Finite Element Method

for readers of all backgrounds

G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

CHAPTER 3:
THE FINITE ELEMENT
METHOD

CONTENTS

STRONG AND WEAK FORMS OF GOVERNING EQUATIONS

HAMILTONS PRINCIPLE
FEM PROCEDURE

Domain discretization
Displacement interpolation
Formation of FE equation in local coordinate system
Coordinate transformation
Assembly of FE equations
Imposition of displacement constraints
Solving the FE equations

STATIC ANALYSIS
EIGENVALUE ANALYSIS
TRANSIENT ANALYSIS
REMARKS
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

STRONG AND WEAK

FORMS OF GOVERNING
EQUATIONS
System

equations: strong form, difficult to solve.

Weak form:
requires weaker continuity on the
dependent variables (u, v, w in this case).
Weak form is often preferred for obtaining an
approximated solution.
Formulation based on a weak form leads to a set of
algebraic system equations FEM.
FEM can be applied for practical problems with
complex geometry and boundary conditions.
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

HAMILTONS PRINCIPLE
Of

all the admissible time histories of

displacement the most accurate solution makes the
Lagrangian functional a minimum.

An

admissible displacement must satisfy:

The compatibility equations

The essential or the kinematic boundary conditions
The conditions at initial (t1) and final time (t2)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

HAMILTONS PRINCIPLE
Mathematically
t2

t Ldt 0 where L=T+Wf

1

1
(Kinetic energy)
T U TU dV
2V
1
1
T
dV T c dV (Potential energy)
2V
2V
W f U T f b dV
V

Sf

U T f s dS f

(Work done by
external forces)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

FEM PROCEDURE

Step 1: Domain discretization

Step 2: Displacement interpolation
Step 3: Formation of FE equation in local coordinate
system
Step 4: Coordinate transformation
Step 5: Assembly of FE equations
Step 6: Imposition of displacement constraints
Step 7: Solving the FE equations

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

Step 1: Domain discretization

The solid body is divided into Ne elements with proper

connectivity compatibility.
All the elements form the entire domain of the problem
without any overlapping compatibility.
There can be different types of element with different
number of nodes.
The density of the mesh depends upon the accuracy
requirement of the analysis.
The mesh is usually not uniform, and a finer mesh is often
used in the area where the displacement gradient is larger.

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

Step 2: Displacement interpolation

Bases on local coordinate system, the displacement within

element is interpolated using nodal displacements.
nd

U ( x, y, z ) N i ( x, y, z ) d i N ( x, y, z )d e
i 1

d1 displacement compenent 1
d
2 displacement compenent 2
di
M
M
d n f displacement compenent n f

d1
d
2
de
M
d nd

displacements at node 1
displacements at node 2
M
displacements at node nd
M

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

Step 2: Displacement interpolation

N

is a matrix of shape functions

N( x, y, z ) N1 ( x, y, z ) N 2 ( x, y, z ) L

for node 1
N i1
0
where N i
0

L
for node 2 L
0
0
N i2 0
0
0
0

0
0
0
N in f

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

N nd ( x, y, z )

for node nd
Shape function
for each
displacement
component at a
node
9

Displacement interpolation
Constructing

shape functions

Consider constructing shape function for

a single displacement component

Approximate in the form
u h ( x)

nd

i 1

pi ( x) i pT (x)

T ={1 , 2 , 3 , ......, nd }
pT(x)={1, x, x2, x3, x4,..., xp}

(1D)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

10

Pascal triangle of monomials:

2D
1 Constant terms: 1
3 terms

x
xy

x2

x3 y

x4y

x2y2

x3 y2

y2
xy2

x2y

x3

Linear terms: 2

6 terms

Quadratic terms: 3

10 terms

y3 Cubic terms: 4
xy3

x2 y3

y4

xy4

15 terms
21 terms

Quartic terms: 5

y5

Quintic terms: 6

pT (x) pT ( x, y ) 1, x, y, xy, x 2 , y 2 ,..., x p , y p

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

11

Pascal pyramid of monomials :

