1.

Introduction to FEA in engineering problems

(reading materials: Chapter 1)
P. Podsiadlo
The University of Western Australia
School of Mechanical Engineering
Tribology Laboratory
 What is FEA?
• Finite Element Analysis is a way to simulate loading conditions on a
design and determine the design’s response to those conditions.

• The design is modeled using discrete building blocks called elements.

1. Each element has exact equations that describe how it
responds to a certain load.

2. The “sum” of the response of all elements in the model

gives the total response of the design.

3. The elements have a finite number of unknowns, hence the

name finite elements.

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 What is FEA?
• The finite element model, which has a finite number of unknowns, can
only approximate the response of the physical system, which has
infinite unknowns.

How good is the approximation?

– Unfortunately, there is no easy

answer to this question. It
depends entirely on what you
are simulating and the tools you
use for the simulation.
– We will, however, attempt to
give you guidelines throughout
this FEM unit.

Physical System F.E. Model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 History •
Historical Note

The finite element method of structural

• Hrennikoff[1941] - Lattice of 1D bars
• McHenry [1943] - Model 3D solids
• R. Courant [1943] - Variational form
analysis was created by academic and
industrial researchers during the 1950s
and 1960s.
• The underlying theory is over 100 years
old, and was the basis for pen-and-
paper calculations in the evaluation of
suspension bridges and steam boilers.

• Levy [1947, 1953] - Flexibility & Stiffness

• M. J. Turner [1953] - FEM computations on a wing
• Boeing [1950's] Engineer's at Boeing apply FEM to delta wings
• Argryisand Kelsey [1954] - Energy Prin. for Matrix Methods
• Turner, Clough, Martin and Topp[1956] - 2D elements
• R. W. Clough [1960] – Coins the term “Finite Elements”
 History

• 1963 - Mathematical validity of method established -applied to non-structural

problems

• 1960's - First general purpose FEA code developed

• 1970's - Non-linear solvers developed

• 1980's - Graphical pre-/postprocessors are developed

• 1990's and now - FEM tools integrated in CAD software

 Why is FEA needed?

• To reduce the amount of prototype testing

– Computer simulation allows multiple “what-if” scenarios to be tested quickly and
effectively.

• To simulate designs that are not suitable for prototype testing

– Example: Surgical implants, such as an artificial knee

• The bottom line:

– Cost savings
– Time savings… reduce time to market!
– Create more reliable, better-quality designs

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Examples of FEA applications

combined
structural nonstructural struc&nonstruc

stress analysis buckling biomechanical engineering

heat transfer fluid flow
problems

vibration analysis distribution of electric or

magnetic potential
 Stress analysis
(Control tower for a railroad)

Discretized railroad control tower (28

nodes, 48 beam elements) with typical
degrees of freedom shown at node 1

© 2002 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning™

 Stress analysis
(Failure analysis of Minneapolis Bridge Gusset Plates)
Bowed gusset Gusset plates - flat steel structure used
plates to bolt together girders that carry the
weight of a bridge

Shell to solid
coupling

Model of deck truss portion

(from Abaqus Technology Brief, Dec 2009)
 Stress analysis
(Analysis of cylinder to nozzle intersection in pressure vessel)

(from Int. J. of Pressure Vessels and Piping 82 (2005) pp.43-50)

Crush analysis of a car

(from http://www.adina.com)
 Crush analysis of a car

Crush analysis of automobiles is the simulation of a slow, dynamic (virtually static)

process. ADINA was employed to perform crush analyses using the implicit dynamic
(practically static) analysis procedures.

(from http://www.adina.com)
Comparison of FEA results with test results
(from http://www.adina.com)
 Computational fluid dynamics
(Hydrodynamics)

CFD lets you simulate the full-scale vehicle without the need for scaling
approximations. Also, a multitude of design variations can be assessed
without the high cost of tank test time.

(from http://www.wbmpl.com.au)
 Computational fluid dynamics
(Processing equipment)

Maximising performance of processing equipment such as cyclones, boilers, burners, filters,

stirrers, and valves, requires a thorough knowledge of the fluid processes behind the
functionality of the equipment.

