FiniteElementsfor2DProblems

GeneralFormulafortheStiffnessMatrix
f
ff
Displacements(u,v)inaplaneelementareinterpolatedfromnodaldisplacements
(ui,vi)usingshapefunctionsNiasfollows,

where N is the shape function matrix, u the displacement vector and d the nodal
displacement vector. Here we have assumed that u depends on the nodal values of u
only, and v on nodal values of v only. Most commonly employed 2D elements are
linear or quadratic triangles and quadrilaterals.

ConstantStrain Triangle(CSTorT3)
This is the simplest 2D
Thisisthesimplest2
Delement,whichisalsocalledlineartriangularelement.
element which is also called linear triangular element

For this element, we have three nodes at the vertices of the triangle, which are
numbered around the element in the counterclockwise direction. Each node has
two degrees of freedom (can move in the x and y directions). The displacements u
and v are assumed to be linear functions within the element, that is,

wherebi(i =1,2,...,6)areconstants.Fromthese,thestrainsarefoundtobe,

whichareconstantthroughouttheelement.

Thedisplacementsshouldsatisfythefollowingsixequations,

Solvingtheseequations,wecanfindthecoefficientsb1,b2,...,andb6intermsof
nodaldisplacementsandcoordinates.
Thedisplacementscanbeexpressedas

Theshapefunctions(linearfunctionsinxandy)are

and
d

is the area of the triangle.

istheareaofthetriangle.

Thestraindisplacementrelationsarewrittenas

wherexij =xi xj andyij =yi yj (i,j=1,2,3).Again,weseeconstantstrainswithin

theelement.Fromstressstrainrelation,weseethatstressesobtainedusingthe
CSTelementarealsoconstant.
TheelementstiffnessmatrixfortheCSTelement,

inwhichtisthethicknessoftheelement.NoticethatkforCSTisa6by6
symmetricmatrix.
i
i

TheNaturalCoordinates

Weintroducethenaturalcoordinatesonthetriangle,thentheshapefunctions
canberepresentedsimplyby,
Noticethat,

whichensuresthattherigidbodytranslationisrepresentedbythechosenshape
functions.Also,asinthe1Dcase,

andvarieslinearlywithintheelement.

TheplotforshapefunctionN1isshowninthefollowingfigure.N2andN3havesimilar
features.

Wehavetwocoordinatesystemsfortheelement:theglobalcoordinates(x,y)andthe
naturalcoordinates.Therelationbetweenthetwoisgivenby

wherexij =xi xj andyij =yi yj (i,j=1,2,3)asdefinedearlier.

Displacementuorvontheelementcanbeviewedasfunctionsof(x,y)or.
Usingthechainruleforderivatives,wehave,
g

whereJiscalledtheJacobian
h
Ji
ll d h J bi matrixofthetransformation,andisexpressedas
i f h
f
i
di
d

where

andAistheareaofthetriangularelement.

Similarly,

Usingtherelations,weobtainthestraindisplacementmatrix,

ApplicationsoftheCSTElement:
Useinareaswherethestraingradientissmall.
(
)
Useinmeshtransitionareas(finemeshtocoarsemesh).
AvoidusingCSTinstressconcentrationorothercrucialareasinthe
structure,suchasedgesofholesandcorners.
RecommendedforquickandpreliminaryFEanalysisof
2 D problems
2Dproblems.

LinearStrainTriangle(LSTorT6)
Thiselementisalsocalledquadratictriangularelement.

Therearesixnodesonthiselement:threecornernodesandthreemidsidenodes.Each
nodehastwodegreesoffreedom(DOF)asbefore.Thedisplacements(u,v)areassumed
tobequadraticfunctionsof(x,y),

wherebi(i =1,2,...,12)areconstants.

Thestrainsarefoundtobe,

whicharelinearfunctions.Thus,wehavethelinearstraintriangle(LST),which
providesbetterresultsthantheCST.
Inthenaturalcoordinatesystemwedefinedearlier,thesixshapefunctionsfortheLST
elementare,

inwhich

Eachofthesesixshapefunctionsrepresentsaquadraticformontheelementasshownin
thefollowingfigure.

Displacementscanbewrittenas,
p
,

LinearQuadrilateralElement(Q4)

Therearefournodesatthecornersofthequadrilateralshape.Inthe
naturalcoordinatesystem,thefourshapefunctionsare,

atanypointinsidetheelement.

Thedisplacementfieldisgivenby

whicharebilinearfunctionsovertheelement.
Q
QuadraticQuadrilateralElement(Q8)
Q
(Q )
Thisisthemostwidelyusedelementfor2Dproblemsduetoitshighaccuracyin
analysisandflexibilityinmodeling.

Thereareeightnodesforthiselement,fourcornersnodes
andfourmidsidenodes.

Inthenaturalcoordinatesystem

theeightshapefunctionsare,

Again we have
Again,wehaveatanypointinsidetheelement.
at any point inside the element
Thedisplacementfieldisgivenby

whicharequadraticfunctionsovertheelement.Strainsandstressesoveraquadratic
quadrilateralelementarequadraticfunctions,whicharebetterrepresentations.

Notes:

Q4andT3areusuallyusedtogetherinameshwithlinearelements.
Q8andT6areusuallyappliedinameshcomposedofquadraticelements.
Quadraticelementsarepreferredforstressanalysis,becauseoftheirhigh
accuracyandtheflexibilityinmodelingcomplexgeometry,suchascurved
boundaries.

StressCalculation
Thestressinanelementisdeterminedbythefollowingrelation,
y
g

whereBisthestrainnodaldisplacementmatrixanddisthenodaldisplacement
vectorwhichisknownforeachelementoncetheglobalFEequationhasbeensolved.
Stressescanbeevaluatedatanypointinsidetheelement(suchasthecenter)orat
thenodes.ContourplotsareusuallyusedinFEAsoftwarepackages(duringpost
p
y
p
g (
gp
process)foruserstovisuallyinspectthestressresults.
ThevonMises Stress:
ThevonMises
The
von Mises stressistheeffectiveorequivalentstressfor2Dand3Dstress
stress is the effective or equivalent stress for 2 D and 3 D stress
analysis.

inwhich
andarethethreeprinciplestressesatthe
consideredpointinastructure.

For2Dproblems,thetwoprinciplestressesintheplanearedeterminedby

Thus,wecanalsoexpressthevonMises stressintermsofthestresscomponentsinthe
xy coordinatesystem.
Forplanestressconditions,wehave,