Presentation 3

Direct Equilibrium or Stiffness Method:

• According to this method, the stiffness matrix

and element equations relating nodal forces
to nodal displacements are obtained using
force equilibrium conditions for a basic
element, along with force/deformation
relationships.
Let The force components (F1x; F1y;

F1z; F2x; F2y; F2z; ... ; Fnx; Fny; Fnz) acting

at the various nodes or points(1;
2; ... ; n) on a structure and the
corresponding set of nodal
displacements :
(u1; v1; w1; u2; v2; w2; ... ; un; vn; wn)
can both be expressed as matrices:
The gGobal nodal forces {F} and the global nodal displacements
{d} are related through use of the global stiffness matrix [K] by

Where the elements Kij are often referred to as stiffness influence

coefficients.

Suppose c structure to be forced into a displaced configuration

defined by u1 = 1; v1 = w1 =,…. wn = 0. Then from above equation
stiffness matrix for a spring element

For an element, a stiffness matrix [k] is a matrix such that

{f} = [k] {d}

for a structure comprising a series

of elements, such as for the spring
assemblage

{F} = [K] {d}

Derivation of the Stiffness Matrix for a
Single Spring (Element)

There are two degrees of freedom in this model, 𝑢𝑖 and 𝑢𝑗.

force equilibrium equations

Derivation….

Required to relate the nodal force matrix to the nodal

displacement matrix as follows:

where the element stiffness coefficients kij

of the [k] matrix in are to be determined.

kij represent the force fi in the ith degree of freedom/ node due to a unit

displacement dj in the jth degree of freedom

while all other displacements are zero.
That is, when we let dj = 1 and dk = 0 for k ≠ j, force fi = kij
Derivation….
Consider the linear spring element (which can be an
element in a system of springs) subjected to resulting
nodal tensile forces T (which may result from the action of
adjacent springs) directed along the spring axial direction x

choose a displacement function u to represent the axial

displacement throughout the element.
u = a1+ a2x ( Linear function)

(Matrix form)
Derivation….
evaluating u at each node and solving for
a1 and a2

u(0) = u1 = a1

u(L) = u2 = a2L + u1

Therefore,
u = a1+ a2x
Derivation….

are called the shape functions because the Ni’s express the
shape of the assumed displacement function over the
domain (x coordinate) of the element.
N1 and N2 are linear functions,

N1 = 1 at node 1 and N1 = 0 at node 2,

whereas N2 = 1 at node 2 and N2 = 0 at node 1.

Derivation….
. Also, N1 + N2 = 1 for any axial coordinate along the bar
Ni’s are often called interpolation functions because we are
interpolating to find the value of a function between given nodal
values.
The interpolation function may be different from the actual function
except at the endpoints or nodes, where the interpolation
function and actual function must be equal to specified nodal
values.
COORDINATES AND SHAPE FUNCTIONS

natural or intrinsic coordinate system, denoted

by ξ
Derivation….
• Define the Strain/Displacement and Stress/Strain

The deformation of the spring is then represented by

δ = u(L) – u(0)= u2 - u1

Tensile force, T = kδ

T = k(u2 - u1 )
Derivation….

By the sign convention for nodal forces and equilibrium

f1x= -T , f2x = T

T = - f1x = = k(u2 - u1 )

T = f2x = k(u2 - u1 )
Derivation….
 Spring assemblage

The local x axis of each element coincides with the global x

axis of the assemblage
For element 2
For element 1
 Free-body diagrams of each element and node

external forces must equal internal forces at each node, we

can write nodal equilibrium equations at nodes 3, 2, and 1
as:

where F1x results from the external applied

reaction at the fixed support

Here Newton’s third law, of equal but opposite forces, is applied in moving
from a node to an element associated with the node.
 Element -1

