An Introduction to the

Finite Element Analysis

Presented by
Niko Manopulo
Agenda
PART I
Introduction and Basic Concepts

1.0 Computational Methods
1.1 Idealization
1.2 Discretization
1.3 Solution
2.0 The Finite Elements Method
2.1 FEM Notation
2.2 Element Types
3.0 Mechanichal Approach
3.1 The Problem Setup
3.2 Strain Energy
3.3 External Energy
3.4 The Potential Energy Functional
Agenda
PART II
Mathematical Formulation

4.0 The Mathematics Behind the Method
4.1 Weighted Residual Methods
4.2 Approxiamting Functions
4.3 The Residual
4.4 Galerkins Method
4.5 The Weak Form
4.6 Solution Space
4.7 Linear System of Equations
4.8 Connection to the physical system


Agenda
PART III
Finite Element Discretization

5.0 Finite Element Discretization
4.1 The Trial Basis
4.2 Matrix Form of the Problem
4.3 Element Stiffness Matrix
4.4 Element Mass Matrix
4.5 External Work Integral
4.6 Assembling
4.7 Linear System of Equations
6.0 References
7.0 Question and Answers
PART I
Introduction and Basic Concepts
1.0 Computational Methods
1.1 Idealization
Mathematical Models
A model is a symbolic device built to simulate
and predict aspects of behavior of a system.
Abstraction of physical reality
Implicit vs. Explicit Modelling
Implicit modelling consists of using existent
pieces of abstraction and fitting them into the
particular situation (e.g. Using general purpose
FEM programs)
Explicit modelling consists of building the model
from scratch
1.2 Dicretization
1. Finite Difference Discretization
The solution is discretized
Stability Problems
Loss of physical meaning
2. Finite Element Discretization
The problem is discretized
Physical meaning is conserved on elements
Interpretation and Control is easier
1.3 Solution
1. Linear System Solution Algorithms
Gaussian Elimination
Fast Fourier Transform
Relaxation Techniques

2. Error Estimation and Convergence
Analysis

2.0 Finite Element Method
Two interpretations
1. Physical Interpretation:
The continous physical model is divided into
finite pieces called elements and laws of nature
are applied on the generic element. The results
are then recombined to represent the
continuum.
2. Mathematical Interpretation:
The differetional equation reppresenting the
system is converted into a variational form,
which is approximated by the linear
combination of a finite set of trial functions.
2.1 FEM Notation
Elements are defined by the following
properties:
1. Dimensionality
2. Nodal Points
3. Geometry
4. Degrees of Freedom
5. Nodal Forces
(Non homogeneous RHS of the DE)
2.2 Element Types
3.0 Mechanical Approach
Simple mechanical problem
Introduction of basic mechanical concepts
Introduction of governing equations
Mechanical concepts used in mathematical
derivation
3.1 The Problem Setup
Hookes Law:


where


Strain Energy Density:
3.2 Strain Energy
dx
du
x = ) ( c
) ( ) ( x E x c o =
) ( ) (
2
1
x x c o = O
Integrating over the Volume of the Bar:




All quantities may depend on x.
3.2 Strain Energy (contd)
dx EAu u U
dx u EAu dx p dV U
L
L L
V
}
} } }
=
= = =
0
0 0
' '
2
1
' ) ' (
2
1
2
1
2
1
c oc
3.3 External Energy
Due to applied external loads
1. The distributed load q(x)
2. The point end load P. This can be
included in q.

External Energy:

}
=
L
dx qu W
0
3.4 The Total Potential Energy
Functional
The unknown strain Function u is found by minimizing
the TPE functional described below:
)] ( [ )] ( [ )] ( [ x u W x u U x u
or
W U
= H
= H
PART II
Mathematical Formulation
4.0 Historical Background
Hrennikof and McHenry formulated a 2D structural
problem as an assembly of bars and beams
Courant used a variational formulation to
approximate PDEs by linear interpolation over
triangular elements
Turner wrote a seminal paper on how to solve one
and two dimensional problems using structural
elements or triangular and rectangular elements of
continuum.
4.1 Weighted Residual Methods
The class of differential equations containing also the one
dimensional bar described above can be described as follows :
. 0 ) 1 ( ) 0 (
) 1 ( 1 0 ), ( ) ( ) ) ( ( ] [
= =
< < = + =
u u
x x q u x z
dx
du
x p
dx
d
u L
It follows that:

Multiplying this by a weight function v and integrating over the
whole domain we obtain:


For the inner product to exist v must be square integrable
Therefore:


Equation (2) is called variational form
0 ] [ = q u L
) 2 ( 0 ) ] [ , ( ) ] [ (
1
0
}
= = q u L v dx v q u L
4.1 Weighted Residual Methods
) 1 , 0 (
2
L v e
4.2 Approximating Function
We can replace u and v in the formula with their approximation
function i.e.







The functions |
j
and
j
are of our choice and are meant to be
suitable to the particular problem. For example the choice of sine
and cosine functions satisfy boundary conditions hence it could be a
good choice.

