Finite Element Method

for readers of all backgrounds

G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

CHAPTER 9:
FEM FOR 3D SOLIDS

1
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
TETRAHEDRON ELEMENT
Shape functions
Strain matrix
Element matrices
HEXAHEDRON ELEMENT
Shape functions
Strain matrix
Element matrices
Using tetrahedrons to form hexahedrons
HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS
ELEMENTS WITH CURVED SURFACES

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

2
 INTRODUCTION
For 3D solids, all the field variables are dependent
of x, y and z coordinates most general element.
The element is often known as a 3D solid element
or simply a solid element.
A 3D solid element can have a tetrahedron and
hexahedron shape with flat or curved surfaces.
At any node there are three components in the x, y
and z directions for the displacement as well as
forces.

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

3
 TETRAHEDRON ELEMENT
3D solid meshed with tetrahedron elements

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

4
TETRAHEDRON ELEMENT
Consider a four node tetrahedron element
u1 w4
v
node 1
1 4= l
w1 v4

u2 u4
w3
w1
v2 node 2
v3
w
de 2 1= i
v1 u3 3= k
u3
v3 u1
fsz
node 3 z=Z
w2 fsy
w3 fsx
u y=Y
4 u2
v4
node 4 x=X 2= j
w
z=Z u2
4
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
5
Shape functions
U h ( x, y, z ) N( x, y, z )de
node 1 node 2 node 3 node 4

N1 0 0 N2 0 0 N3 0 0 N4 0 0
0
where N 0 N1 0 0 N2 0 0 N3 0 0 N4
0 0 N1 0 0 N2 0 0 N3 0 0 N 4

Use volume coordinates (Recall Area coordinates for 4=l

2D triangular element)

1=i P 3=k
VP 234
L1
V1234 z
y
x 2=j
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
6
Shape functions
VP134 VP124 VP123
Similarly, L2 , L3 , L4
V1234 V1234 V1234

Can also be viewed as ratio of distances

d d d d 4=l
L1 P 234 , L2 P 134 , L3 P 124 , L4 P 123
d1 234 d1 234 d1234 d1234

L1 L2 L3 L4 1 (Partition of unity) 1=i P 3=k

since z

VP 234 VP134 VP124 VP123 V1234 x

y
2=j

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

7
Shape functions
1 at the home node i
Li (Delta function property)
0 at the the remote nodes jkl

x L1 x1 L2 x 2 L3 x3 L4 x 4
y L1 y1 L2 y 2 L3 y 3 L4 y 4
z L1 z1 L2 z 2 L3 z 3 L4 z 4 L1 L2 L3 L4 1

1 1 1 1 1 L1
x x x x x 4 L2
1
2 3

y y1 y 2 y 3 y 4 L3
z z1 z 2 z 3
z 4 L4
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
8
Shape functions (Adjoint matrix)

L1 a1 b1 c1 d1 1 i= 1,2
Therefore, L c 2 d 2 x i
2 1 a 2 b2
l = 4,1
L3 6V a3 b3 c3 d 3 y l j
L4
a 4 b4 c4 d 4 z j = 2,3
k
(Cofactors) k = 3,4
xj yj z j 1 yj zj
where ai det xk yk zk , bi det 1 yk zk
xl yl zl 1 yl zl
yj 1 zj yj zj 1
ci det yk 1 zk , d i det yk zk 1

yl 1 zl yl zl 1

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

9
Shape functions
1 xi y i zi
1 xj yj z j
1
V det (Volume of tetrahedron)
6 1 xk y k zk

1 xl y l zl

1
Therefore, N i Li (ai bi x ci y d i z )
6V

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

10
Strain matrix
x 0
Since, U h ( x, y, z ) N( x, y, z )de 0
0

y 0
0 0 z
Therefore, LU LNd e Bd e where B LN N
0 z y
z 0 x

y x
0 0
0
b1 0 0 b2 0 0 b3 0 0 b4
0 c1 0 0 c2 0 0 c3 0 0 c 4 0

1 0 0 d1 0 0 d2 0 0 d3 0 0 d4
B
2V c1 b1 0 c2 b2 0 c3 b3 0 c4 b4 0
0 d1 c1 0 d2 c2 0 d3 c3 0 d 4 c4

d1 0 b1 d2 0 b2 d3 0 b3 d4 0 b4

(Constant strain element)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
11
Element matrices