3D
1

Constant term: 1

4 terms
y

10 terms

Linear terms: 3

z2

xy

x3

xz2
x3y
3

xz

xy2

xyz

x2z

x2z2

x2yz
xz

yz2

z
x2y2

35 terms
Quadratic terms: 6

yz

xz

y2

xy

x2

20 terms

y3
Cubic terms: 10

zy2
xy3

xy2z

xyz

y4
zy3

Quartic terms: 15

2 2

zy

z4 z y

pT (x) pT ( x, y , z ) 1, x, y , z, xy, yz, zx, x 2 , y 2 , z 2 ,..., x p , y p , z p

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

12

Displacement interpolation
Enforce approximation to be equal to the nodal

displacements at the nodes

di = pT(xi)
i = 1, 2, 3, ,nd
or
de=P
where

d1
d
2
de = ,
M

d n
d

p T (x1 )
T

p
(
x
)
2
P

M
T

p (x nd )

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

13

Displacement interpolation
The coefficients in can be found by
1

P de
Therefore, uh(x) = N( x) de

N(x) pT (x)P 1 pT (x)P11 pT (x)P21 L

3 14 2 43
14N2( x4
)
N2 ( x )
1

N1 (x) N 2 ( x) L N n (x)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

pT (x)Pn1
14 2 43
Nn ( x )

14

Displacement interpolation
Sufficient

requirements for FEM shape

functions
1. N i x j
2.

1
ij
0

N ( x) 1
i 1

nd

3.

N ( x) x
i 1

i j,

j 1, 2,L , nd

i j , i, j 1, 2,L , nd

(Delta function
property)

(Partition of unity property

rigid body movement)
(Linear field reproduction property)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

15

Step 3: Formation of FE equations in local

coordinates
Strain matrix

Since U= Nde

= L N de= B de

Therefore, = LU

1
1
1 T
T
T T
T

d
V
d
B
c
Bd
d
V
d
(
B
cBdV )d e

e
e
e
2V
2V
2
V
e

or

1 T
d e kde where k e BT cBdV
2
Ve

(Stiffness matrix)
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

16

m e NT NdV
Ve

Step 3: Formation of FE equations in local

coordinates
Since U= Nde
T

or

& Nd&
U
e

1
&T U
&dV 1 d&T NT Nd&dV 1 d&T ( NT NdV )d&

U
e
e
e
e
2 Ve
2 Ve
2
Ve

1 T
T d e m ed e
2

where

m e NT NdV
Ve

(Mass matrix)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

17

Step 3: Formation of FE equations in local

coordinates
W f dTe NT fb dV dTe NT f s dS dTe ( NT fb dV ) dTe ( NT f s dS )
Ve

Se

Ve

Se

W f d Fb d Fs d Fe
T
e

Fb

N f b dV

T
e

T
e

Fs

N T f s dS

Se

Ve

f e Fb Fs

(Force vector)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

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Step 3: Formation of FE equations in local

coordinates
1
1
( d Te m ed e dTe k ed e dTe Fe )dt 0
t1 2
2
t2

t2
t1

(Hamiltons principle)

(d Te m e d e dTe k ed e dTe Fe )dt 0

T
d
d
d
e

d (
) (dTe )
dt
dt
T
e

t2
t1
t2
t1

t2
t2
t2
T
T
T

dt
d e m ed e dt d e m e d e d e m ed e dt dTe m ed
e
t1

t1

kd F )dt 0
dTe (m ed
e
e
e

t1

f
k ed e m ed
e
e
FE Equation

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

19

Step 4: Coordinate transformation

f
kde m ed
e
e

(Local)

d e TD e
y'

F
K e De M e D
e
e

(Global)

Global
coordinate
systems

x'
Local coordinate
systems
y'

where

x'
x

K e T k e T , M e T m e T , Fe T f e
T

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

20

Step 5: Assembly of FE equations

Direct

assembly method

Adding up contributions made by elements

sharing the node

F
KD MD
KD F

(Static)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

21

Step 6: Impose displacement constraints

constraints rigid body movement
(meaningless for static analysis)
Remove rows and columns corresponding
to the degrees of freedom being constrained
K is semi-positive definite
No

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

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Step 7: Solve the FE equations

Solve

the FE equation,

F
KD MD

for the displacement at the nodes, D

The

strain and stress can be retrieved by

using = LU and = c with the
interpolation, U=Nd
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

23

STATIC ANALYSIS
Solve

KD=F for D

Gauss elmination
LU decomposition
Etc.