The ability of CFD to clearly visualise these processes makes the identification of design
modifications for improving efficiency and reducing maintenance requirements faster and
more economical than traditional model testing and interpretation of physical measurement.
(from http://www.wbmpl.com.au)
 Computational fluid dynamics
(Structural wind loading)

The accurate determination of wind loads on large buildings and structures is essential to
efficient and safe design. CFD can be used to obtain accurate wind loads on very complex
structures without the need for simplifying assumptions or scaling.
(from http://www.wbmpl.com.au)
 FE model of vertebral body with wedge-shaped
section removed
(from http://biomech2.me.berkeley.edu/research/pcres.html)
FE model of artificial knee joint
(from http://www.uic.edu/labs/brl/knee1.htm)

To see movie on
trabecular bone check
http://biomech1.me.ber
keley.edu/tbone-fail/
FE model of human model
(http://www.tytlabs.co.jp/english/tech/thums)
 Bracket
Problem: Find the bending moment at section AA and the
deflection at the pin subjected to the load of 1000N.

(adapted from Finite Element Procedures, K J Bathe)

 A simple beam model
(Mathematical model 1)

Under the assumption that W is small

load that does not cause yielding of the
material we get

Moment at section AA M = WL = 27,500Ncm

3
1 W ( L + rN ) W (L + rN )
Deflection at load δ= + = 0.053cm
3 EI 5
AG
€ 6

Easy to solve by hand!

€
Is this simple beam model reliable and effective?
A 2D linear-elastic plane stress model
(Mathematical model 2)

More accurate than Model 1, however it does not

consider
• the actual bolt fastening and contact conditions
between the steel column and the bracket, and
• the pin carrying the load onto the bracket

The differential equations are difficult to

solve by hand!
One possible solution is to use numerical
techniques
 Analytical solutions are difficult to obtain
Physical Problem

For problems involving complicated geometries,

loadings, and material properties, it is generally Mathematical model
not possible to obtain analytical mathematical
solutions. Governed by differential
equations

These analytical solutions generally require the

solution of ordinary or partial differential
equations, which, because of the complicated Numerical model
geometries, loadings, and material properties,
are not usually obtainable. e.g., finite element
model
 Numerical techniques
Analytical solutions show the exact behavior of a system at any point within
the system, while numerical solutions approximate exact solutions only at
discrete points.
Common numerical techniques

Finite difference methods Finite element methods

Differential equations are replaced by

Differential equations are replaced by algebraic equations obtained using
difference equations integral formulations

Difficult to Quite easily to

apply to problems with complex geometries, complex boundary conditions or

nonisotropic material properties.
We will solve the bracket problem using a
finite element method
 Basic steps of finite element method

Step 1. Discretize and select the element types

Step 2. Select a displacement function

Step 3. Define the strain/displacement and stress/strain relationships

Step 4. Derive the element stiffness matrix and equations

Step 5. Assemble the element equations to obtain the global or total equations and introduce

boundary conditions

Step 6. Solve for the unknown degrees of freedom (or generalized displacements)

Step 7. Solve for the secondary quantities

Step 8. Interpret the results

 Which element?

Step 1. Discretize and select the

element types

Break down the structure (e.g. the bracket) into an

equivalent system of finite elements

Choose the most appropriate element type to

model most closely the actual physical behaviour

The total number of elements used and their

variation in size and type within a given body are
primarily matters of engineering judgment.

© 2002 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning™

Each point has an infinite number Each point has a finite number of
of deformation state variables, i.e. deformation state variables (u,v),
degrees of freedom (DOF) i.e. degrees of freedom
quadrilateral element
node

Real continuum model

Meshed solid model
1. Every interconnected element is linked, directly or indirectly, to every other
element through nodes.
2. Compability condition: elements connected before loading remain connected
at the nodes after deformation takes place.
3. The 2D element is used to represent plane stress/strain in the bracket.
4. Every element has a displacement function that is defined within the element
using the nodal displacement values.
Step 2. Select a displacement function

The function is defined within the element using the nodal values of the element.

Which displacement function?

Typical displacement functions are

polynomials and trigonometric series

For the bracket analysis, the displacement function is a linear function

of the coordinates in the x-y plane.
Step 3. Define the strain/displacement and stress/strain relationships

These relationships are used to obtain equations that describe the element behaviour.