k e BT cBdV Ve BT cB
Ve

N11 N12 N13 N14

N N 22 N 23 N 24
me NT NdV 21 dV
N31 N32 N33 N34

Ve Ve

N 41 N 42 N 43 N 44

Ni N j 0 0

where N ij 0 Ni N j 0
0 0 N i N j

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

12
Element matrices
Eisenberg and Malvern [1973] :
m !n ! p !q !
Ve L L L L dV (m n p q 3)! 6Ve
m n p q
1 2 3 4

2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1

2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

V
m e e
2 0 0 1 0 0 1
20 2 0 0 1 0 0

2 0 0 1 0
2 0 0 1

sy. 2 0 0

2 0
2
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
13
Element matrices

Alternative method for evaluating me: special natural

coordinate system
4= l
=constant

3= k
1= i Q =1
=0

z
P
2= j
y
=1
x
z=Z

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

14
Element matrices

4= l
=constant

3= k
1= i =1
=0
P
z

2= j
y
=0
x
z=Z

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

15
Element matrices

4= l =0
=constant

R Q
3= k
1= i =1
=1 P

2= j
y
=1
x
z=Z

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

16
Element matrices
x P ( x3 x 2 ) x 2 x B ( x P x1 ) x1 ( x3 x 2 ) ( x 2 x1 ) x1
y P ( y3 y 2 ) y 2 y B ( y P y1 ) y1 ( y3 y 2 ) ( y 2 y1 ) y1
zP 0 zB 0
x x 4 ( x 4 x B ) x 4 ( x 4 x1 ) ( x 2 x1 ) ( x 2 x3 )
y y 4 ( y 4 y B ) y 4 ( y 4 y1 ) ( y 2 y1 ) ( y 2 y3 )
z (1 ) z 4 4= l =0
=constant
N 1 (1 )
N 2 1= i
O 3= k
=1
=1
N 3 (1 ) =0
B =1
=0
P [xP(x3x2)+x2, yP(y3y2)+y2,0]
N 4 (1 ) z
=1
B [xB(xPx1)+x1, yB[(yPy1)y1],0]
=constant
y =1 2= j =constant
=0
x =1
O [x=(1)(x4xB)xB, y=(1)(y4yB)yB, z=(1)z4]
z=Z
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
17
Element matrices
x x x


y y y
Jacobian: J

z z z

x21 x31 x31 x41 x21 x31

det[ J ] y 21 y31 y31 y 41 y 21 y31 6V 2
0 z4 0
1 1 1
me N NdV
T
NT Ndet[J]d dd
0 0 0
Ve

N11 N12 N13 N14

N N 22 N 23 N 24
me 6Ve 2 21
1 1 1
d d d
0 0 0 N31 N32 N33 N34

N 41 N 42 N 43 N 44
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
18
Element matrices
031
f sx 0
31
f e [N]T f sy dl f sx
l 3 4
f f
sz sy
f sz
f
1 sx
For uniformly distributed load: f e l 3 4
2 f sy
w4 f sz
0
31
4= l
v4

u4
w3 031


w1
v3
0 3 1
031
1= i u3 3= k
v1
fsz
z=Z u1
w2 fsy
fsx
y=Y
u2
x=X 2= j
z=Z u2

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

19
 HEXAHEDRON ELEMENT
3D solid meshed with hexahedron elements

P P

P P

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

20
Shape functions 5 8

U Nd e
6 fsz 4
d e1 displacement components at node 1 7
d displacement components at node 2 1
e2 0
d e3 displacement components at node 3 z fsy
2
fsx
d displacement components at node 4
de e4 0

d e5 displacement components at node 5 y 3

d e 6 displacement components at node 6
x
d e 7 displacement components at node 7
d displacement components at node 8
e8
Ni 0 0
N i 0 0
u1

d ei v1 (i 1, 2, ,8)
Ni (i 1,2,,8)
w
1 0 0 N i

N N1 N 2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

21
Shape functions

(-1, -1, 1)5 8(-1, 1, 1)
5 8
(1, -1, 1)6

6 fsz 4 7 (1, 1, 1)
7
1 (-1, -1, -1)1 4(-1, 1, -1)
0
z fsy
2 fsx
(1, -1, -1)2
0
y 3 3(1, 1, -1)

x

8
x N i ( , , ) xi 1
i 1 N i (1 i )(1 i )(1 i )
8
y N i ( , , ) y i
8
i 1
8
(Tri-linear functions)
z N i ( , , ) z i
i 1

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

22
Strain matrix

LU LNd e Bde
B B1 B 2 B3 B 4 B5 B6 B7 B8
whereby
N i x 0 0
0 N y 0
i
0 0 N i z
B i LN i
0 N i z N i y
N i z 0 N i x