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

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EIGENVALUE ANALYSIS
0
KD MD

(Homogeneous equation, F = 0)

D exp(it )

Assume

[K M ] 0
2

Let

[K M ] 0

det[K M ] K M 0
[ K i M ] i = 0

(Roots of equation are the

eigenvalues)

(Eigenvector)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

25

EIGENVALUE ANALYSIS
Methods

of solving eigenvalue equation

Jacobis method
Givens method and Householders method
The bisection method (Sturm sequences)
Inverse iteration
QR method
Subspace iteration
Lanczos method
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

26

TRANSIENT ANALYSIS
Structure

systems are very often subjected to

transient excitation.
A transient excitation is a highly dynamic time
dependent force exerted on the structure, such as
earthquake, impact, and shocks.
The discrete governing equation system usually
requires a different solver from that of eigenvalue
analysis.
The widely used method is the so-called direct
integration method.
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

27

TRANSIENT ANALYSIS
The

direct integration method is basically using

the finite difference method for time stepping.
There are mainly two types of direct integration
method; one is implicit and the other is explicit.
Implicit method (e.g. Newmarks method) is more
efficient for relatively slow phenomena
Explicit method (e.g. central differencing method)
is more efficient for very fast phenomena, such as
impact and explosion.
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

28

Newmarks method (Implicit)

Assume that
& t 2 1 D
&
& D
&
&
Dt t Dt t D
t
t
t t
2

& D
& t 1 D
&
& D
&
&
D
t t
t
t
t t

&
& F
Substitute into KD CD& MD

2 1
&
&
&
&
&
K Dt t Dt t Dt Dt t
2

& t 1 D
&
&D
&
& MD
&
& F
C D
t
t
t

t
t t
t t

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

29

Newmarks method (Implicit)

&
& F residual
K cm D
t t
t t

where
2
K cm K t Ct M

& t 2 1 D
&
& C D
& t 1 D
&
&
Ftresidual

K
D

t
D

t
t t
t
t
t
t

t
2

&
& K 1 F residual
Therefore, D
t t
cm t t

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

30

Newmarks method (Implicit)

&
Start with D0 and D
0
&
& using KD CD& MD
&
& F
Obtain D
0
&
& K 1 F residual
&
& using D
Obtain D
t t
cm t t
t

& using
Obtain Dt and D
t

March
forward
in time

& t 2 1 D
&
& D
&
&
Dt t Dt t D
t
t
t t
2

& D
& t 1 D
&
& D
&
&
D
t t
t
t
t t

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

31

Central difference method (explicit)

&
& F CD
& KD
MD

&
& M 1F residual
D

F F int F residual

(Lumped mass no need to solve matrix equation)

&D
Dt t 2 t D
t
t t
2

& 2 t D
&
& D
&
D
t t
t
t t
&
&
D
t

t &

&
Dt t Dt
D&t
2

Dt t

Dt t 2Dt Dt t

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

32

& are
D0 and D
0
&
&
prescribed and D
0
can be obtained from

D,

&
& M 1F residual
D

x
x

Dt t

&
&
& &
Use D
t t / 2 t Dt Dt t / 2 to
& assuming D
&
& D
&
&.
obtain D
t
t / 2
0
1 residual
&
&
&
&
Obtain Dt using D M F

Obtain D-t using

2

&
&
&
Dt t D
D
t
t
2

Central
difference
method
(explicit)

t
-t -t/2

t0 t/2

Time marching in half the time step

&
Find average velocity D
t / 2 at time t =
-t/2 using D
&D
t D
t t / 2

t t / 2

& using the average acceleration at

Find D
t / 2
time t = 0. D
&
&
& D
&
t D
t t / 2

t t / 2

Find Dt using the average velocity at time t =t/2

&D
D
t D
t t / 2

t t / 2

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

33

REMARKS
In

FEM, the displacement field U is expressed by

displacements at nodes using shape functions N
defined over elements.
The strain matrix B is the key in developing the
stiffness matrix.
To develop FE equations for different types of
structure components, all that is needed to do is
define the shape function and then establish the
strain matrix B.
The rest of the procedure is very much the same
for all types of elements.
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

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