Introduction To MAPDL: Finite Element Analysis

Customer Training Material
Lecture 2
Finite Element Analysis
Introduction to MAPDL
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

© 2011 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. L2-1 September 2011
Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical APDL
Background Customer Training Material
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a numerical technique used

to simulate the response of a structure to specified boundary
conditions.
• The structure is modeled using discrete building blocks

called elements attached at discrete locations called nodes.
– Each element has exact

equations that describe how it Historical Note
responds. • The finite element method of
– The “sum” of the response of all structural analysis was created
by academic and industrial
elements in the model gives the researchers during the 1950s
total response of the design. and 1960s.
– The elements have a finite • The underlying theory is over
100 years old, and was the basis
number of unknowns, hence the
for pen-and-paper calculations in
name finite elements. the evaluation of suspension
bridges and steam boilers.

Purpose Customer Training Material
Why use FEA?
• To reduce the amount of prototype testing

– Numerical simulations allow multiple “what-if” scenarios to be tested
quickly and effectively.
• To simulate structures and boundary conditions that are not suitable

for prototype testing
– Example: nuclear power plant subjected to an earthquake
• The bottom line:

– Cost savings
– Time savings… reduce time to market!
– Create more reliable, better-quality designs

Simple FEA Theory Customer Training Material
• Technically, FEA is a numerical method for determining the spatial

distribution of one or more dependant variables.
– consider the simple example of a 1D beam subjected to an axial load
x L
E = young’s modulus
F
A = cross sectional area
• From strength of material calculations:
AE
– Stiffness K
L
F
– Displacement L 
K
– Strain   LL
– Stress   E
• Using FEA, the structure can be represented as one “element”

connected between two “nodes”
L
x
F
i j
• The objective is to determine how results are distributed within the field
represented by the element. In this case:
– the “field” is just a straight line between two nodes i and j.
– the desired results are displacement u(x), stress (x), and strain (x)
• This particular problem has two DOFs (uxi and uxj).

• Shape functions are assumed mathematical functions that represent

the behavior within the element
• They are used to predict the “shape” of the results within the element.
• FEA solves for DOF values at the nodes and the shape functions map
the nodal DOF values across the field of the element.
• For the 1D beam example, the DOF result can be assumed to vary
linearly across the field of the element (linear shape functions)
 x x
u ( x)  1  ui   u j
 L L
 x x
• 1   and   are the shape functions
 L L
• The stress (x) and strain (x) are the quantities of interest inside the
field of the element
• They are derived from the DOF results by:
du ( x)
 x ( x)   x ( x)  E x ( x)
dx

More General FEA Theory Customer Training Material
• From these general expressions, one could see how the derived
quantities (x) and (x) could theoretically be calculated at an infinite
number of locations along ‘x’ within the field of an element.
• FEA calculates derived results within the field of an element at discrete

locations called integration points.
, 

• Integration points are hard coded into the element design.

• Refer to Section 13.2 of MAPDL “Theory Manual” for integration
point locations for different element types
• Results from the integration points are interpolated across the field of
the element (using the shape functions) to approximate the result
distribution across the entire geometry.

• In real world applications, one element and its corrresponding nodes

would not be sufficient to fully characterize the behavior of a
structure
• Typically, a network of connected nodes and elements is needed
• known as the mesh
• As a result, a system of ‘n’ equations is developed and solved for
simultaneously
• where ‘n’ is the total number of DOFs in the model

More General Theory Customer Training Material
• In matrix form, the FEA equations for a linear, static structural analysis,
can be written as
F   K u
• [K] is the stiffness matrix of the structure
• function of geometric shape, elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio

More General Theory Customer Training Material
• Element strains and stresses are calculated at the element integration

points
   Bu
   [D] 
• where [B] is a strain-displacement matrix

• derived from the shape functions
• [D] is the elastic stiffness matrix

• composed using Elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material
• The “element” is the fundamental building block in any FEA model
• Elements can have different functions, but they have three basic
shapes
• Solid Elements
• represent volume in 3D space (hexagons, tetrahedrals, prisms,
wedges, pyramids, etc.) and planar area in 2D space (quadrilaterals
and triangles)
• Surface Elements
• represent 2D surfaces in 3D space (shells)
• Line Elements
• represent 1D geometry in either 2D/3D space (beams, springs, etc.)
• 3D SOLID elements are geometrically 3D and typically have three

translational DOFs (UX, UY, UZ) per node

• 2D SOLID elements are geometrically and spatially 2D and typically

have two translational DOFs (UX and UY) per node

• SHELL elements are geometrically 2D but spatially 3D

• used to represent structures that are large in two dimensions
and thin in the through-thickness dimension
• thickness is not modeled directly but specified as input
• SHELL elements typically have six DOFs per node (UX, UY, UZ,
ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ)
• in addition to nodal forces, moment reactions are also calculated
to correspond with nodal rotations

• BEAM elements are geometrically 1D but spatially 2D or 3D

– used to represent structures whose length is much larger than its
cross-section
– cross-section is not modeled directly, but specified as input
• BEAM elements typically have six DOFs (UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY,
ROTZ).