N i y N i x 0

Note: Shape functions are expressed in natural

coordinates chain rule of differentiation

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

23
Strain matrix
N i N i x N i y N i z

x y z
N i N i x N i y N i z Chain rule of

x y z differentiation
N i N i x N i y N i z

x y z

N i N i x y z


x

N
i
N i x y z
J where J
y

i
N
i
N x y z
z

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

24
Strain matrix
8 8 8

Since, x Ni ( ,, ) xi , y Ni ( ,, ) yi , z Ni ( ,, ) zi
i 1 i 1 i 1

x1 y1 z1
z2
N1 N 2 N 3 N 4 N 5 N 6 N 7 N8 x2 y2
x3 y3 z3

N N 2 N 3 N 4 N 5 N 6 N 7 N8 x4 y4 z4
J 1
x5 y5 z5

N1 N 2 N 3 N 4 N 5 N 6 N 7 N8 x6 y6 z6

x7 y7 z7

x8 y8 z8
8
N i 8
N i 8
N i
xi
yi
zi
i 81 i 1 i 1

N i 8
N i 8
N i
or J xi y z
i 1 i 1
i
i 1
i

8 N i 8
N i 8
N i
xi y z
i 1
i i
i 1 i 1

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

25
Strain matrix
N i N i
x
N
i 1 N i Used to replace derivatives
J
y w.r.t. x, y, z with derivatives
N i N i w.r.t. , ,
z

N i x 0 0
0 N y 0
i
0 0 N i z
B i LN i
0 N i z N i y
N i z 0 N i x


i
N y N i x 0

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

26
Element matrices
1 1 1
k e B cBdA
T
BT cB det[J ]d dd
1 1 1
Ve

1 1 1 n m l
Gauss integration: I 1 1 1 f ( , )dd wi w j wk f ( i , j , j )
i 1 j 1 k 1

1 1 1
me N NdV
T
NT Ndet[J]d dd
1 1 1
Ve

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

27
Element matrices
For rectangular hexahedron:

det[J] abc Ve

m11 m12 m13 m14 m15 m16 m17 m18

m 22 m 23 m 24 m 25 m 26 m 27 m 28

m 33 m 24 m 25 m 26 m 27 m 28

m 44 m 45 m 46 m 47 m 48
me
m 55 m 56 m 57 m 58

m 66 m 67 m 68
sy. m 77 m 78

m 88

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

28
Element matrices
(Contd)
1 1 1
where m ij 1 1 1 abcN i N j ddd
Ni 0 0 N j 0 0
0
0 0
1 1 1
abc Ni Nj 0 ddd
1 1 1
0 0 N i 0 0 N j
Ni N j 0 0
1 1 1
abc 0 Ni N j 0 ddd
1 1 1
0 0 N i N j

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

29
Element matrices
(Contd)
mij 0 0

or m ij 0 mij 0
0 0 mij

1 1
where mij abc N i N j ddd
1 1

abc 1 1 1

64 1
(1 i )(1 j )d (1 i )(1 j )d (1 i )(1 j )d
1 1

hab
(1 13 i j )(1 13 i j )(1 13 i j )
8

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

30
Element matrices
(Contd)
abc abc
E.g. m33 (1 1 1)(1 1 1)(1 1 1) 8
1
3
1
3
1
3
8 216
8 abc
m11 m22 m33 m44 m55 m66 m77 m88
216
4 abc
m12 m23 m34 m56 m67 m78 m14 m58 m15 m26 m37 m48
216
2 abc
m13 m24 m16 m25 m36 m47 m57 m68 m27 m38 m45 m18
216
1abc
m17 m28 m35 m46
216

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

31
Element matrices
(Contd)
8 4 2 4 4 2 1 2
8 4 2 2 4 2 1

8 4 1 2 4 2
Note: For x direction only
abc 8 2 1 2 4
m ex
216 8 4 2 4

8 4 2
sy. 8 4

8

(Rectangular hexahedron)

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

32
Element matrices
f sx

f e [N]T f sy dl 5 8
031
3 4
f
l

sz
0
31 6 fsz 4
f sx 7
For f 1

sy
0
uniformly
f sz z
fsx
fsy
distributed f
2

1 sx 0
load: f e l 3 4
f sy
y
2 3

f sz x
0
31
031

0
31
031
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
33
Using tetrahedrons to form hexahedrons
Hexahedrons can be made up of several
tetrahedrons 8
5
4
8 1
1

