Finite Element Method
By
Cap. Dr. Riessom W/Giorgis
FEM Dr. Riessom 1
Personal Expectation
Who am I?
Who are you?
Short presentation of yourself
What do you expect from this course?
How do we cover the entire course within the stipulated
time?
FEM Dr. Riessom 2
Course Delivery
I would like to keep the lesson interactive
Everyone of us has his/her own experience
I highly value your inputs, I think that will
benefit everybody
The idea is to interchange opinions and points
of view
Mutual learning
FEM Dr. Riessom 3
Student Evaluation Scheme
As per the course syllabus the mark distribution is
supposed to be:
Mid-semester Exam 30%
Assignment and Lab 30%
Final semester Exam 40%
However, it is modified to be:
30% tests, 30% project and 40% final exam to suit
block delivery
FEM Dr. Riessom 4
Course Description
Introduction; Weighted residual methods; Functional
and variation formulation; FEM analysis of one
dimensional problems: Pipe flow, trusses, beams and
frame; Shape functions and isoperimetric elements;
Solution of two dimensional problems by FEM: Plane
stress and strain problem. Two dimensional steady state
heat conduction; Transient head Conduction by FEM:
Model and Transient analysis of dynamic problems;
Introduction to commercial software.
FEM Dr. Riessom 5
Course Content
The entire course consists of the following major
topics:
1. Overview of Finite Element Methods
2. Finite Element Formulation
3. One-dimensional Analysis
4. Two-dimensional Analysis
5. Three-dimensional Analysis
6. Dynamic Analysis
7. FEM Software
FEM Dr. Riessom 6
Course Objective
At the end of the course, it is expected that
everyone of you will have:
Sufficient knowledge of mathematical foundation of
Finite Element Methods
Skill in developing FEM computer programs for
engineering problems
Skill in using commercial FEM packages to model
and solve practical mechanical engineering problems
FEM Dr. Riessom 7
Course Project
In this project you will be required to
Choose an engineering system of your interest
Develop the finite element model using Matlab
Solve the problem using commercial software
Present and discuss the results
Project grade will depend on
1. Originality of the idea
2. Techniques used
3. Critical discussion
FEM Dr. Riessom 8
Don’t say you don’t have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of
hours per day that were given to Helen
Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother
Teresa, Leonardo Davinci, Thomas
Jefferson and Albert Einstein!
(H. Jackson Brown)
FEM Dr. Riessom 9
Lecture -1
Introduction to FEM
FEM Dr. Riessom 10
Methods of Engineering Analysis
There are three approaches usually followed to undertake
any engineering analysis.
Experimental methods
Accurate but it needs man power and materials. So, it is
time consuming and costly process.
Analytical methods
Quick and closed form solution but for simple geometries
and simple loading conditions.
Numerical or approximate methods.
Approximate but acceptable solution for problems
involving complex material properties and loading.
FEM Dr. Riessom 11
Numerical Methods
The common three numerical methods are:
Functional approximation
Rayleigh-Ritz (variation approach) for complex
structural
Weighted residual method for solving non-structural
Finite Difference Method
For heat transfer, fluid and structural mechanics
This method is difficult to use when regions have
curved or irregular boundaries
Finite Element Method
FEM Dr. Riessom 12
Modeling a physical problem
Physical Problem Change physical
problem
Mathematical Improve
mathematical
Model model
Numerical model
No!
Does answer
Refine analysis
make sense?
YES! Design improvements
Structural optimization
Happy Riessom
FEM Dr. 13
Finite Element Method
Finite element method is a numerical method for
solving problems of Engineering and Mathematical
Physics.
So, Finite element method can be viewed simply as a
method of finding approximate solutions for partial
differential equations.
Or as a tool to transform partial differential equations
into algebraic equations, which are then easily solved.
In this method the body is considered as an assemblage
of elements connected at a finite number of Nodes.
FEM Dr. Riessom 14
History of Finite Element Methods
1941 – Hrenikoff proposed framework method
1943 – Courant used principle of stationary potential energy
and piecewise function approximation
1953 – Stiffness equations were written and solved using digital
computers.
1960 – Clough made up the name “finite element method”
1970s – FEA carried on “mainframe” computers
1980s – FEM code run on PCs
2000s – Parallel implementation of FEM (large-scale analysis,
virtual design)
Clough
Courant
FEM Dr. Riessom 15
Applications of Finite Element Methods
Structural & Stress Analysis
Thermal Analysis
Dynamic Analysis
Acoustic Analysis
Electro-Magnetic Analysis
Manufacturing Processes
Fluid Dynamics
Financial Analysis
FEM Dr. Riessom 16
Aerospace Engineering
FEM Dr. Riessom 17
Civil Engineering
FEM Dr. Riessom 18
Electrical Engineering
FEM Dr. Riessom 19
Biomedical Engineering
FEM Dr. Riessom 20
The Future – Virtual Engineering
FEM Dr. Riessom 21
Major FEM Analysis Steps
Discretization of the domain into a finite number of
subdomains (elements).
