File: Symbols.

doc
Date: 2002-09-10

FEMIX 4.0
LIST OF SYMBOLS
Note: a vector is stored in a column matrix

x1
Example: x = ( x1 , x2 , x3 ) = x2 = [x1
x3

x2

x3 ]

T
T
t
t
m
n
i
j
k
x

Length
Surface
Volume
Thickness of the finite element or cross-section height
Cross-section area
Moment of inertia of a cross section
Mass per unit volume
Weight per unit volume
Coefficient of thermal expansion
Modulus of elasticity or Young's modulus
Poissons ratio
Shear modulus
Reaction
Rotation
Temperature
Temperature variation
Time
Time step
Number of directions (1, 2 or 3)
Number of nodes of a finite element
Finite element node: i = 1, , n
Index of a direction (global coordinate system): j =1, , m
Index of a direction (local coordinate system): k =1, , m
Cartesian coordinates of a point: x = ( x1, x2 , x3 )

e j

Unit vector of the direction x j

ej

e1 , e2 and e3 define the global coordinate system ( S )

Unit vector of the direction xj

L
S
V
h
A
I

G
R

3 define the coordinate system ( S )

e1 , e2 and e

Unit vector defining a direction: n = (n1 , n2 , n3 )

Displacement field: u = (u1 , u2 , u3 ) ; ui = ui ( x1 , x2 , x3 )

Vector of strains: = (1, 2 , 3 , 23 , 31, 12 )
( : normal strains; : shear strains)


D
g
Q
p
q
b
T

Vector of stresses: = ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 23 , 31, 12 )

( : normal stresses; : shear stresses)
Elasticity matrix ( = D )
Gravity acceleration: g = (g1 , g 2 , g 3 )

Externally applied concentrated load: Q = (Q1 , Q2 , Q3 )

Distributed load per unit length: p = ( p1 , p2 , p3 )

Distributed load per unit area: q = (q1 , q2 , q3 )

Body forces per unit volume: b = (b1 , b2 , b3 )

Transformation matrix: x = T x ( x is in the global coordinate system)
x1
T11 T12 T13 x1
x2 = T21 T22 T23 x2
x3
T31 T32 T33 x3
Matrix of the cartesian coordinates of the nodes of a finite element
x ij : cartesian coordinate (node i ; direction x j )

x=

x11

x12

x13

x 21

x 22

x 23

x n1

xn2

x n3

Vector of the nodal displacements of a finite element

aij : displacement component (node i ; direction x j )

K
Kg

a = (a11, a12 , a13 , a21, a22 , a23 , , an1 , an 2 , an 3 )

Stiffness matrix of the structure (global coordinate system)
Stiffness matrix of the element (global coordinate system)

Kl

Stiffness matrix of the element (local coordinate system)

F
Fg

Load vector of the structure (global coordinate system)

Load vector of the element (global coordinate system)

Fl
a

Load vector of the element (local coordinate system)

ag
al
s
s

Displacement vector of the structure (global coordinate system) (K a = F )

Displacement vector of the element (global coordinate system) (K g a g = F g )

Displacement vector of the element (local coordinate system) (K l a l = F l )

Natural (curvilinear) coordinates: s = (s1, s2 , s3 )
Matrix of the local coordinates of the nodes of a finite element
s ik : local coordinate (node i ; direction sk )
s=

nGP1

s11

s12

s13

s 21

s 22

s 23

s n1

sn2

sn3

Number of Gauss points ( s1 direction)

nGP 2

Number of Gauss points ( s2 direction)

nGP 3
z1

Number of Gauss points ( s3 direction)

Index of the Gauss point ( s1 direction): z1 = 1,

z2

Index of the Gauss point ( s2 direction): z2 = 1, , nGP 2

z3

Index of the Gauss point ( s3 direction): z3 = 1,

L
NV
N

Strain operator: L = [ , d d xi ,

, nGP1
, nGP 3

Vector of the shape functions: N V = ( N1 , N 2 , , N n ) ; N i = N i (s1, s2 , s3 )

Matrix of the shape functions: N = [ , N i ,

];

N i = N i (s1, s2 , s3 )

B
J

Deformation matrix ( = B a ) (B = L N )
Jacobian matrix: J jk = d x j d sk

nF
nP
nT
ne

Number of nonprescribed (free) degrees of freedom of the mesh

Number of prescribed degrees of freedom of the mesh

Total number of degrees of freedom of the mesh (nT = nF + nP )

Number of degrees of freedom of the element