Finite Element Analysis for

Mechanical and Aerospace Design

Prof. Nicholas Zabaras
Materials Process Design and Control Laboratory
Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
101 Frank H. T. Rhodes Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-3801
Email: zabaras@cornell.edu
URL: http://mpdc.mae.cornell.edu/

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MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

N. Zabaras (8/23/2012)
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Intro to FEM: The Direct Approach

Consider a linear spring with `nodes 1 and
2:
F
F
1

1
1

The force on the spring at node 1 is: F1 k (1 2 )

Similarly the force at node 2: F2 k ( 2 1 )
F1 k (1 2 ) F2

We can re-write the above equations in

matrix form as: F1 k k 1

F2 k

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

k 2

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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The Direct Approach

F1

F2
o

1
1

F1 k k 1

F2 k k 2

Load vector

Stiffness matrix

Displacement
vector

We can generalize this equation for a linear

spring as: F1 k11 k12 1

F2 k21

k22 2

kij: force on ith node induced by a unit displacement in the jth node

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Direct Method
Let us consider the analysis of the following
loaded system of linear springs (each with 2
nodes)
1
1

4
3

This system has 4 linear spring elements

and there are 4 global nodes.
Node 1 is fixed but node 4 can slide under
the (known) applied load F.
We are interested to compute the nodal displacements 1, 2, 3, 4

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Direct Method

We know the behavior of each `element, e.g.

F k
(1) (1)
F2 k21
(1)
1

(1)
11

k
(1) (1)
k22 2
(1)
12

(1)
1

Element

Local
Node

Global
Node

1
2

1
2

1(1)

Displacement of local node 1 of element 1

2(1)

Displacement of local node 2 of element 1

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Direct Method

For `element 2:
F k
(2) (2)
F2 k21
(2)
1

(2)
11

(2) (2)
k22 2
(2)
12

(2)
1

Element

Local
Node

Global
Node

1
2

2
3

1(2)

Displacement of local node 1 of element 2

2(2)

Displacement of local node 2 of element 2

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Direct Method

For `element 3:
F k
(3) (3)
F2 k21
(3)
1

(3)
11

k
(3) (3)
k22 2
(3)
12

(3)
1

Element

Local
Node

Global
Node

1
2

2
3

1(3)

Displacement of local node 1 of element 3

2(3)

Displacement of local node 2 of element 3

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Direct Method

For `element 4:
F k
(4) (4)
F2 k21
(4)
1

(4)
11

1(4)
2(4)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

(4) (4)
k22 2
(4)
12

(4)
1

Element

Local
Node

Global
Node

1
2

3
4

Displacement of local node 1 of element 4

Displacement of local node 2 of element 4

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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Connectivity Matrix

Connectivity matrix T:
1 2 2 3
T

2
3
3
4

Global nodes
of element 2

e=2
One column for
each element

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Summary

F
F k
(1) (1)
F2 k21

k d1

(1)
d
k22 2

F1(2) k11(2)
(2) (2)
F2 k21

F1(3) k11(3)
(3) (3)
F2 k21

k12(3) d 2

(3)
d
k22 3

F1(4) k11(4)
(4) (4)
F2 k21

(1)
1

(1)
11

(1)
12

k12(2) d 2

(2)
d
k22 3
k12(4) d3

(4)
d
k22 4

We use d1 , d2 , d3 , d4 from now on to denote the global

degrees of freedom.
Let us re-write each of these equations to include in the
displacement vector all nodal displacements of our system

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Local to Global Transformation

F
F1(1) k11(1)
(1) (1)
F2 k21

k12(1) d1

(1)
d
k22 2

Global node
displacements

F k
(2) (2)
F2 k21
(2)
1

(2)
11

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

d 2

(2)
d
k22 3
(2)
12

k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)
(1)
k22

0
0

0 0 d1 F1(1)
(1)
0 0 d 2 F2

d
0 0 3 0

0 0 d 4 0

0 0 d1 0
0 0

(2)
(2)
(2)
0 k11 k12 0 d 2 F1
0 k (2) k (2) 0 d3 F (2)
21
22

2
0
0 0 d 4 0
0
MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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Local to Global Transformation

F
F1(3) k11(3)
(3) (3)
F2 k21

k12(3) d 2

(3)
d
k22 3

F k
(4) (4)
F2 k21

d3

(4)
d
k22 4

(4)
1

(4)
11

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

(4)
12

0 0 d1 0
0 0

(3)
(3)
(3)
0
k
k
0
11
12

d 2 F1
0 k (3) k (3) 0 d3 F (3)
21
22

2
0
0 0 d 4 0
0
0
0

0
0

0
0

k11(4)

(4)
k21

0 d1 0
0 d 2 0

(4)

(4)
k12 d3 F1

(4)
k22 d 4 F2(4)

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Assembly:

[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )
e

k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)

(4)
k21

0 d1 F1(1)
(1)
(2)
(3)
0 d 2 F2 F1 F1
(2)
(4)
(3)
(4)
d
k12 3 F2 F2 F1

(4) d

k22 4 F2(4)

What contributes to the global stiffness component

Kij, i.j=1,4?
Elements between nodes i and j.