• MAPDL also has many special element types available for use in a
variety of advanced applications
– Contact
• For modeling contact relationships between surfaces, edges and vertices of
different parts
– Surface effect elements

• Overlaid on 2D and 3D faces for modeling various advanced surface loads and
special effects
– Combination elements
• For modeling advanced effects (spring-slider, damper) in open gaps between
nodes
– Coupled-Field elements
• For directly modeling combined effects, such as thermal-structural, thermal-
electric, magneto-structural, electrostatic-structural, etc.

• Element shape functions are typically assumed to be polynomials.

The “order” of an element is the order of the polynomial used to
represent its shape function.
• The most basic shape function is linear. Elements with linear shape
functions only have corner nodes and are referred to as “lower” order
elements
• Elements with higher order shape functions (e.g., quadratic) have

additional nodes between the corners (mid-side nodes) and are
referred to as “higher” order elements.

• What is the implication of using an element with a quadratic vs a

linear shape function?
Linear
approximation
Quadratic distribution (Poor Results)
of DOF values
Actual quadratic
curve
Linear approximation
with multiple Quadratic
elements (Better approximation
Results) (Best Results)

Linear vs Nonlinear Customer Training Material
• If the stiffness matrix [K] remains constant throughout the load

history, the analysis is “linear”
- Plot of applied load versus displacement is a straight line.
- Matrices only need to be solved once

Linear vs Nonlinear Customer Training Material
• If the stiffness matrix changes as a function of the load, the analysis

is “nonlinear”
KT
F
u
- Solution will require multiple recalculations to properly account for the
nonlinear behavior
- Nonlinear behavior can be caused by changing material behavior,
changing contacts status, and/or changing geometry shape.
• This coarse will focus on an introduction to linear analysis.

Static vs Dynamic Customer Training Material
• In general, the relationship between an excitation force and the

corresponding response in a full transient dynamic structural analysis
is:
F  [M ]u [C]u K u

Where:
[M] is the mass matrix
[C] is the damping matrix
• This course will focus on steady state, rate independent, static

analysis implying no time dependency and no inertia effects. Hence
the above expression reduces to:
F   K u
Thermal FEA Customer Training Material
• For a thermal FEA, the mathematical approach is similar, but the DOF
is temperature rather than displacement
Q  [C ]T Kc T 

• Q is heat flow
• T is temperature (scalar DOF)
• [C] is heat capacity (for transient thermal)
• [Kc] is thermal conductivity

FEA Model Customer Training Material
• The FEA model has a finite number of unknowns, so it can only

approximate the response of the physical system, which has an
infinite number of unknowns.
– So the question arises: How good is the approximation?
– Unfortunately, there is no easy answer

to this question. It depends in part on:
• type of analysis (thermal, structural, etc.)
• engineering objectives (fatigue
predictions, static failure, etc.)
• various other assumptions
– We will, however, attempt to give you

guidelines throughout this course.
Physical System F.E. Model

References Customer Training Material
• This Lecture represents a very brief introduction to the basic

principles behind FEA
• Additional resources for further reading:
– S. Moaveni. Finite Element Analysis. Theory and Application with

ANSYS, 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall. Minnesota. 2007
– K. J. Bathe. Finite Element Procedures. Prentice-Hall. Englewood Cliffs.

1996.
– R. D. Cook. Concepts and Applications of Finite Element Analysis,

Second Edition. John Wiley and Sons. New York. 1981.
– O. C. Zienkiewicz. The Finite Element Method. McGraw-Hill Company.

London. 1977.


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Customer Training Material

Finite Element Analysis

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Background Customer Training Material

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a numerical technique used

• The structure is modeled using discrete building blocks

– Each element has exact

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Purpose Customer Training Material

Why use FEA?

• To reduce the amount of prototype testing

• To simulate structures and boundary conditions that are not suitable

• The bottom line:

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Simple FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• Technically, FEA is a numerical method for determining the spatial

• From strength of material calculations:

Simple FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• Using FEA, the structure can be represented as one “element”

• This particular problem has two DOFs (uxi and uxj).

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Simple FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• Shape functions are assumed mathematical functions that represent

Simple FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• They are derived from the DOF results by:

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

More General FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• FEA calculates derived results within the field of an element at discrete

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

More General FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• Integration points are hard coded into the element design.

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

More General FEA Theory Customer Training Material

• In real world applications, one element and its corrresponding nodes

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

More General Theory Customer Training Material

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

More General Theory Customer Training Material

• Element strains and stresses are calculated at the element integration

• where [B] is a strain-displacement matrix

• [D] is the elastic stiffness matrix

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

• The “element” is the fundamental building block in any FEA model

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

• 3D SOLID elements are geometrically 3D and typically have three

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

• 2D SOLID elements are geometrically and spatially 2D and typically

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

• SHELL elements are geometrically 2D but spatially 3D

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

• BEAM elements are geometrically 1D but spatially 2D or 3D

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

– Surface effect elements

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0

Basic Element Technology Customer Training Material

• Element shape functions are typically assumed to be polynomials.

• Elements with higher order shape functions (e.g., quadratic) have

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 13.0