of Line Continuum.

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Fourth - Order Improved Finite Difference Approach To Pure Bending Analysis of Line Continuum.

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308