For the bracket analysis, the Hooke's law is used.

strain/displacement:

stress/strain:
Step 4. Derive the element stiffness matrix and element equations
The matrix and equations relate nodal forces to nodal displacements

They can be obtained by

direct equilibrium method
(most easily applicable
to 1D elements)
methods of weighted
work or energy methods
(easier applicable to residuals
2D or 3D elements) (applicable wherever the
energy methods are)

principle of virtual work Castigliano's theorem

(both to elastic and (only to elastic materials)
non-elastic materials)

principle of minimum Galerkin's method

(most popular)
potential energy
(only to elastic materials)
 For the bracket analysis, the element equations are obtained using a minimum
potential energy method

The element equations are

 f1   k11 k12 k13 ... k1n  d1 
    
 f 2  k 21 k 22 k 23 ... k 2n  d2 
 
 f 3  = k 31 k 32 k 33 ... k 3n  d3  or { f } = [ k ]{d}
: : 
:  : 
• • •  • 
 f n  k n1 kn 2 kn 3 ... k nn  dn 
where €
{f} - the vector of element nodal forces
€
[k ] - the element stiffness matrix

{d} - the vector of unknown element nodal degrees of freedom or generalized displacements
€
€
 Step 5. Assemble the element equations to obtain the global or total
equations and introduce boundary conditions
Describe the behaviour of the entire structure by adding together the individual element
equations using a method of superposition (called a direct stiffness method)

The assembly process gives a set of simultaneous algebraic

equations that can be written as the global equation
{F } = [K ]{d}
{F } - the vector of global nodal forces
[K ] - the structure global or total stiffness matrix
€
- the vector of known and unknown structure nodal degrees of freedom
{d}
€ or generalized displacements
€

€The global equation is modified to account for the boundary conditions

Step 6. Solve for the unknown degrees of freedom (or generalized
displacements)
The modified global equation is solved to obtain nodal results (primary unknowns, first
quantities), such as displacement values at different nodes.

The global equation can be solved by

Elimination method Iterative method

(Gauss's method) or (Gauss-Seidel method)

For the bracket analysis, the global equation is solved using the iterative method
and as a result, the global nodal displacements were obtained.
Step 7. Solve for the secondary quantities

Obtain other important information, for example: moments and deflections

Having solved for the nodal displacements, the bending moment at section AA and
the deflection at the pin can be calculated.

Moment at section AA: M = 27,500Ncm

Deflection at the pin: δ = 0.064 cm

€
€
Step 8. Interpret the results
Verify results,display results obtained in graphical form

Results from FEA:

M = 27,500Ncm
δ = 0.064 cm
Results from simple beam
€ model:
Maximum stress M = 27,500Ncm
near notch
€
δ = 0.053cm

€ Difference in δ less than 20%

€ Difference in M less than 1%

€
 Conclusions

The simple beam model is reliable under the condition that the
required bending moment is to be predicted within 1% accuracy
and the deflection is to be predicted within 20%.
This model is effective since it can be easily solved by hand.
 Advantages of finite element analysis (FEA)
1. Model irregularly shaped bodies quite easily

2. Handle general load conditions without difficulty

3. Model bodies composed of several different materials

4. Handle unlimited numbers and kinds of boundary conditions

5. Vary the size of the elements to make it possible to use small elements where necessary

6. Alter the FE model relatively easily and cheaply

7. Include dynamic effects

8. Handle nonlinear behavior existing with large deformations and nonlinear materials
 Disadvantages of FEA

1. An approximate solution

2. An element dependent solution

- Shape quality of elements affect the solution, e.g. poorly shaped elements (irregular
shapes) reduce accuracy of the FE solution
- Element density affect the solution, i.e. the element size should be adjusted to capture
gradients, e.g. plate with a circular hole

3. Errors in input data

 Disadvantages of FEA

B B

*
B

Finite elements are stiffened by distortion and

by an increase of Gauss points. (from Cook et. al. Concepts and applications of FEM, 2002)
 How to avoid pitfalls

1. Hand calculations (Navier, Airy, Timoshenko, Gere, ...)

2. Norm base calculations (Australian Standards, API, ...)

3. Experiments (strain-gauge, accelerometers, ...)

4. Evaluate the kinematic behaviour (deformations)

 Outline of a finite element analysis project
Physical problem

Obtain approximate Plan a FE discretization

Devise (or improve) a of the mathematical
results for comparison
mathematical model. model
with FEA results.

