FiniteElementsfor2DProblems

GeneralFormulaf fortheStiffness ff Matrix Displacements(u,v)inaplaneelementareinterpolatedfromnodaldisplacements (ui,vi)usingshapefunctionsNiasfollows,

where N is the shape function matrix, u the displacement vector and d the nodal displacement vector. Here we have assumed that u depends on the nodal values of u only, and v on nodal values of v only. Most commonly employed 2D elements are linear or quadratic triangles and quadrilaterals.

ConstantStrain Triangle(CSTorT3)
Thisisthesimplest2Delement, element whichisalsocalledlineartriangularelement. element

For this element, we have three nodes at the vertices of the triangle, which are numbered around the element in the counterclockwise direction. Each node has two degrees of freedom (can move in the x and y directions). The displacements u and v are assumed to be linear functions within the element, that is,

wherebi(i =1,2,...,6)areconstants.Fromthese,thestrainsarefoundtobe,

whichareconstantthroughouttheelement.

Thedisplacementsshouldsatisfythefollowingsixequations,

Solvingtheseequations,wecanfindthecoefficientsb1,b2,...,andb6intermsof nodaldisplacementsandcoordinates. Thedisplacementscanbeexpressedas

Theshapefunctions(linearfunctionsinxandy)are

and d

istheareaofthetriangle.

Thestraindisplacementrelationsarewrittenas

wherexij =xi xj andyij =yi yj (i,j=1,2,3).Again,weseeconstantstrainswithin theelement.Fromstressstrainrelation,weseethatstressesobtainedusingthe CSTelementarealsoconstant. TheelementstiffnessmatrixfortheCSTelement,

inwhichtisthethicknessoftheelement.NoticethatkforCSTisa6by6 symmetric i matrix. i

TheNaturalCoordinates

Weintroducethenaturalcoordinatesonthetriangle,thentheshapefunctions canberepresentedsimplyby, Noticethat,

whichensuresthattherigidbodytranslationisrepresentedbythechosenshape functions.Also,asinthe1Dcase,

andvarieslinearlywithintheelement.

TheplotforshapefunctionN1isshowninthefollowingfigure.N2andN3havesimilar features.

Wehavetwocoordinatesystemsfortheelement:theglobalcoordinates(x,y)andthe naturalcoordinates.Therelationbetweenthetwoisgivenby

wherexij =xi xj andyij =yi yj (i,j=1,2,3)asdefinedearlier.

Displacementuorvontheelementcanbeviewedasfunctionsof(x,y)or. Using gthechainruleforderivatives,wehave,

where h Jis i called ll dthe h Jacobian J bi matrix i of fthe h transformation f i ,and dis i expressed das

where

andAistheareaofthetriangularelement.

Similarly,

Usingtherelations,weobtainthestraindisplacementmatrix,

ApplicationsoftheCSTElement: Useinareaswherethestraingradientissmall. (finemeshtocoarsemesh). ) Useinmeshtransitionareas( AvoidusingCSTinstressconcentrationorothercrucialareasinthe structure,suchasedgesofholesandcorners. RecommendedforquickandpreliminaryFEanalysisof 2Dproblems problems.

LinearStrainTriangle(LSTorT6)
Thiselementisalsocalledquadratictriangularelement.

Therearesixnodesonthiselement:threecornernodesandthreemidsidenodes.Each nodehastwodegreesoffreedom(DOF)asbefore.Thedisplacements(u,v)areassumed tobequadraticfunctionsof(x,y),

wherebi(i =1,2,...,12)areconstants.

Thestrainsarefoundtobe,

whicharelinearfunctions.Thus,wehavethelinearstraintriangle(LST),which providesbetterresultsthantheCST. Inthenaturalcoordinatesystemwedefinedearlier,thesixshapefunctionsfortheLST elementare,

inwhich

Eachofthesesixshapefunctionsrepresentsaquadraticformontheelementasshownin thefollowingfigure.

Displacements p canbewrittenas, ,

LinearQuadrilateralElement(Q4)

Therearefournodesatthecornersofthequadrilateralshape.Inthe naturalcoordinatesystem,thefourshapefunctionsare,

atanypointinsidetheelement.

Thedisplacementfieldisgivenby

whicharebilinearfunctionsovertheelement. QuadraticQ Q QuadrilateralElement(Q8) (Q ) Thisisthemostwidelyusedelementfor2Dproblemsduetoitshighaccuracyin analysisandflexibilityinmodeling.

Thereareeightnodesforthiselement,fourcornersnodes andfourmidsidenodes.

Inthenaturalcoordinatesystem

theeightshapefunctionsare,

Again wehaveatanypointinsidetheelement. Again, element Thedisplacementfieldisgivenby

whicharequadraticfunctionsovertheelement.Strainsandstressesoveraquadratic quadrilateralelementarequadraticfunctions,whicharebetterrepresentations.

Notes:

Q4andT3areusuallyusedtogetherinameshwithlinearelements. Q8andT6areusuallyappliedinameshcomposedofquadraticelements. Quadraticelementsarepreferredforstressanalysis,becauseoftheirhigh accuracyandtheflexibilityinmodelingcomplexgeometry,suchascurved boundaries.

StressCalculation Thestressinanelementisdeterminedby ythefollowing grelation,

whereBisthestrainnodaldisplacementmatrixanddisthenodaldisplacement vectorwhichisknownforeachelementoncetheglobalFEequationhasbeensolved. Stressescanbeevaluatedatanypointinsidetheelement(suchasthecenter)orat thenodes.Contourp plotsareusually yusedinFEAsoftwarep packages g (during ( gpost p process)foruserstovisuallyinspectthestressresults. ThevonMises Stress: ThevonMises stressistheeffectiveorequivalentstressfor2Dand3Dstress analysis.

inwhich andarethethreeprinciplestressesatthe consideredpointinastructure.

For2Dproblems,thetwoprinciplestressesintheplanearedeterminedby

Thus,wecanalsoexpressthevonMises stressintermsofthestresscomponentsinthe xy coordinatesystem. Forplanestressconditions,wehave,