Module 5: FEM for Two and Three Dimensional Solids 51

Lecture 8: Finite Element Formulation for 3 Dimensional Elements

5.8.1 Introduction
Solid elements can easily be formulated by the extension of the procedure followed for two
dimensional solid elements. A domain in 3D can be discritized using tetrahedral or hexahedral
elements. For example, the eight node solid brick element is analogous to the four node rectangular
element. Regardless of the possible curvature of edges or number of nodes, the solid element can be
mapped into the space of natural co-ordinates, i.e the 1, 1, 1 just like a plane element.

Fig. 5.8.1Eight node brick element

For three dimensional cases, each node has three degrees of freedom having u, v, and w as
displacement field in three perpendicular directions (X, Y and Z). In this case, one additional
dimension increases the computational expense manifolds.

5.8.2 Strain Displacement Relation

The strain vector for three dimensional cases can be written in the following form
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u
x

u
y

u
z
x 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 v

y 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 x
z 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 v

xy 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 y
yz 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 v

zx 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 z
w
x

w
y

w (5.8.1)
z

The following relation exists between the derivative operators in the global co-ordinates and the
natural co-ordinate system by the use of chain rule of partial differentiation.
x y z
x

x y z
(5.8.2)
y
x y z

z
Where the Jacobian Matrix will be
x y z


J x y z
(5.8.3)

x y z


For an isoparamatric element the coordinates at a point inside the element can be expressed by its
nodal coordinate.
n n n
x Ni xi ; y Ni yi and z N i zi (5.8.4)
i 1 i 1 i 1
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Substituting the above equations into the Jacobian matrix for an eight node brick element, we get

N i N i N i
xi
yi

zi

N i x N i N i
8
J i
yi zi (5.8.5)
i 1
N N i N i
i xi yi zi

u

The strain displacement relation is given by Bd , where, d v .
w

The displacements in the x, y and z direction are u, v, and w respectively. Let consider the inverse of
Jacobian matrix as
J 11* J 13*
J 12*
* *
J 1
J 21 *
J 22
J 23 (5.8.6)
J 31
* *
J 32 *
J 33

Thus, the relation between two coordinate systems can be rewritten as
1
x y z
x
J11* J13*
*
J12
x y z * *
J 21 (5.8.7)
*

J 22 J 23
y J * *
J 32 *
J 33
x y z 31

z

Thus, one can write the following relations

u * u * u * u
8
* Ni * Ni * Ni
8
J11 J12 J13 J11 J12 J13 ui ai ui
x i 1 i 1

u * u * u * u
8
* Ni * Ni * Ni
8
J 21 J 22 J 23 J 21 J 22 J 23 ui bi ui
y i 1 i 1

u * u * u * u
8
* Ni * Ni * Ni
8
J 31 J 32 J 33 J 31 J 32 J 33 ui ciui
z i 1 i 1

Similarly,
v 8 v 8 v 8 w 8 w 8 w 8
ai vi ; bi vi ; ci vi ; ai wi ; bi wi and ci wi
x i 1 y i 1 z i 1 x i 1 y i 1 z i 1
Using above relations, the strain vector can be written as
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u
x

v
x y ai 0 0
0 0
y w bi
u
z z 8 0 0 ci i
u v v (5.8.8)
xy i 1 bi ai 0 i
bi i
w
yz y x 0 ci

zx v w ci 0 ai
z y

u w
z x

Now, the strain displacement relationship matrix [B] can be identified from the above equation by
comparing it to Bd .

5.8.3 Element Stiffness Matrix

The element stiffness matrix can be generated similar to two dimensional case using the following
relations.
1 1 1

k [ B ] T [ D ][ B ]d d d J (5.8.9)
1 1 1

The size of the constitutive matrix [D] for solid element will be 6 6 and is already discussed in
module 1, lectures 3. For eight node brick element, the size of stiffness matrix will become 24 24
as number of nodes in one element is 8 and the degrees of freedom at each node is 3. It is well
established that 2 2 2 Gauss integration points are the optimal sampling points for eight node
isoparametric brick elements.

5.8.4 Element Load Vector

The forces on an element can be generated due to its self weight or externally applied force which
may be concentrated or distributed in nature. The distributed load may be uniform or non-uniform.
All these types of loads are to redistributed to the nodes using finite element formulation.

5.8.4.1 Gravity load

The load vector due to body forces in general is given by
Q [ N ] T { X }d (5.8.10)

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where {X } is the body forces per unit volume. The nodal load vector at any node i may be expressed
as
Qi [ Ni ] T { X }d (5.8.11)

In case of gravity load, the force will act in the global negative Z direction. Therefore,
Ni 0 0 0

[ N i ] 0 N i 0 and X 0 (5.8.12)
0 0 N i g

Here, the mass density of the material is and the acceleration due to gravity is g. Thus, eq.(5.8.11)
will become
0
Qi 0 d (5.8.13)

Ni g
For isoparametric element the, the above expression will become
0
1 1 1
{Qi } 0 J ddd (5.8.14)
1 1 1
N
i
Using Gauss Quadrature integration rule, the above expression may be evaluated as
0
n n n

{Qi } wi wj wk J ( i , j , k ) 0 (5.8.15)
i 1 j 1 k 1 N g
i ( , i j , k )

Where, n is the number of nodes in an element. For eight node linear brick element the value of n
will be 8 and the integration order suggested is 222. Similarly, for twenty node quadratic brick
element, the value of n will be 20 and the integration order suggested is 333.