Element -2
Super imposing method
[K] is then constructed simply by directly adding terms
associated with degrees of freedom in [ke1 ] and [ke2 ]
into their corresponding identical degree-of-freedom
locations in [K] as follows.
 Boundary Conditions
• The first type—primary, essential, or Dirichlet—
boundary condition
• specifies the values a solution, such as the
displacement, must satisfy on the boundary of the
domain.
• The second type—natural or Neumann—boundary
condition
• specifies the values that the derivatives
of a solution must satisfy on the boundary of the
domain
 Homogeneous boundry condition
• Here we first consider the case of
homogeneous boundry condition.
• Here all boundry conditions are such that the
displacements are zero at certain nodes.
• Here we have u1 = 0, as it is fixed
 properties of the stiffness matrix
• [K ]is square, as it relates the same number of forces and
displacements.
• [K] is symmetric, as is each of the element stiffness matrices.
• [ K] is singular (its determinant is equal to zero), and thus, no inverse
exists until sufficient boundary conditions are imposed to remove the
singularity and prevent rigid body motion.
• The main diagonal terms of [K] are always positive. Otherwise, a
positive nodal force Fi could produce a negative displacement di— a
behavior contrary to the physical behavior of any actual structure.
• [K] is positive semidefinite (that is {x}T[K]{x} > 0 for all non-zero
vector {x} with real numbers).
 Example 1:For the spring assemblage with arbitrarily
numbered nodes shown in Figure obtain
(a) the global stiffness matrix,
(b) the displacements of nodes 3 and 4,
(c) the reaction forces at nodes 1 and 2, and
(d) the forces in each spring.
A force of 25 kN is applied at node 4 in the x direction.
The spring constants are given in the figure. Nodes 1 and
2 are fixed.
 Free-body diagrams of each element and node

external forces must equal internal forces at each node, we

can write nodal equilibrium equations at nodes 3, 2, and 1
as:

where F1x results from the external applied

reaction at the fixed support

Here Newton’s third law, of equal but opposite forces, is applied in moving
from a node to an element associated with the node.
Global stiffness matrix
Use Super positioning concept
 Global stiffness matrix

Apply the homogeneous boundary conditions u1 = 0 and u2 = 0

substituting applied nodal forces, and partitioning the first two
equations of (or deleting the first two rows of {F} and {d} and the first
two rows and columns of [K] corresponding to the zero-displacement
boundary conditions),
we obtain
 element 1

(a) Free-body diagram of element 1 and (b) free-body diagram of node 1

Also, f 1 1x is equal to the reaction force F1x given

element 2
element 3
OR
• The element stiffness matrices are
 Applying the superposition concept

we obtain the global stiffness matrix for the spring system as

which is symmetric and banded

Applying the BC (u1 ,u4 = 0) i or deleting the 1st and 4 th rows and columns, we have
 we get the reaction forces

The FE equation for spring (element) 2 is

Here i = 2, j = 3 for element 2

spring force as
find the global stiffness matrix.
applying the superposition method
Nonhomogeneous Boundary Conditions
Here one or more of the specified displacements are nonzero..
.For simplicity’s sake, let u1 = δ, Then

where F1x is now a

reaction from the
support that has (A)
moved an amount δ.
 1

Two-spring assemblage with known displacement δ at node 1

(B)
• Therefore, when dealing with nonhomogeneous boundary
conditions, we cannot initially delete row 1 and column 1 of
Eq.(A)
• corresponding to the nonhomogeneous boundary condition,
as indicated by the resulting Eq. (B) because we are
multiplying each element by a nonzero number. Had we done
so, the k1δ term in Eq. (B) would have been neglected,
resulting in an error in the solution for the displacements.
• For nonhomogeneous boundary conditions, we must, in
general, transform the terms associated with the known
displacements to the right-side force matrix before solving for
the unknown nodal displacements.
• It is illustrated by transforming the k1δ term of the second of
Eqs. (1) to the right side of the second of Eqs. (2).
• We could now solve for the displacements in Eq. (B)
in a manner similar to that used to solve Eq. of
homogeneous equations.
• However, we will not further pursue the solution of
Eq. (B) because no new information is to be gained.
• However, on substituting the displacement back
into Eq. (A), the reaction now becomes

