20CEC504J-FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

WITH COMPUTER APPLICATION

Unit 1 – PPT 1
• http://blog.spatial.com/finite-element-modeling
 Introduction to the methods of Engineering analogy

What is analogy method?

An analogy is a method that uses an analog (that is, an ideal or material object that adequately
reflects the process or object being studied); the conclusion about the presence of a feature in the
object under investigation with such a method is made on the basis of the similarity existing in other
characters.
Analogical Reasoning in the Engineering Design Process and Technology Education
Applications
Researchers have discovered that analogical reasoning is often a fundamental cognitive tool in design problem
solving.
The use of analogy is often guided by a similarity of concepts between the base and target domain.
Analogies are guided by three particular kinds of constraints: (a) similarity, (b) structure, and (c) purpose.
The representation of the problem has been found to be an important component in analogical reasoning in
design problems.
If the problem is ill defined, the problem solver must continually re-structure the problem in order to search for
an appropriate solution.
Effective analogical reasoning requires correct base domain knowledge.
Purpose of Engineering analysis
• To determine
• Type & quantity of load
• Location of load
• Developed stresses
• Permissible deflection
• Vibration properties
• Pressure and temperature variations
• Any other failures.. Crack formation etc..
METHODS OF ENGINEERING
ANALYSIS

 EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
 EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

• Actual product or its PROTOTYPE is tested.

• Eg.todetermine the strength of the product. Prototype is subjected to continuously
increasing load till it breaks.
• Involves material wastage.
• Conducted if other methods are not possible.
• used to evaluate a new design to improve the accuracy of analysts and system users
or process
step between the formalization and the evaluation of an idea.
crucial part of the design process and a practice used in all design disciplines.
prototypes to test their designs before investing in their mass production.
Prototypes often fail when tested, and this shows designers where the defects are and
sends the team “back to the process” to refine or repeat the proposed solutions based
on real user feedback.
 ANALYTICAL METHODS

• Engineering analysis involves the application of scientific analytic principles and

processes to reveal the properties and state of a system, device or mechanism under
study.
• THEORETICAL ANALYSIS
• Simple and regular shaped members / products can be analysed.
• The material properties and loading data are specified by mathematical expressions.
• Analysed with the help of mathematical and science theories to get exact solutions.

• Analysis Methods for Buildings Frames

• Force Method.
• Displacement Method - Slope Deflection Method - Moment Distribution Method - Direct
Stiffness Method.
• Approximate Methods - Portal Method - Cantilever Method - Points of Inflection Method.
• Kani's Method.
 NUMERICAL METHODS

• Numerical Methods use computers to solve problems by step-wise,

repeated and iterative solution methods, which would otherwise be
tedious or unsolvable by hand-calculations.
•  used routinely in structural analysis to determine the member forces and
moments in structural systems,prior to design.
• most useful in analyzing civil engineering problems with complicated
geometries, material properties and loading conditions,.
• Consider for example, a beam in a building with multiple holes, at varying
locations. Such a beam is common in present day structures - due to the
need to design for air conditioning and other utility ducts in a structure.
Such a beam can be easily analyzed using the finite element method - one
of the most commonly used numerical technique in civil engineering.
TYPES OF NUMERICAL
METHODS

• FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

• FUNCTIONAL APPROXIMATION
METHOD- Rayleigh ritz method,
method of weighted residuals
• FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

• The finite element method (FEM) is a widely used method for

numerically solving differential equations arising in engineering
and mathematical modeling.
• Mathematical procedure used to calculate approximate
solutions to differential equations.
• Goal is to transform the differential equations into a set of linear
equations, which can then be solved by the computer in a
routine manner.
• The finite element method (FEM) is a numerical technique
used to perform finite element analysis (FEA) of any given
physical phenomenon.
Functional approximation method
• Used to find the solutions for complex problems like non-linear and
continuous systems.
• The physical problems are written in terms of differential equations or
any possible mathematical expressions.
• By integrating and applying the boundary conditions an approximate
solution can be obtained.
• Variational methods – Rayleigh Ritz mehod and weighted residual
methods fall under this category.
 Rayleigh ritz method
• The Rayleigh-Ritz method has been a
popular choice for the calculation of natural
frequencies of elastic components and
structures, particularly if there are no
analytical solutions or the equation of
vibrations is hard to come and solve.
• Applications of the Rayleigh-Ritz method
can be found in literatures with details and
some novel techniques.
• Engineers and students can use the method
conveniently because it usually involves the
calculations of strain and kinetic energies
for integrations over the structures or solids
in most cases.
 Finite Element Method

