Finite Element Method

for readers of all backgrounds

CHAPTER 4:
FEM FOR TRUSSES

1
 CONTENTS
 INTRODUCTION
 FEM EQUATIONS
– Shape functions construction
– Strain matrix
– Element matrices in local coordinate system
– Element matrices in global coordinate system
– Boundary conditions
– Recovering stress and strain
 EXAMPLE
– Remarks
 HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS

2
 INTRODUCTION
 Truss members are for the analysis of skeletal type
systems – planar trusses and space trusses.
 A truss element is a straight bar of an arbitrary cross-
section, which can deform only in its axis direction when it
is subjected to axial forces.
 Truss elements are also termed as bar elements.
 In planar trusses, there are two components in the x and y
directions for the displacement as well as forces at a node.
 For space trusses, there will be three components in the x,
y and z directions for both displacement and forces at a
node.

3
 INTRODUCTION
 In trusses, the truss or bar members are joined
together by pins or hinges (not by welding), so
that there are only forces (not moments)
transmitted between bars.
 It is assumed that the element has a uniform cross-
section.

4
Example of a truss structure

5
 FEM EQUATIONS
 Shape functions construction
 Strain matrix
 Element matrices in local coordinate system
 Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Boundary conditions
 Recovering stress and strain

6
Shape functions construction
D3j
x
u2
 Consider a truss element global node j
fs2
local node 2 D3j - 1

u(x)
D3j - 2
D3i
u1 fx
global node i
local node 1
le
D3i - 1
0
fs1 Z
D3i - 2
o Y
X 7
Shape functions construction
 0 
Let u ( x)   0  1 x  1 x    pT α
h
   1 
pT 
α
Note: Number of terms of basis function, xn
determined by n = nd - 1

At x = 0, u(x=0) = u1   1 0
 u1  1 0   0  
 0    u1 
          1 1  u 
At x = le, u(x=le) = u2 u2  1 le  1   1  l l   2
 e e 

1 0  
 u1  
 x x    u1 
u h ( x)  PT α  1 x  1 
1     1      N( x)d e
 u l l u
 le le   2    e e   2 

 N ( x) 
 1    2   de
N ( x)

N( x)
8
Shape functions construction


N ( x )  N1 ( x ) N 2 ( x )  N1 N2
x
N1 ( x)  1  1 1
le
x
N 2 ( x)  1 2 x
le 0
le
u2  u1
u ( x)  N1 ( x)u1  N 2 ( x)u2  u1  x
le
(Linear element)
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Strain matrix
u2  u1
u ( x)  N1 ( x)u1  N 2 ( x)u2  u1  x
le
u u2  u1
x  
x le
or
u
x   LNd e  Bd e
x
  x x  1 1
where B  LN  1     
x  le le   le le 
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Element Matrices in the Local Coordinate
System
 1
 l  
le
 e  E  1 1 AE  1 1
k e   B cBdV  A
T
 dx 
Ve
0  1   le le  le  1 1 
 l 
 e 

Note: ke is symmetrical

Proof: [B cB]  B c [B ]  B cB
T T T T T T T

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Element Matrices in the Local Coordinate
System
le  N1 N1 N1 N 2  A le  2 1 
m e   N NdV  A le 
T
N N  dx 
Ve
0
 2 1 N2 N2  6 1 2 

Note: me is symmetrical too

 f x le 
 f
le  N1   f s1   2 s1 

fe   N fb dV   N f s dS  f x   dx     
T T

Ve Se
0 N
 2 f f l
 s2   x e  f 
 2 s1


12
Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Perform coordinate transformation

 Truss in space (spatial truss) and truss in

plane (planar truss)

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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Spatial truss
d e  TD e (Relationship between local
 D3i  2 
(2x1) DOFs and global DOFs) D 
 3i 1 
lij mij nij 0 0 0  D3i 
where T    , De   
0 0 0 lij mij nij 
e
D
 3 j 2 
 D3 j 1 
 
X j  Xi  D3 j 
lij  cos( x, X ) 
le

mij  cos( x, Y ) 
Y j  Yi
Direction cosines (6x1)
le
Z j  Zi
nij  cos( x, Z ) 
le
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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)

le  ( X j  X i ) 2  (Y j  Yi ) 2  ( Z j  Z i ) 2

Transformation applies to
 F3i  2 
force vector as well: F 
 3i 1 
 F3i 
f e  TFe where Fe  
F