Notice that if the displacement is known at a node (say u1 = δ),

then the force F1x at the node in the same direction as the
displacement is not initially known and is determined using the
global equation of Eq. (A) after solving for the unknown nodal
displacements
• In general, specified support conditions are
treated mathematically by partitioning the
global equilibrium equations as follows:
• where we let {d1} be the unconstrained or free
displacements and {d2} be the specified
displacements.
(C)

(D)
where {F1} are the known nodal forces and {F2} are the
unknown nodal forces at the specified displacement nodes.
{F2} is found from Eq. ((D))after {d1} is determined from
Eq. ( C).
In Eq. (C), we assume that [K11] is no longer singular,
allowing for the determination of {d }.
 Example
• For the spring assemblage shown in Figure 2–13,
obtain (a) the global stiffness matrix,
• (b) the displacements of nodes 2–4,
• (c) the global nodal forces, and
• (d) the local element forces. Node 1 is fixed while
node 5 is given a fixed,
• known displacement δ = 20:0 mm. or 0.02 mtere
• The spring constants are all equal to k = 200 kN/m
Spring assemblage for solution
• The global stiffness matrix, Eq. (), relates the
global forces to the global displacements as
follows:

(E)
F1x = 200 x u1 -200 x u2
F2x = -220 x u1 + 400 x u2 +200 x u3
F3x = -220 x u2 + 400 x u3 -200 x u4
F4x = -220 x u3 + 400 x u4 -200 x u5
F5x = -220 x u4 + 200 x u5
Applying the boundary conditions u1 = 0 and u5 = 20 mm
(= 0:02 m),
substituting known global forces F2x = 0, F3x = 0, and F4x = 0, and
partitioning the first and fifth equations of above Eq.
corresponding to these boundary conditions, we obtain

We now rewrite above Eq., transposing the product of

the appropriate stiffness coefficient (-200) multiplied by
the known displacement (u5=0.02 m) the left side.

F4x= -220 x u3 + 400 x u4 -200 x 0.02

F5x= -220 x u4 + 200 x 0.02
 F4x+ 4 = -220 x u3 + 400 x u4

F5 -4 =-220 x u4

We obtain:

Solving:
u2 = 0:005 m u3 = 0:01 m u4 = 0:015 m (F)
The global nodal forces are obtained by back-substituting the
boundary condition displacements and Eqs. (F) into Eq. (E). This
substitution yields

(G )

The results of Eqs. (G) yield the reaction F1x opposite that of the nodal
force F5x required to displace node 5 by δ = 20:0 mm. This result
verifies equilibrium of the whole spring assemblage.

Remember if the displacement is known at a node in a given direction

(in this example, u5 = 20 mm) then the force F5x at that same node and
in that same direction is not initially known. The force is determined
after solving for the unknown nodal displacements.
Use of local element Eq.
To obtain the forces in each element, Therefore,
 Practice problems

problem 1:
Obtain the global stiffness matrix [K] of the assemblage
shown in Figure P2–1 by superimposing the stiffness
matrices of the individual springs.
If nodes 1 and 2 are fixed and a force P acts on node 4 in the
positive x direction, find an expression for the displacements
of nodes 3 and 4 Determine the reaction forces at nodes 1
and 2
• problem 2:
• For the spring assemblage shown in Figure
P2–3, obtain the global stiffness matrix by
direct superposition. b. If nodes 1 and 5 are
fixed and a force P is applied at node 3,
determine the nodal displacements. c.
Determine the reactions at the fixed nodes 1
and 5.
 problem 3:

Solve Problem 2.3 with P = 0 (no force applied at node 3) and

with node 5 given a fixed, known displacement of d as shown in
Figure P2–4.
 problem 4-6:

• For the spring assemblages shown in Figures

determine the nodal displacements, the forces
in each element, and the reactions. Use the
direct stiffness method.