FEA Preprocessing:
Physics No Revise the FE
discretization. Build the FE model
Are error estimates
What is at fault? small? Does mesh
Physical understanding revision do little to Yes
Solution:
or FEA modeling? alter FEA results? STOP
Solve equations of
the FE model

No Yes
Postprocessing:
Display computed
Are FEA results free of obvious errors and physically
results for examination
reasonable? Do FEA results agree well with predictions
and approximations obtained from other means?
FEA software
Adapted from 'Concepts and applications of FEA', R.D. Cook et al.
 Three phases of finite element method
The steps in FEM can be grouped into three phases

Preprocessing

Steps from 1 to 5

Solution
Step 6

Postprocessing

Steps 7 and 8
 Phases of FEM in FEA software

• Preprocessing Preprocessing
– Which analysis type?
– What to model?
– Which element type?
– Define Material Solution
– Create or import the model geometry
– Mesh the geometry
• Solution
– Apply loads
Postprocessing
– Solve
• Postprocessing
– Review results
– Check the validity of the solution

(adapted from the ANSYS training manual)

 Overview of preprocessing, solution and postprocessing
Given: A 1” thick spherical aluminum tank with a height of 180” and
radius of 100” tank is filled with water to a height of 80”. The
aluminum properties are E = 10E6 Psi, ν = 0.3.
A

100 “ A
100 “
1“
Section Definition

σm
lbf
80 “
ρ = 1.163279 3 σc
in

Section A-A
Stress Convention
Question: Predict the membrane stress distributions in the
meridional (σm) and circumferential (σc) directions?
(adapted from the ANSYS training manual)
 Preprocessing phase
Which analysis type?

• The analysis type usually belongs to one of the following disciplines:

1. Motion of solid bodies, pressure on solid bodies, or contact of solid bodies

2. Applied heat, high temperatures, or changes in temperature

3. Devices subjected to electric currents (AC or DC), electromagnetic waves,

and voltage or charge excitation

4. Motion of gases/fluids, or contained gases/fluids

5. Combinations of any of the above

•The appropriate analysis type for this model is a structural analysis!

(adapted from the ANSYS training manual)

 Preprocessing phase
What to model?
• What should be used to model the geometry of the spherical tank?
– Axisymmetry since the loading, material, and the boundary conditions are
symmetric. This type of model would provide the most simplified model.

– Rotational symmetry since the loading, material, and the boundary conditions are
symmetric. Advantage over axisymmetry: offers some results away from applied
boundary conditions.

– Full 3D model is an option, but would not be an efficient choice compared to the
axisymmetric and quarter symmetry models. If model results are significantly
influenced by symmetric boundary conditions, this may be the only option.

An axisymmetric and a one-quarter symmetry (i.e. rotational symmetry)

model will be used!
(adapted from the ANSYS training manual)
 Preprocessing phase
Which Element Type?
• What element type should be used for the model of the spherical tank?

– Axisymmetric model:
» Axisymmetric since 2-D section can be revolved to create 3D geometry.
» Linear due to small displacement assumption.
» Plane42 (in ANSYS)

– Rotational symmetry model:

» Shell since radius/thickness ratio > 10
» Linear due to small displacement assumption.
» Shell93 (in ANSYS)

(adapted from the ANSYS training manual)

 Preprocessing phase
Create the Solid Model
• A typical solid model is defined by volumes, areas, lines, and
keypoints.
– Volumes are bounded by areas. They represent solid objects.
– Areas are bounded by lines. They represent faces of solid objects, or planar
or shell objects.
– Lines are bounded by keypoints. They represent edges of objects.
– Keypoints are locations in 3-D space. They represent vertices of objects.

Volumes Areas Lines & Keypoints

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Preprocessing phase
Create the Solid Model
• What geometry should be used to model the spherical tank?

