______________________Basics of the Finite Element Method Applied in Civil Engineering

89
CHAPTER 9


ELEMENT SHAPE FUNCTIONS IN GLOBAL COORDINATES


9.1 THE GENERAL PROCEDURE

The general procedure for defining the shape functions is presented for a 2D
quadrilateral element, with the following assumptions: C
0
continuity and
linear polynomial approximation. The 3D expansion is immediate. Note that
in the following example an element with one DOF/node is considered (i.e.
d - a generalized displacement) in order to simplify writing. The expressions
are available for all components (u, v, w) for a vector-type unknown
function.

The displacement of an interior point M(x, y) lying inside the elements area
(see figure 9.1) is written using four parameters as

xy a y a x a a y x d
4 3 2 1
) , ( + + + = (9.1)



Fig. 9.1 The displacement filed as a relationship of nodal displacements

x
y
M (x,y)
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4

Chapter 9 Element Shape Functions in Global Coordinates_________________________


90
The a
i
parameters can be calculated by applying the condition that in the
nodal points, the displacement function must have the nodal values:

+ + + =
+ + + =
+ + + =
+ + + =
4 4 4 4 3 4 2 1 4
3 3 4 3 3 3 2 1 3
2 2 4 2 3 2 2 1 2
1 1 4 1 3 1 2 1 1
y x a y a x a a
y x a y a x a a
y x a y a x a a
y x a y a x a a

(9.2)

In matrix form:

a C
M
=
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

4
3
2
1
4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1
4
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
a
a
a
a
y x y x
y x y x
y x y x
y x y x

where C
M
is the coordinates matrix, or

a C
M
= (9.3)

By solving the matrix equations the polynomial parameters are found:

C a
1
M

= (9.4)

If the linear approximation is written in a matrix form:

(
(
(
(

=
4
3
2
1
] 1 [ ) , (
a
a
a
a
xy y x y x d (9.5)

and the polynomial coefficients are replaced

C
M
1
] 1 [ ) , (

= xy y x y x d (9.6)


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91
the shape functions yields:

| |
1
1 ) , (

=
M
C N xy y x y x (9.7)

The same procedure can be followed for a quadratic approximation,
assuming a C
0
class of continuity. In this case, the displacement field is

2
8
2
7
2
6
2
5 4 3 2 1
) , ( y a xy a y x a x a xy a y a x a a y x d + + + + + + + = =
= | |
(
(
(
(

8
2
1
2 2 2 2
...
1
a
a
a
y xy y x x xy y x (9.8)

A complete 2D quadratic polynomial is described by 8 coefficients and
consequently the conditions regarding the displacement functions on each
node i, d
i
=
i
, must be applied for 8 nodes. This time, C
M
will be an 8 8
matrix.

9.2 EXAMPLE 1 The 2D spar (link or elastic spring) element

The finite element shown in figure 9.2 is defined by two nodes, 1 and 2, in
the (x, y) plane, with known cross section area A and Young modulus E. The
length and orientation are defined by the nodal coordinates.

1 2
x x L
x
=
1 2
y y L
y
= (9.9)

2 2
y x
L L L + =
The displacement along the element axis s is approximated by a first degree
polynomial:
| |
)
`

= + =
2
1
2 1
1 ) (
a
a
s s a a s d (9.10)

The nodal displacements are d
1
and d
2
with their projections in the global
coordinate system (u
1
, v
1
) and (u
2
, v
2
). The relationship between d and the
projections u and v is

Chapter 9 Element Shape Functions in Global Coordinates_________________________


92
v
L
L
u
L
L
d
y
x
+ = (9.11)

The polynomial coefficients are withdrawn from the subsequent equalities:

1 1
) 0 ( a d d = =
L a a L d d
2 1 2
) ( + = =

Fig. 9.2 The 2D spar (link) element

The displacement function yields

)
`

= + =
2
1
1 2 1
1 ) ( ) (
d
d
L
s
L
s
d d
L
s
d s d (9.12)

emphasizing the shape functions matrix N,

(

=
L
s
L
s
1 N (9.13)

The longitudinal strain is

B =
)
`

=
2
1
1
) (
d
d
L
s
L
s
s s
s d
s
(9.14)
x
y
1
x
1

y
1

x
2

y
2

2
u1
v1
u2
v2
)
d
(
s
(9.19)

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93
Due to the transformation relationship (9.10) the nodal displacements can be
written as