Selection of interpolation functions.
Development of the element matrix for the
subdomain (element).
Assembly of the element matrices for each
subdomain to obtain the global matrix for the entire
domain,
Imposition of the boundary conditions.
Solution of equations.
Additional computations
FEM Dr. Riessom
(if desired). 22
Simple Example
Approximation the area of a circle
Observation:
Complicated objects can be represented by geometrically simple
pieces
FEM Dr. Riessom 23
Finite Element Method
Continued…
1. Assume a trial Solution that satisfies the boundary
condition
2. The domain residual or error is calculated while
satisfying the differential equation
3. The weighted sum of the domain residual
computed over the entire domain is rendered zero.
4. The accuracy of the assumed trial solution can be
improved by taking additional higher order terms
but computations becomes tedious.
FEM Dr. Riessom 24
Finite Element Method
Continued…
Therefore, it is not a trivial task to choose a single trial
function over the entire domain satisfying the
boundary condition.
It is preferred to discretize the domain in to several
elements ( finite elements) and use several piece wise
continuous trial functions, each valid with in a segment
( finite element ).
The trial functions at element level are the element
shape function which interpolate the field variable with
in the element from its value at nodes.
FEM Dr. Riessom 25
Common Types of Elements
One-Dimensional Elements Two-Dimensional Elements
Line Triangular, Quadrilateral
Rods, Beams, Trusses, Plates, Shells, 2-D Continua
Frames
Three-Dimensional Elements
Tetrahedral, Rectangular Prism
(Brick)
3-D Continua
FEM Dr. Riessom 26
Discretization
Any continuous solution field such as stress, displacement, temperature,
pressure, etc. can be approximated by a discrete model composed of a set of
piecewise continuous functions defined over a finite number of sub-domains.
Three-Dimensional
Two-Dimensional Brick Elements
One-Dimensional
FEM Triangular
Dr. Riessom Elements 27
Frame Elements
Two-Dimensional Discretization
Refinement
2
(Node
)
-1
-2
-3
4
(Discretization with 228
3.5
3
3
2.5
2
2.5
Elements)
1.5
2 1
0.5
(Triangular
1.5 0
-0.5
1 -1
y
Element)
x
Approximate
Piecewise Linear
Representation
(Discretization with 912
Elements)
FEM Dr. Riessom 28
FE Equation Derivation
The Finite element equation can be derived by either of
the following methods:
1. Direct equilibrium method
2. Minimum potential method
3. Weighted Residual method
The Galerkin Weighted Residual formulation is the
most popular from the finite element point of view.
Piece-wise trial function approximation of the weak
form of the GWR technique forms the basis of FEM.
FEM Dr. Riessom 29
Direct Equilibrium Method
u1 u2
F1 F2
1 2
k
Equilibriu m at Node 1 F1 ku1 ku2
Equilibriu m at Node 2 F2 ku1 ku2
or in M atrix Form
k k u1 F1
k
k u2 F2
Stiffness Nodal Force
Matrix [ K ]{u} {F } Vector
FEM Dr. Riessom 30
Weighted Residual Method
For structural problems, potential energy function can be
easily formed, Rayleigh-Ritz method is used.
For any problem where the differential equation of the
phenomenon can be easily formulated, Weighted
residual becomes very useful.
There are many types of weighted residual methods, of
them three are very popular.
1. Point collocation method
2. Least square method
3. Galerkin’ method
Among these three, the Galerkin approach has the widest
choice and is usedFEM
in Dr.
FEMsRiessom 31
Weighted Residual Continued…
Weighted residual method is a powerful way of finding
approximate solutions to a differential equations
L
O
W ( x) R ( x)dx 0
i d
In point collocation, residuals are set to zero at n
different locations,
In least square, the integral of the weighted square of
the residual over the domain is required to be
minimum.
In Galerkin’s, the trial function itself is considered as
the weighting function.
FEM Dr. Riessom 32
Weighted Residual Continued…
Our interest is to find the solution of the differential
equation y. we assume approximate function for y. when
we substitute the approximate solution to the differential
equation, we can get the residual.
Where are unknown parameters of the assumed trial
function. The assumed trial function can be expressed as
The trial function y(x) must exactly satisfy the boundary
conditions.
The method of weighted resident needs the parameters to
be determined by satisfying the following equation.
FEM Dr. Riessom 33
i. Point collection Method
In this technique, residential are set to zero at n different
locations and the weighting function is denoted as
The xi are referred as collocation pirates and are selected by
the choice of the analyst.
But the term
Therefore
FEM Dr. Riessom 34
ii. Least Square Method
In this method, the integral of the weighted square of the
residual over the domain required to be minimum
Where
The requirement is
FEM Dr. Riessom 35
iii. Galerkin’s Method
In this method, the trial function, itself is considered as
the weighted of function that is
Substituting value
FEM Dr. Riessom 36