Axisymmetric model One-quarter Symmetry Model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)
 Preprocessing phase
Create the FEA Model

• Meshing is the process used to “fill” the solid model with

nodes and elements, i.e. to create the FEA model.
– Remember, you need nodes and elements for the finite element solution, not
just the solid model. The solid model does NOT participate in the finite
element solution.

meshing

Solid model FEA model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Preprocessing phase
Create the FEA Model
• What would the mesh of the spherical tank look like?

Axisymmetric model One-quarter Symmetry Model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)
 Preprocessing phase
Define Material

Material Properties

• Every analysis requires some material property input:

Young’s modulus EX for structural elements, thermal
conductivity KXX for thermal elements, etc.

• There are two ways to define material properties:

– Material library
– Individual properties

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Solution phase
Define Loads
• There are five categories of loads:

DOF Constraints Specified DOF values, such as displacements in a

stress analysis or temperatures in a thermal analysis.

Concentrated Loads Point loads, such as forces or heat flow rates.

Surface Loads Loads distributed over a surface, such as pressures or

convections.

Body Loads Volumetric or field loads, such as temperatures

(causing thermal expansion) or internal heat
generation.

Inertia Loads Loads due to structural mass or inertia, such as gravity

and rotational velocity.

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Solution phase
Define Loads
• What are the loads on the spherical tank models?
Edge Symmetry
constraint Tangential
Tangential Constraint*
Constraint*
Hydrostatic
pressure
Edge Symmetry
constraint Hydrostatic
pressure

Edge Symmetry
constraint
Axisymmetric model One-quarter Symmetry Model
* Tangential constraint used to allow comparison to Roarke closed form solution. (adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)
 Postprocessing phase
Review Results
• Postprocessing is the final step in the finite element analysis process.

• It is imperative that you interpret your results relative to the assumptions

made during model creation and solution.

• You may be required to make design decisions based on the results, so it

is a good idea not only to review the results carefully, but also to check
the validity of the solution.

• ANSYS has two postprocessors:

– POST1, the General Postprocessor, to review a single set of results over the
entire model.
– POST26, the Time-History Postprocessor, to review results at selected
points in the model over time. Mainly used for transient and nonlinear
analyses.

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Postprocessing phase
Review Results
• What are the circumferential stress results in the spherical tank
models?

Axisymmetric model One-quarter Symmetry Model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)
 Postprocessing phase
Review Results
• What are the meridional stress results in the spherical tank models?

Axisymmetric model One-quarter Symmetry Model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)
 Postprocessing phase
Verification
• It is always a good idea to do a “sanity check” and make sure that the
solution is acceptable.

• What you need to check depends on the type of problem you are solving,
but here are some typical questions to ask:

• Do the reaction forces balance the applied loads?

• Where is the maximum stress located?

–If it is at a singularity, such as a point load or a re-entrant corner, the value is
generally meaningless.
–Are the stress values beyond the elastic limit?
–If so, the load magnitudes may be wrong, or you may need to do a nonlinear
analysis.

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)

 Postprocessing phase
Verification
• How do the ANSYS results compare with Roarke?

Membrane Stress Distributions for Axisymmetric Model Membrane Stress Distributions for Quarter Symmetry Model

180 180

160 160

140 140

120 120

100
y (inches)

100

y (inches)
80 80

60 60
Circumferential Stress (Roarke)
Circumferential Stress (Roarke)
Circumferential Stress Circumferential (quarter symmetry)
(Axisymmetric) 40
Meridional Stress (Roarke) Meridional Stress (Roarke) 40
Meridional Stress (quarter symmetry)

y y
Meridional Stress (Axisymmetric)
20
20

0
0

Stress (Psi)
Stress (Psi)

Axisymmetric model One-quarter Symmetry Model

(adapted from the ANSYS Training Manual)
 General-Purpose FEM programs
Advantages
Well organized and developed with user ease in mind Disadvantages
Solve many types of small or large size problems High cost of developing
Expandable Less efficient than special-purpose programs
Run on PCs They are proprietary
Becoming more attractive in price