)
`

=
1
1
1
v
u
L
L
L
L
d
y
x

(9.15)
)
`

=
2
2
2
v
u
L
L
L
L
d
y
x



Substituting in the strain relationship, the following relationship outcomes

| |

=
3
2
1
1
2
1
u
u
v
u
L L L L
L
y x y x s
, (9.16)

emphasizing the B matrix of derivatives in the global coordinate system

| |
y x y x
L L L L
L
=
2
1
B . (9.17)

In the stiffness matrix expression

=
e
V
T
dV EB B k the E matrix reduces to a
single term E, while the B matrix is a constant, so that both are withdrawn
outside the integral sign. The elements volume is AL. Thus, the elemental
stiffness matrix yields

| |
y x y x
y
x
y
x
L L L L
L
L
L
L
L
AE

=
3
k (9.18)



Chapter 9 Element Shape Functions in Global Coordinates_________________________


94
9.3 EXAMPLE 2 Triangular element in 2D stress/strain state

For the triangular element shown in figure 9.3, the displacement field is
uniquely defined by | |
T
v u = d and the stress and strain vectors
components are | |
xy y x
T
= and | |
xy y x
T
= .

Note: for the plane strain hypothesis
z
, which is normal to the (x, y) plane,
is not zero, but because
z
= 0 it has no contribution to the internal work.

Fig. 9.3 The 2D triangular solid element

The general expression of the displacement field is

| |
(
(
(

=
3
2
1
1 ) , (
a
a
a
y x y x d (9.19)


The unknown parameters a are determined by replacing the nodal
displacement (assumed known) and the nodal coordinates (x
i
, y
i
)
i=1,3


x
y
1
2
u1
v1
u2
v2
u3
v3
3
M (x,y)

______________________Basics of the Finite Element Method Applied in Civil Engineering


95
(
(
(

(
(
(

=
(
(
(

3
2
1
3 3
2 2
1 1
3
2
1
1
1
1
a
a
a
y x
y x
y x

(9.20)
thus
a = C
M
-1

e
(9.21)

with
(
(
(

1 2 3 1 2 3
2 1 1 3 3 2
1 2 2 1 3 1 1 2 2 3 3 2
1
2
1
x x x x x x
y y y y y y
y x y x y x y x y x y x
A
M
C (9.22)

and
(
(
(

=
3 3
2 2
1 1
1
1
1
det 2
y x
y x
y x
A = 2 the triangle area.

In matrix form, the displacement field yields,

| |
e
y x C d
M
1
1

= (9.23)
The element strains are:
| | | |
(
(
(

= =

=

3
2
1
2 1 1 3 3 2
1
2
1
0 1 0
u
u
u
y y y y y y
A x
u
x
u C
M

| | | |
(
(
(

= =

=

3
2
1
1 2 3 1 2 3
1
2
1
1 0 0
v
v
v
x x x x x x
A y
v
y
v C
M
(9.24)

| | | |
(
(
(

+
(
(
(

=

3
2
1
1
3
2
1
1
0 1 0 1 0 0
v
v
v
u
u
u
x
v
y
u
xy M M
C C


in matrix form:

Chapter 9 Element Shape Functions in Global Coordinates_________________________


96
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(

=
(
(
(

=
3
3
2
2
1
1
2 1 1 2 1 3 3 1 3 2 2 3
1 2 3 1 2 3
2 1 1 3 3 2
0 0 0
0 0 0
v
u
v
u
v
u
y y x x y y x x y y x x
x x x x x x
y y y y y y
xy
y
x

= B
e
(9.25)

Note: the matrix B is constant throughout the element, due to the first degree
polynomial used as shape function.
The elasticity matrix, for plane stress isotropic state is
(
(
(
(

=
2
1
0 0
0 1
0 1
1
2

E
E (9.26)
while for plane strain isotropic state
( )
( )( )
( )(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+

=

1 2
2 1
0 0
0 1
1
0
1
1
2 1 1
1 E
E (9.27)

The stiffness matrix is defined by the general relationship

=
e
V
T
dV EB B k
where dV = t dx dy, with t the thickness of the element (t = 1 for plane
strain). The product is constant, hence tA
T
EB B k = , with A the area of the
element.

The nodal forces due to initial strain are


______________________Basics of the Finite Element Method Applied in Civil Engineering


97

= =
V
T T
At dV
0 0
0

E B E B r , (9.28)

and the nodal loads due to body forces

=
V
T
f
dV f N r with dxdy
f
f
r
r
i
y
x
fy
fx
i
i

=
(

N (9.29)

The body forces are distributed to the element nodes in equal parts

3
A
t
f
f
r
y
x
f
i
(

= . (9.30)