• The finite element method (FEM) was independently developed by 

engineers, beginning in the mid-1950s.
• The method started with promise in the modeling of several mechanical
applications in the aerospace and civil engineering industries.
• Numerical method
• FEM in structural analysis of structures - is a
powerful method for computing the displacements, stresses and
strains in a structure under a set of loads.
• Unknown function of the problem domain is approximated by
piecewise defined functions.
 Advantages of the Finite Element Method
1.Modeling -  allows for easier modeling of complex geometrical and
irregular shapes. Because the designer is able to model both the interior
and exterior, he or she can determine how critical factors might affect the
entire structure and why failures might occur.
2.Adaptability - can be adapted to meet certain specifications for accuracy
in order to decrease the need for physical prototypes in the design
process. Creating multiple iterations of initial prototypes is usually a costly
and timely process. Instead of spending weeks on hard prototyping, the
designer can model different designs and materials in hours via software.
3.Accuracy -While modeling a complex physical deformity by hand can be
impractical, a computer using FEM can solve the problem with a high
degree of accuracy.
4.Time-dependent simulation - FEM is highly useful for certain time-
dependent simulations, such as crash simulations, in which deformations
in one area depend on deformation in another area.
5.Boundaries - With FEM, designers can use boundary conditions to define
to which conditions the model needs to respond. Boundary conditions can
include point forces, distributed forces, thermal effects (such as
temperature changes or applied heat energy), and positional constraints.
6.Visualization -Engineers can easily spot any vulnerability in design with
the detailed visualizations FEM produces, then use the new data to make a
new design.
 Method of weighted residuals

• Prior to development of the Finite Element Method, there existed an

approximation technique for solving differential equations called the
Method of Weighted Residuals (MWR)
 CONCEPTS OF FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

• A domain of interest is represented as an assembly of finite elements

• There are three initial phases in FEA which are
• (1) classification of the problem,
• (2) discretization
• (3) modelling.
• Approximating functions in finite elements are determined in terms of nodal
values of a physical field which is sought.
• A continuous physical problem is transformed into a discretized finite element
problem with unknown nodal values.
• For a linear problem a system of linear algebraic equations should be solved.
• Values inside finite elements can be recovered using nodal values.
• The preprocessing, also called model preparation, is often the most work
intensive step of the FEA. For the viewer of the component-surface this
usually means the disassembly of the components into small parts, the
finite (small, but finite) elements. This process is called meshing.
APPROXIMATION IN
FEM

• Piece-wise approximation of physical

fields on finite elements provides good
precision even with simple
approximating functions (increasing the
number of elements we can achieve any
precision).
• Locality of approximation leads to
sparse equation systems for a
discretized problem. This helps to solve
problems with very large number of
nodal unknowns.
Steps of the finite element solution procedure
• 1. Discretize the continuum. The first step is to divide a solution region into finite elements. The finite
element mesh is typically generated by a preprocessor program. The description of mesh consists of
several arrays main of which are nodal coordinates and element connectivities.

• 2. Select interpolation functions. Interpolation functions are used to interpolate the field variables over
the element. Often, polynomials are selected as interpolation functions. The degree of the polynomial
depends on the number of nodes assigned to the element.

• 3. Find the element properties. The matrix equation for the finite element should be established which
relates the nodal values of the unknown function to other parameters. For this task different
approaches can be used; the most convenient are: the variational approach and the Galerkin method.

• 4. Assemble the element equations. To find the global equation system for the whole solution region we
must assemble all the element equations. In other words we must combine local element equations for
all elements used for discretization. Element connectivities are used for the assembly process. Before
solution, boundary conditions (which are not accounted in element equations) should be imposed.
5. Solve the global equation system. The finite element global
equation sytem is typically sparse, symmetric and positive
definite. Direct and iterative methods can be used for solution.
The nodal values of the sought function are produced as a result
of the solution.
6. Compute additional results. In many cases we need to
calculate additional parameters. For example, in mechanical
problems strains and stresses are of interest in addition to
displacements, which are obtained after solution of the global
equation system.
 FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
• The finite-difference method was among the first approaches applied to
the numerical solution of differential equations.
• It was first utilized by Euler, probably in 1768.
• The finite-difference method is applied directly to the differential form of the
governing equations.
• FDM is an approximate method for solving partial differential
equations. It has been used to solve a wide range of problems. These
include linear and non-linear, time independent and dependent problems.
•   FDM replaces derivatives in the governing field equations by difference
in quotients, which involve values of the solution at discrete mesh points in
the domain under study.
• Not effective for regions having curved and irregular boundaries
 GOVERNING EQUATION AND BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

• The finite element method is a numerical technique to solve physical

problems to predict their response. Now in order to solve the problem
numerically we need to have a mathematical model of the problem. This is
done by obtaining the Governing equation.
• The Governing equation describes in the form of an equation the behaviour
of the systems. It will be a function of the field variable(displacement,
temperature etc) and/ or its derivatives, cross-sectional properties (Area,
perimeter, Area moment of inertia etc), material properties (Young’s
Modulus, Conduction coefficient, Convection coefficient etc).
• But the Governing equation alone is not sufficient to describe the
behaviour of the system. So we need to provide additional boundary
conditions (for boundary value problems) and Initial conditions( for Initial
value problems).
Boundary conditions
Boundary conditions