=
=
= ~
= ~
N
j
j j
N
j
j j
x d x V x v
x c x U x u
1
1
) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) (

|
4.2 Approximating Function
U is called trial function and V is called test function
As the differential operator L[u] is second order


Therefore we can see U as element of a finite-diemnsional
subspace of the infinite-dimensional function space C
2
(0,1)


The same way
) 1 , 0 ( ) 1 , 0 (
2 2
C U C u e e
) 1 , 0 ( ) 1 , 0 (
2
C S U
N
c e
) 1 , 0 ( ) 1 , 0 (

2
L S V
N
c e
4.3 The Residual
Replacing v and u with respectively V and U (2) becomes





r(x) is called the residual (as the name of the method suggests)
The vanishing inner product shows that the residual is orthogonal to all
functions V in the test space.
q U L x r
S V r V
N
=
e =
] [ ) (

, 0 ) , (
Substituting into

and exchanging summations and integrals we obtain



As the inner product equation is satisfied for all choices of V in
S
N
the above equation has to be valid for all choices of d
j
which implies that
4.3 The Residual

=
=
N
j
j j
x d x V
1
) ( ) ( 0 ) ] [ , ( = q U L V
N j d q U L d
j
N
j
j j
, ... , 2 , 1 , 0 ) ] [ , (
1
= =

=

N j q U L
j
, ... , 2 , 1 0 ) ] [ , ( = =
4.4 Galerkins Method
One obvious choice of would be taking it equal to
This Choice leads to the Galerkins Method


This form of the problem is called the strong form of the problem.
Because the so chosen test space has more continuity than
necessary.
Therefore it is worthwile for this and other reasons to convert the
problem into a more symmetrical form
This can be acheived by integrating by parts the initial strong form
of the problem.
j

j
|
N j q U L
j
, ... , 2 , 1 0 ) ] [ , ( = = |
Let us remember the initial form of the problem







Integrating by parts
4.5 The Weak Form
dx q zu pu v q u L v
}
+ =
1
0
] )' ' ( [ ) ] [ , (
. 0 ) 1 ( ) 0 (
1 0 ), ( ) ( ) ) ( ( ] [
= =
< < = + =
u u
x x q u x z
dx
du
x p
dx
d
u L
0 ' ) ' ' ( ] )' ' ( [
1
0
1
0
1
0
= + = +
} }
vpu dx vq vzu pu v dx q zu pu v
4.5 The Weak Form
The problem can be rewritten as


where



The integration by parts eliminated the second derivatives
from the problem making it possible less continouity than the
previous form. This is why this form is called weak form of the
problem.
A(v,u) is called Strain Energy.
0 ) , ( ) , ( = q v u v A
dx vzu pu v u v A ) ' ' ( ) , (
1
0
}
+ =
4.6 Solution Space
Now that derivative of v comes into the picture v needs to have more
continoutiy than those in L
2
. As we want to keep symmetry its appropriate
to choose functions that produce bounded values of


As p and z are necessarily smooth functions the following restriction is
sufficient



Functions obeying this rule belong to the so called Sobolev Space and they
are denoted by H
1
. We require v and u to satisfy boundary conditions so we
denote the resulting space as
dx zu u p u u A ) ) ' ( ( ) , (
1
0
2 2
}
+ =
1
0
1
0
2 2
) ' (
H
dx u u
}
+
The solution now takes the form

Substituting the approximate solutions obtained earlier in the
more general WRM we obtain



More explicitly substituting U and V (remember we chose
them to have the same base) and swapping summations and
integrals we obtain
4.7 Linear System of Equations

=
= =
N
k
j k j k
N j q A c
1
, ... , 2 , 1 , ) , ( ) , ( | | |
1
0
) , ( ) , ( H v q v u v A e =
N
N
S V q V U V A
H S V U
0
1
0 0
) , ( ) , (
,
e =
c e
4.8 Connection to the Physical System
Mechanical Formulation Mathematical Formulation
dx EAu u U
L
}
=
0
' '
2
1
}
=
L
dx qu W
0
0 = = H W U o o o
dx vzu pu v u v A ) ' ' ( ) , (
1
0
}
+ =
0 ) , ( ) , ( = q v u v A
) , ( q v
PART III
Finite Element Discretization
Let us take the initial value problem with constant coefficients





As a first step let us divide the domain in N subintervals with
the following mesh


Each subinterval is called finite element.
5.0 Finite Element Discretization
. 0 ) 1 ( ) 0 (
0 ,
1 0 ), ( ' '
= =
>
< < = +
u u
z p
x x q zu pu
N j x x
j j
: 1 ), , (
1
=

1 ... 0
1 0
= < < < =
N
x x x
Next we select as a basis the so called hat function.
5.1 The Trial Basis

< s

< s

=
+
+
+

otherwise
x x x
x x
x x
x x x
x x
x x
x
j j
j j
j
j j
j j
j
j
0
) (
1
1
1
1
1
1
|
With the basis in the previous slide we construct our
approximate solution U(x)