Special-Purpose FEM programs

Advantages
Low development costs Disadvantages
Small computers are able to run the programs Inability to solve different classes of problems
Expandable quickly and at low cost
Very efficient in solving some special problems
 Questions about FEM programs
You should ask about
• element types available (eg. beam, plane stress, solid shells, 3D solid)
• types of analysis available (e.g. static, dynamic)
• material behaviour (e.g. linear-elastic, nonlinear)
• load types (e.g. concentrated, distributed, thermal)
• data generation (e.g. automatic generation of meshes; mesh correction on-line)
• displacement behaviour (e.g. small and large displacement, buckling)
• multiphysics
• integration with CAD packages
• plotting options
• cost of upgrading
 FEM programs
ALGOR ANSYS
COSMOS/M STARDYNE/FEMAP
MSC/NASTRAN SAP90/2000
ADINA NISA
GT Strudl ABAQUS
Plaxis IMAGES-3D
Matlab based: CalFem, FemLab
CAE products:
Pro/Engineer (Pro/FEA, Pro/Mechanica), Cosmos/Works, Inventor/ANSYS,
Ideas
 ANSYS Family of Products
• ANSYS – Advanced nonlinear mechanical
and multiphysics FEA solution capabilities

• ANSYS Workbench – Complete environment

for geometry modeling, mesh manipulation,
structural/thermal analysis, and optimization,
which is tightly integrated with CAD packages

• CFX – CFD solvers, including the coupled,

parallel CFX-5 solver

• ICEM CFD – Meshing tools with general pre-

and post-processing features, including ICEM
CFD for generating complex CFD grids and
AI*Environment for creating with sophisticated
structural FEA meshes
(check demo room on http://www-harwell.ansys.com/demoroom/)
 What is ANSYS Workbench?
ANSYS Workbench is a new-generation solution from ANSYS that provides
methods for interacting with the ANSYS solver functionality. This
environment provides an integration with CAD systems, and your design
process.
ANSYS Workbench is comprised of five modules:
– Simulation for performing structural and thermal analyses using the
ANSYS solver

– CFX-Mesh for generating a CFX-Pre mesh for the CFX-5 solver

– DesignModeler for creating and modifying CAD geometry to prepare

the solid model for use in Simulation or CFX-Mesh

– DesignXplorer and DesignXplorer VT for investigating the effect of

variations input to the response of the system

– FE Modeler for translating a Nastran mesh for use in ANSYS

 ANSYS Workbench Overview

ANSYS Workbench

Simulation DesignXplorer (VT)

DesignModeler FE Modeler

CFX-Mesh
 Capabilities of ANSYS
It covers a wide range of analyses including:
• Structural
• Thermal
• Fluid
• Electromagnetic
• Coupled physics (e.g. structural/fluid) and others

The ANSYS Workbench platform allows these capabilities to be combined with

other ANSYS engineering applications, giving you access into:
• Associative CAD plug-ins to all major CAD vendors
• CAD modification
• Design Optimisation
• Fatigue Postprocessing
• Advanced Meshing Tools
• Model Translation and more
 ANSYS Mechanical Parametric Design Language (APDL)
(formerly called ANSYS Classic)
ANSYS Mechanical and ANSYS Workbench use the same solver.

ANSYS Mechanical APDL will be taught since

• we focus on the theoretical fundamentals of FEA, including

the selection of a right FE from a large pool of available
elements and the bottom-up approach,
• we will solve many 1D and 2D problems for which ANSYS
Workbench that relies heavily on 3D CAD geometry is not
required,
• we need a well documented software and have a direct
excess to all complex features available in ANSYS.

Advice for future: Start with ANSYS Classic and switch to WB when you
have a good understanding how ANSYS "reasons" and "works".
 Our school has licenses for ANSYS 13.0 until
28th February 2012

ANSYS Academic Research LS-DYNA

(25 tasks)
ANSYS Academic Teaching Advanced
(75 tasks)
ANSYS Academic Research (5 tasks)

ANSYS Academic Teaching Advanced license (256k nodes, 75 seats)

 At this point you should

• realize that a good understanding of the basic concepts of the FEA is

necessary to use FE software more effectively

• know that eight steps are used in FEA; these steps can be grouped into three
phases: preprocessing, solution and postprocessing

• spend some time to understand your problem before FEA; you might find a
reasonable solution by hand to the problem

• realize that you must always find a way to verify your FEA results