5.8.4.2 Surface pressure

Let assume a uniform surface pressure of intensity q is acting normal to the element face. The load
vector due to surface pressure is given by
Q [ N s ]T { p}dA (5.8.16)

The nodal load at any node i may be expressed as

Qi [ N i s ]T { p}dA (5.8.17)

In case of surface load, the value of [ N is ] in the above equation will become
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N is 0 0

[ N is ] 0 Ni
s
0 (5.8.18)
0 0 N is

Here N is is the interpolation function for the node i. For example, the value of N is can be obtained by
substituting =1 in N is for face 1. Thus, the surface pressure is expressed as,
ql3

{ p} qm3 (5.8.19)
qn
3
Where, l3 , m3 , n3 are the direction cosines. Thus, eq.(5.8.17) can be expressed using eq.(5.8.19) in the
following form.
N is ql3
Qi 1 1 N is qm3 dA
1 1
(5.8.20)
N s qn
i 3
The value of dA is can be evaluated considering the cross product of vectors along the natural
coordinates parallel to the loaded faces of the element. Thus,
dA e2 e3 dd (5.8.21)

5.8.5 Stress Computation

Using the relation of {F} = [K]{d}, the unknown nodal displacement vector {d} are calculated in
global coordinate system. Once the nodal displacements are obtained, the strain components as each
node can be computed using strain-displacement relations for each element. Similarly element stress
can be calculated using stress-strain relation. These stresses at Gauss points are extrapolated to the
corresponding nodes of the element to find the nodal stresses. In general, for three dimensional state
of stress there are at least three planes, called principal planes. The corresponding stress vector is
perpendicular to the plane and where there are no normal shear stresses. These three stresses which
are normal to these principal planes are called principal stresses. The principal stresses 1, 2, and 3
are computed from the roots of the cubic equation represented by the determinant of the flowing.

x xy xz
xy y yz 0 (5.8.22)
xz yz z
The characteristic equation has three real roots i, due to the symmetry of the stress tensor. The
principal stresses are arranged so that 1 > 2 > 3. The maximum shear stress can be computed
from the following relations.
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1 2 2 3 3 1
max = largest of , and (5.8.23)
2 2 2
These three shear stress components will occur on planes oriented at 450 from the principal planes.
The distortion energy theory suggests that the total strain energy can be divided into two
components. They are (i) volumetric strain energy and (ii) distortion or shear strain energy. It is
anticipated that yield develops if the distortion component exceeds that at the yield point for a simple
tensile test. From the concept of distortion energy theory, the equivalent stress which is historically
known as Von Mises stress are defined as
1 2 2 2 3 2 3 1 2
e = (5.8.24)
2

The Von Mises stresses offer a measure of the shear or distortional stress in the material. In general,
this type of stress tends to cause yielding in metals.
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Worked out Examples

Example 5.1 Calculation of nodal loads on a triangular element

A CST element as shown in Fig. 5.I gets axial loading of (Fx1) 10 kN/m in X direction and (Fy1) 20
kN/m in Y direction. Compute the nodal loads in the element.

Fig. 5.I Distributed loading on a triangular element

From the above figure, the length of sides 1, 2 and 3 are calculated and will be 10, 8 and 6 cm
respectively. First, let consider side 1:
l1

F 1 N F ds
T

Or,
0 0 0 0 0
L 0 L 0 L
2 2 2
l1
L 0 Fx1 l1
L3 0 10 l1
L3
F 1 3 ds ds 10 ds
0
0 0 Fy1 0
0 0 0 0
0
0 L2 0 L2 0

0 L3 0 L3 0
p p !q !
Putting, L
1 L2 q ds
p q 1!
l , we will get,
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0 0 0
1 1 0.5

l1 1 0.1 1 0.5
F 1 10 10
2 0 2 0 0
0 0 0

0 0 0
Similarly for side 2,
L1 0 L1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0

l2
L 0 Fx 2 l2
L3 0 0 l2 0 0
F 2 3 ds ds 20 kN
0
0 L1 Fy 2 0
0 L1 20 2 1 0.8
0 0 0 0 0 0

0 L3 0 L3 1 0.8
Since no force is acting on side 3,
0
0

0
F 3
0
0

0
Hence, the nodal load vector in all the nodes in x and y directions will become,
0
0.5

0.5
F kN.
0.8
0

0.8