It is interesting to note that the coefficients correspond to the
values of U at the interior nodes
5.1 The Trial Basis
The problem at this point can be easily solved using the
previously derived Galerkins Method




A little more work is needed to convert this problem into
matrix notation

5.1 The Trial Basis

=
= =
N
k
j k j k
N j q A c
1
, ... , 2 , 1 , ) , ( ) , ( | | |
Restricting U over the typical finite element we can write


Which in turn can be written as



in the same way

5.2 Matrix Form of the Problem
] , [ )] ( ) ( [
) (
) (
] [ ) (
1
1
1
1
1 j j
j
j
j j
j
j
j j
x x x
c
c
x x
x
x
c c x U

e
(

=
(

= | |
|
|
] , [ ) ( ) ( ) (
1 1 1 j j j j j j
x x x x c x c x U

e + = | |
] , [ )] ( ) ( [
) (
) (
] [ ) (
1
1
1
1
1 j j
j
j
j j
j
j
j j
x x x
d
d
x x
x
x
d d x V

e
(

=
(

= | |
|
|
Taking the derivative




Derivative of V is analogus
5.2 Matrix Form of the Problem
1
1
1
1
] , [ ] / 1 / 1 [
/ 1
/ 1
] [ ) ( '

=
e
(

=
(

=
j j j
j j
j
j
j j
j
j
j j
x x h
x x x
c
c
h h
h
h
c c x U
] , [ ] / 1 / 1 [
/ 1
/ 1
] [ ) ( '
1
1
1 j j
j
j
j j
j
j
j j
x x x
d
d
h h
h
h
d d x V

e
(

=
(

=
The variational formula can be elementwise defined as
follows:
5.2 Matrix Form of the Problem
}
}
}

=
=
=
+ =
=
=
j
j
j
j
j
j
x
x
x
x
M
j
x
x
S
j
M
j
S
j j
N
j
j j
dx Vq q V
dx zVU U V A
dx U pV U V A
U V A U V A U V A
q V U V A
1
1
1
) , (
) , (
' ' ) , (
) , ( ) , ( ) , (
0 ] ) , ( ) , ( [
1
Substituting U,V,U and V into these formulae we obtain
4.3 The Element Stiffnes Matrix
(

=
(

=
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
(

=
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

}
}

1 1
1 1
] [
1 1
1 1
] [ ) , (
] / 1 / 1 [
/ 1
/ 1
] [ ) , (
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
j
j
j
j
j j j
j
j
x
x
j
j j
S
j
j
j
x
x
j j
j
j
j j
S
j
h
p
K
c
c
K d d
c
c
dx
h
p
d d U V A
c
c
dx h h
h
h
p d d U V A
j
j
j
j
4.4 The Element Mass Matrix
(

=
(

=
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
(

}

2 1
1 2
6
] [ ) , (
] [ ] [ ) , (
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
j
j
j
j
j j j
S
j
j
j
x
x
j j
j
j
j j
M
j
zh
M
c
c
M d d U V A
c
c
dx z d d U V A
j
j
| |
|
|
The same way
The external work integral cannot be evaluated for every
function q(x)


We can consider a linear interpolant of q(x) for simplicity.


Substituting and evaluating the integral

4.5 External Work Integral
}

=
j
j
x
x
dx Vq q V
1
) , (
] , [ ), ( ) ( ) (
1 1 1 j j j j j j
x x x x q x q x q

e + ~ | |
(

+
+
=
=
(

}

j j
j j j
j
j j j
j
j
j j
x
x
j
j
j j j
q q
q q h
l
l d d dx
q
q
d d q V
j
j
2
2
6
] , [ ] , [ ] , [ ) , (
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
| |
|
|
Element load vector
Now the task is to assemble the elements into the whole
system in fact we have to sum each integral over all the
elements
For doing so we can extend the dimension of each element
matrix to N and then put the 2x2 matrix at the appropriate
position inside it
With all matrices and vectors having the same dimension the
summation looks like

4.6 Assembling

=
=
N
j
S
j
A
1
Kc d
T
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
2 1
1 2 1
... ... ...
1 2 1
1 2 1
1 2
h
p
K
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

=
1
2
1
1
2
1
... ...
N N
d
d
d
d
c
c
c
c
Doing the same for the Mass Matrix and for the Load Vector

4.6 Assembling

=
=
N
j
M
j
A
1
Mc d
T
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
4 1
1 4 1
... ... ...
1 4 1
1 4 1
1 4
6
zh
M
(
(
(
(

+ +
+ +
+ +
=
N N N
q q q
q q q
q q q
h
1 2
3 2 1
2 1 0
4
...
4
4
6
l

=
=
N
j
j
q V
1
) , ( l d
T
Substituting this Matrix form of the expressions in



we obtain the following set of linear equations


This has to be satisfied for all choices of d therefore
4.7 Linear System of Equations
0 l c M K d
T
= + ] ) [(

=
=
N
j
j j
q V U V A
1
0 ] ) , ( ) , ( [
0 l c M K = + ) (