Hexahedron 5 8 3
6 8
made up of 5
4
tetrahedrons: 1
6 7
8 6 7
2 3
3
6
6
1
1 3
3 2
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
34
Using tetrahedrons to form hexahedrons
Element matrices can 5 8

be obtained by
4
assembly of 1
6 7
tetrahedron elements 8
5 8 2 3

6 4 7
1 6
4
2 3
2 Break into three

Hexahedron 5 8
5
made up of six 1 4
6
tetrahedrons: 1 4 6 4
2 6

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

35
HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS
Tetrahedron elements

10 nodes, quadratic:
4
N i (2 Li -1)Li for corner nodes i 1,2,3,4
9
N 5 4 L2 L3
N 6 4 L1 L3 8
2
N 7 4 L1 L2 7
10
for mid-edge nodes
N8 4 L1 L4
1 5

N 9 4 L2 L4 6

N10 4 L3 L4
3

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

36
HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS
Tetrahedron elements (Contd) 4

20 nodes, cubic: 14
12
N i 12 (3Li 1)(3Li 2)Li for corner nodes i 1,2,3,4 20 13
N 5 92 (3L1 1)L1 L3 N11 92 (3L1 1)L1 L4 11 16 2
8
N 6 92 (3L3 1)L1 L3 N12 92 (3L4 1)L1 L4 7 17
19 9
N 7 92 (3L1 1)L1 L2 N13 92 (3L2 1)L2 L4 1 5 18 15
for edge nodes
N8 92 (3L2 1)L1 L2 N14 92 (3L4 1)L2 L4 5 10
N 9 92 (3L2 1)L2 L3 N15 92 (3L3 1)L3 L4 6
3
N10 92 (3L3 1)L2 L3 N16 92 (3L4 1)L3 L4
N17 27 L2 L3 L4
N18 27 L1 L2 L3

for center surface nodes
N19 27 L1 L3 L4
N 20 27 L1 L2 L4
Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek
37
HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

Brick elements (nd=(n+1)(m+1)(p+1) nodes)

(n,m,p)

Lagrange type:
(n,m,0)
Ni N N N 1D
I
1D
J
1D
K l ( )l ( )l ( )
n
I
m
J
p
K i(I,J,K)

where (0,0,0) (n,0,0)

( 0 )( 1 ) ( k 1 )( k 1 ) ( n )
lkn ( )
( k 0 )( k 1 ) ( k k 1 )( k k 1 ) ( k n )

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

38
 HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

(-1, -1, 1)5 15 8(-1, 1, 1)

Brick elements (Contd) 16

14
13 3
(1, -1, 1)6 19
Serendipity type elements: 20
7 (1, 1, 1)

17 18
(-1,-1,-1)1
11(-1,0,-1) 4(-1, 1, -1)
12(0-1,-1)
20 nodes, tri-quadratic: 10(0,1,-1)
(1, -1, -1)2
9(1,0,-1) 3(1, 1, -1)
N j 18 (1 j )(1 j )(1 j )( j j i 2)

for corner nodes j 1, ,8

N j 14 (1 2 )(1 j )(1 j ) for mid-side nodes j 10,12,14,16
N j 14 (1 2 )(1 j )(1 j ) for mid-side nodes j 9,11,13,15
N j 14 (1 2 )(1 j )(1 j ) for mid-side nodes j 17,18,19, 20

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

39
HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

Brick elements (Contd)

32 nodes, tri-cubic:
Nj 1
64 (1 j )(1 j )(1 j )(9 2 9 2 9 2 19)
for corner nodes j 1, ,8
Nj 9
64 (1 2 )(1 9 j )(1 j )(1 j )

for side nodes with j 13 , j 1 and j 1

Nj 9
64 (1 2 )(1 9 j )(1 j )(1 j )
for side nodes with j 13 , j 1 and j 1
Nj 9
64 (1 2 )(1 9 j )(1 j )(1 j )
for side nodes with j 13 , j 1 and j 1

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

40
ELEMENTS WITH CURVED
SURFACES 4
4
9
9 8
8
10 2
7
7 2 10
5 1
1 5
6 3 6
3

2 10 3
2
9 10 9 11
14
1 14 11 3 1 15
12 12 4

13 6
4
18
15
13 6 16
7 7
18
5 17 16 17
19 19
20 5
8
20 8

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

41
 CASE STUDY
Stress and strain analysis of a quantum dot
heterostructure
Material E (Gpa)
GaAs cap layer
GaAs 86.96 0.31

InAs 51.42 0.35

InAs wetting
InAs quantum dot
layer

GaAs substrate

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

42
CASE STUDY

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

43
CASE STUDY
30 nm

30 nm

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

44
CASE STUDY

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

45
CASE STUDY

Finite Element Method by G. R. Liu and S. S. Quek

46