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Assembly:

[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )
e

k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)

(4)
k21

0 d1 F1(1)
(1)
(2)
(3)
0 d 2 F2 F1 F1
(2)
(4)
(3)
(4)
d
k12 3 F2 F2 F1

(4) d

k22 4 F2(4)

What contributes to the global stiffness component

Kii,, i=1,4?
Elements that share node i.

CORNELL
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MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )

Assembly:

F
k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)
(4)
k21

Global stiffness matrix

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

0
k12(4)

(4)
k22

d1
d
2

d3
d 4
Displacement
vector of global
nodes

F1(1)

(1)
(2)
(3)
F2 F1 F1
(2)
(3)
(4)
F2 F2 F1
F (4)

Global load vector

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Assembly:

[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )
e

k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)
(4)
k21

0 d1 F1(1)
(1)
(2)
(3)
0 d 2 F2 F1 F1
(2)
(4)
(3)
(4)
d
k12 3 F2 F2 F1

(4) d

k22 4 F2(4)

What is the total force acting on

nodes
2(4)and 3?
(2)
(3)
F2(1) F1(2) F1(3) 0
(2)
F
1
2
F2(1)
F1(3)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

F2 F2 F1
F2(2)

F2(3)

F1(4)

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Assembly:

[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )
e

F
k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)
(4)
k21

How about
(4)
2

F1(1)

and

F2(4)

F2(4) F applied force (known)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

0 d1 F1(1)

0 d 2 0

(4)
d
0
k12 3

(4)
(4) d

F
k22 4 2

?
Fr

F1(1)
1

F1(1) Fr reaction force (unknown)

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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Assembly:

[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )
e

k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)

(4)
k21

0 d1 Fr

0 d 2 0

(4)
k12 d3 0

(4) d
k22 4 F

We have 4 equations with 5 unknowns: d1 , d2 , d3 , d4 , Fr

We have not yet used the boundary condition: d1 0

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

N. Zabaras (8/23/2012)
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Displacement Calculation

F
(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3) k12(2) k12(3)
(2)
(3)
(2)
(3)
(4)
k

k
k

k
21
21
22
22
11
(4)
0
k
21

0 d 2 0

(4)
k12 d3 0
F
(4)
d
k22

This 3x3 system of eqs can be solved for: d2 , d3 , d4

Once you do that, how do you compute the reaction
force at node 1?

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

N. Zabaras (8/23/2012)
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Reaction Force Calculation

F

Return to the 1st equation in the assembled system

before the application of the boundary condition:
k11(1)
(1)
k21
0

k12(1)

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)

k11(1) k12(1)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

(4)
k21

0 d1 Fr

0 d 2 0

(4)
k12 d3 0

(4) d
F

k22
4

d1
d
2

0 0 Fr Fr k11(1) d1 k12(1) d 2 k12(1) d 2

d3
d 4

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Non-zero Displacement at Node 1: 1

1
(1)
k21
0

(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3)

k12(2) k12(3)

(2)
(3)
k21
k21

(2)
(3)
k22
k22
k11(4)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

(4)
k21

0 d1

0 d 2 0
system

4
x
4

of Eqs
k12(4) d3 0

(4) d
k22 4 F

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Non-zero Displacement at Node 1: 1

F
(1)
k22
k11(2) k11(3) k12(2) k12(3)
(2)
(3)
(2)
(3)
(4)
k

k
k

k
21
21
22
22
11
(4)
0
k
21

(1)
0 d 2 k21

(4)
k12 d 3 0
3x3
F

(4)
d
k22

system
of Eqs

The reaction force can be computed as before:

k11(1) k12(1)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

d
2

0 0 Fr Fr k11(1) k12(1) d 2
d3
d 4

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Consider k

(e)
ii

k, k

(e)
ij

(e)
ji

k , for all elements e, i.e. K

(e)

k k

k
k

F
3k 2k 0 d 2 0
2k 3k k d 0

3
0 k
k d 4 F
Symmetric
stiffness

d1 0

F
/
k
2

d
3
F
/
2
k
3

d 4 5 F / 2k

Here we take :
1 0

The reaction force can then be computed as:

Fr k11(1) k12(1) d 2 k12(1) d 2 k F F !
k

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

N. Zabaras (8/23/2012)
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Revisiting the Assembly Process

[ K ] [ K ]( e ) ,[ F ] [ F ]( e )
e

In the equations above, we imply that the

element stiffness [ K ] and load vectors [ F ]
are already written in the expanded global
node format.
How do we write the above assembly
process if we want to use element
stiffness [ K ]' expressed in the local node
format?
(e)

(e)

(e)

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

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Revisiting the Assembly Process

Recall that e.g. element 1 in local format:

F1(1) k11(1)
(1) (1)
F2 k21

k12(1) 1(1)
(1)
(1)

[
K
'
]{
d
}

(1)
(1)
k22 2

[ K '(1) ]

{d (1) }

We can write the

following
transformations:
d

1
d
(1)

1
0
0
0

2
(1)
{d (1) } 1(1)
[ L ]{d },

2 0 1 0 0 d3
d 4
[ L(1) ]T

F1(1) 1
(1)
F2 0

0 0
0 0

0
1
0
0

F (1)
1 [ L(1) ]T {F (1) }
F2(1)

Note that the matrix

scatters the nodal
forces into the global nodal form

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

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Revisiting the Assembly Process

But we have seen that from equilibrium of

each node: F 0 0 0 F
(1)
1

(1) (2) (3) 0

F2 F1 F1
0

(2) (3) (4)

0 F2 F2 F1 0
0 0 0 F (4) F

{f }

If we call the applied external force vector

simply { f },we can summarize the above as:
[ L

] {F ( e ) } { f }

(e) T

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

4x2

2 x1

4 x1

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Revisiting the Assembly Process

Return to the element equations

(e)
(e)

F1
k11
{F } ( e ) ( e )

F2
k21
(e)

(e)
k12( e )
1

(e)
(e)

[
K
'
]{
d
}

(e)
(e)
k22
2

and the transformations:

d1
1( e ) 1 0 0 0 d 2
(e)

[
L
]{d }
(e)

2 0 1 0 0 d3
d 4
{d ( e ) }

(e) T
(e)
[
L
]
{
F
}{f }

e1

Combining these 3 Eqs gives: [L ] [K '

[ L ] [ K ' ][ L ]{d} { f } { f } [K ]{d}, where [ K ] [ L
(e) T

]{d ( e ) } { f }

(e)

(e) T

(e)

(e)

(e) T

4x4

] [ K '( e ) ][ L( e ) ]

4x2

2x2

2x4

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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Revisiting the Assembly Process

Let us verify

[ K (1) ] [ L(1) ]T [ K '(1) ][ L(1) ]

Element stiffness in global

node format

1
0
(1)
[K ]
0

0
1 k11(1)

(1)
0 k21

Stiffness in local
node format

k11(1)
(1)
k12(1) 1 0 0 0 k21

(1)
k22 0 1 0 0 0

Transformation matrix from

local to global node
format

k11(1)
k12(1)

k22(1) 1 0 0 0 k21(1)
0 1 0 0

0
0

k12(1) 0 0

k22(1) 0 0
0 0 0

0 0 0

This is indeed what we used before!

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

N. Zabaras (8/23/2012)
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Revisiting the Assembly Process

[ L

] {F } { f }

(e) T

(e)

[ K ] [ L( e ) ]T [ K '( e ) ][ L( e ) ]
e

[ K ]{d} { f }

[ K (e) ]

We remind you that

is the e-element
stiffness in global nodal notation and [K ]
the e-element stiffness in local element
nodal notation.
[ K (e) ]

'( e )

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

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Another Example
1

4
2

For the spring system above, compute the

global stiffness and force vector
partition the system and solve for the nodal
displacements
compute the reaction forces

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

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An Example
1

4
2

4
3

3 3 1
[K ' ] k
3

3
3

(1)

2 2 4
[K ' ] k
3

2
2

(3)

3 1 0
0
1

[K ] k
3
1

0
1

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

[K

'(2)

1 1 1
]k
4

1
1

1 1
[K ' ] k

1
1

(4)

3
2

3
1
1
0

3 2 1 2

2
1 2

1
2
3
4

MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design

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An Example
1

0
4
0
1

k
3 1

0
1

3
1
6
2

1
0
2
3

d1 r1
d r
2 2
d3 50 N

d 4 0

We partition and apply BCs:

6
k
2

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

d1 d2 0

2 d3 50 N d3 1 10.7143


N

3 d 4 0 d 4 k 7.1429
MAE 4700 FE Analysis for Mechanical & Aerospace Design
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An Example
1

4
2

0
4
0
1

k
3 1

0
1

3
1
6
2

1
0
2
3

d1 r1
d r
2 2
d3 50 N

d 4 0

Compute the reaction forces:

3
k
1

CORNELL
U N I V E R S I T Y

1 d3 r1

0 d 4 r2

r1 39.286

N
r2 10.714
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