 3 j 2 
 F3 j 1 
 
 3 j 
F
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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
d e  TD e
  f
k ed e  m ed   f
k e TDe  m e TD
e e e e

  TT f
( T T k e T) D e  ( T T m e T) D e e

  F
K e De  M e D e e

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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
K e  TT k e T
 lij2 lij mij lij nij lij2 lij mij lij nij 
 
 lij mij mij2 mij nij lij mij mij2 mij nij 
AE  lij nij mij nij nij2 lij nij mij nij nij2 
  2 
le  lij lij mij lij nij lij2 lij mij lij nij 
 l m mij2 mij nij lij mij mij2 mij nij 
 ij ij 
 lij nij  mij nij nij2 2
lij nij mij nij nij 

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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
M e  TT m e T
 2lij2 2lij mij 2lij nij lij2 lij mij lij nij 
 
 2lij mij 2mij2 2mij nij lij mij mij2 mij nij 
A le  2lij nij 2mij nij 2nij2 lij nij mij nij nij2 
  2 
6  lij lij mij lij nij 2lij2 2lij mij 2lij nij 
l m mij2 mij nij 2lij mij 2mij2 2mij nij 
 ij ij 
 lij nij mij nij nij2 2lij nij 2mij nij 2
2nij 

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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Spatial truss (Cont’d)
 f x le 
(
 2  f )l
s1 ij 
 
( f x le  f )m 
 2 s1 ij

   f x le 
f l
 ( x e  f s1 )nij   2  f s1 
 2  
Fe  TT fe    f 
Note: e  
(
f y le
 f s1 )lij   f x le  f 
 2   2 s1

 fl 
( y e
 f s1 )mij 
 2 
 fl 
( y e
 f s1 )nij 
 2  19
Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Planar truss

d e  TD e  D2i 1 
D 
lij mij 0 0  2i 
where T    , De   
0 0 lij mij   D2 j 1 
 F2i 1   D2 j 
F 
 2i 
Similarly Fe    (4x1)
F
 2 j 1 
 F2 j 
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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Planar truss (Cont’d)

 lij2 lij mij lij2 lij mij 

 2 
AE  lij mij mij 2
lij mij mij 
K e  T k eT 
T

le  lij2 lij mij lij2 lij mij 

 2 
 lij mij mij2 lij mij mij 

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Element matrices in global coordinate
system
 Planar truss (Cont’d)

 2lij2 2lij mij lij2 lij mij 

 2 
A le  2lij mij 2mij2 lij mij mij 
M e  T meT 
T

6  lij2 lij mij 2lij2 2lij mij 

 2 
 lij mij mij2 2lij mij 2mij 

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Boundary conditions
 Singular K matrix  rigid body movement
 Constrained by supports
 Impose boundary conditions  cancellation
of rows and columns in stiffness matrix,
hence K becomes SPD
Recovering stress and strain
 x  EBd e  EBTDe (Hooke’s law)
x
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 EXAMPLE
Consider a bar of uniform cross-sectional area shown in the figure. The
bar is fixed at one end and is subjected to a horizontal load of P at the
free end. The dimensions of the bar are shown in the figure and the
beam is made of an isotropic material with Young’s modulus E.

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 EXAMPLE
 2u P P
Exact solution of E 2  f x  0 : u ( x)  x , stress:  x 
x EA A

FEM:
AE  1 1
K = ke  (1 truss element)
l  1 1 

AE  1 1  u1   F1  ?  AE  1  1  u1   F1  ? 
      1 1  u    F  P 
l  1 1  u2   F2  P  l   2  2 

 0 
Pl  x x   u1   x x  P
 u2  u ( x)  N( x)d e  1      1 
l  u2   l
  Pl   x
AE  l l    EA
 EA 
 1 1  0  P
 x  EBd e  E     
 l l  u2  A
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Remarks

 FE approximation = exact solution in example

 Exact solution for axial deformation is a first order
polynomial (same as shape functions used)
 Hamilton’s principle – best possible solution
 Reproduction property

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HIGHER ORDER ELEMENTS
      

1 2 3 1 2 3 4

Quadratic element Cubic element

1
1 N1 ( )   (1   )(1  9 2 )
N1 ( )    (1   ) 16
2 1
N 2 ( )   (1   )(1  9 2 )
1 16
N 2 ( )   (1   )
2 9
N 3 ( )  (1  3 )(1   2 )
N 3 ( )  (1   )(1   ) 16
9
N 4 ( )  (1  3 )(1   2 )
16
27