MANE 4240 & CIVL 4240

Introduction to Finite Elements

Prof. Suvranu De

Convergence of analysis
results

Reading assignment:
Lecture notes
Summary:
Concept of convergence
Criteria for monotonic convergence :
completeness (rigid body modes + constant strain)
+
compatibility
Incompatible elements and the patch test
Rate of convergence

Errors that affect finite element solution results

Type of error

Source

1. Discretization error

Use of FE interpolations for

geometry and solution variables

2. Numerical integration

Evaluation of FE element
matrices and vectors using
numerical integration

3. Round off

This error is due to the finite

precision arithmetic used in
digital computers

What is convergence?

Physical system

Mathematical model

FE model

Convergence of FE solution results to the

exact solution of the mathematical model
FE scheme exhibits convergence if the
Discretization error 0 as the mesh is made
infinitely fine (i.e., element size 0)

Mesh refinement
h-refinement
p-refinement
h=element size
p=polynomial order

Convergence in energy and displacement

u : exact displacement solution to a problem that makes the
potential energy of the system a minimum
corresponding stress ( u )
(u )
and strain
Exact strain energy of the body

1
T
U dV
2 V
uh : FE solution (h refers to the element size)
corresponding stress h ( u h )
and strain
h (u h )
Approximate strain energy of the body

1
T
U h h h dV
2 V

Calculation of strain energies

Example:
Consider a linear elastic bar with varying cross section
2

x
A( x) 1
40

x
80cm

d
du
A
(
x
)
0 for x (0,80)

dx
dx

Boundary conditions

u ( x 0) 0
du
dx

P
x 80 cm

3E
80

Analytical solution

exact

sqcm

The governing differential (equilibrium) equation

P=3E/80

E: Youngs modulus

EA

3
1
( x) 1

x
2
1

40

Eq(1)

The exact strain energy of the system is

du ( x)
1
1
3E
39 E

Adx

EA
dx

2 x 0
2 x 0
dx
160 2080
80

80

exact

If we discretize the problem using a single linear finite element, the stiffness
matrix is
E

80

A( x)dx 1 1
K
1 1
802

13E 1 1

240 1 1
x 0

The strain energy of the FE system is

1 80
1 T
27 E
T
U h h h Adx d K d
sin ce d 0 9 /13
2 x 0
2
2080

Note

U Uh

Convergence in strain energy

U U h as h 0
Monotonic convergence
Nonmonotonic convergence

Convergence in displacement

u uh

u - u v - v
2

Monotonic convergence
Nonmonotonic convergence

dV 0 as h 0

Criteria for monotonic convergence

1. COMPLETENESS
2. COMPATIBILITY

2002 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning

CONDITION 1. COMPLETENESS
This requires that the displacement interpolation functions
must be chosen so that the elements can represent
1. Rigid body modes
2. Constant strain states

Rigid body modes

The # of rigid body modes of an element = # of zero

eigenvalues of the element stiffness matrix

Constant strain states

Strain computed using linear finite elements

Actual variation of strain

Mathematical implication of the two conditions (rigid body

modes + constant strain state)
Inside a finite element (of any order) in 1D
u ( x) N i ( x )ui
i

but this is just a polynomial

u ( x) a0 a1 x a2 x 2 L

Hence
u ( x ) N i ( x )ui N i ( x ) a0 a1 xi a2 xi 2 L
i

a0 N i ( x ) a1 N i ( x ) xi a2 N i ( x ) xi 2 L
i
i
14
2 43
1i 4 2 43
1

a0 a1 x a2 N i ( x ) xi 2 L
i

The requirement for completeness in 1D is that the

displacement approximation be at least a linear polynomial of
degree (k=1), ie any 2 node element and higher is complete

Mathematical implication of the two conditions (rigid body

modes + constant strain state)
Inside a finite element (of any order) in 2D
u ( x ) N i ( x, y )ui
i

but this is just a polynomial

u ( x, y ) a0 a1 x a2 y L

Hence

u ( x, y ) N i ( x, y )ui N i ( x, y ) a0 a1 xi a2 yi L
i

a0 N i ( x, y ) a1 N i ( x, y ) xi a2 N i ( x, y ) yi L
i
1i 4 2 4 3
1i 44 2 4 43
1

a0 a1 x a2 y L

The requirement for completeness in 1D is that the

displacement approximation be at least a linear polynomial of
degree (k=1).

Mathematical implication of the two conditions (rigid body

modes + constant strain state)
The element displacement approximation must be at least a
COMPLETE polynomial of degree one
1
1

x
x

1D

x 2 xy

2D

k=1

y2

In 2D, the minimum displacement assumption needs to be

u 1 2 x 3 y
v 1 2 x 3 y

1 0 all other coeffs 0 Translation along x

1 0 all other coeffs 0 Translation along y
1 2 0 and 1 3 0 but 3 2 0

Rigid body rotation about z-axis

CONDITION 2. COMPATIBILITY
The assumed displacement variations are continuous within
elements and across inter-element boundaries
Ensures that strains are bounded within elements and across
element boundaries.
If u is discontinuous across element boundaries then
the strains blow up in-between elements and this leads
to erroneous contributions to the potential energy of the
structure
Physical meaning: no gaps/cracks open up when the finite
element assemblage is loaded

Nonconforming elements and the patch test

Conforming = compatible
Nonconforming = incompatible
Ideal: Conforming elements
Observation: Certain nonconforming elements also give good
results, at the expense of nonmonotonic convergence
Nonconforming elements:
satisfy completeness
do not satisfy compatibility
result in at least nonmonotonic convergence if the element
assemblage as a whole is complete, i.e., they satisfy the
PATCH TEST

PATCH TEST:
1. A patch of elements is subjected to the minimum
displacement boundary conditions to eliminate all rigid body
motions
2. Apply to boundary nodal points forces or displacements
which should result in a state of constant stress within the
assemblage
3. Nodes not on the boundary are neither loaded nor restrained.
4. Compute the displacements of nodes which do not have a
prescribed value
5. Compute the stresses and strains
The patch test is passed if the computed stresses and strains
match the expected values to the limit of computer precision.

NOTES:
1. This is a great way to debug a computer code
2. Conforming elements ALWAYS pass the patch test
3. Nodes not on the boundary are neither loaded nor restrained.
4. Since a patch may also consist of a single element, this test
may be used to check the completeness of a single element
5. The number of constant stress states in a patch test depends
on the actual number of constant stress states in the
mathematical model (3 for plane stress analysis. 6 for a full 3D
analysis)

CONVERGENCE RATE
This is a measure of how fast the discretization error goes to
zero a the mesh is refined
Convergence rate depends on the order of the complete
polynomial (k) used in the displacement approximation

1
x
x2
x

y
y2

xy
2

x y

xy

k=1

k=2
k=3

It can be shown that for (1) a sufficiently refined mesh and

(2) for problems whose analytical solution does not contain
singularities
Convergence in strain energy : order 2k
U U h C h 2k

Convergence in displacements : order p=k+1

u uh

C1 h k 1

C and C1 are constants independent of h but dependent on

1. the analytical solution
2. material properties
3. type of element used

Ex: for a domain discretized using 4 node plane stress/strain

elements (k=1)
2

U Uh C h
u uh

C1 h 2

log U U h

slope = 2

log h

Large C
shifts
curve up

Important property of finite element solution:

When the conditions of monotonic convergence are satisfied
(compatibility and completeness) the finite element strain energy
always underestimates the strain energy of the actual structure

Strain energy of mathematical model

Strain energy of FE model