EML 4507 FEA and Design Spring 2017 HW11 Solution

Problem 1 (Problem 3 in the textbook) Using two CST elements, solve the simple shear problem depicted
in the figure and determine whether the CST elements can represent the simple shear condition
accurately or not. Material properties are given as E = 10 GPa, = 0.25, and thickness is h = 0.1 m.
The distributed force f = 100 kN/m2 is applied at the top edge.

4 f 3

1m

1m
1 2
x

Solution:
Using Eq. (6.28), the element stiffness matrix can be calculated. For Element 1,

5.33 0 5.33 1.33 0 1.33 u1

0 2 2 2 2 0 v1
5.33 2 7.33 3.33 2 1.33 u2
[ k(e ) ] 109
1.33 2 3.33 7.33 2 5.33 v2
0 2 2 2 2 0 u3
1.33 0 1.33 5.33 0 5.33 v3

For Element 2,

2 0 0 2 2 2 u1
0 5.33 1.33 0 1.33 5.33 v1
0 1.33 5.33 0 5.33 1.33 u3
[ k(2) ] 109
2 0 0 2 2 2 v3
2 1.33 5.33 2 7.33 3.33 u4
2 5.33 1.33 2 3.33 7.33 v4

According to the given displacement boundary conditions, only u3 and u4 are the unknown DOFs. Thus, we
assemble the stiffness matrix only for those free DOFs. Then, we have
 7.33 5.33 u3 5000
5.33 7.33 u4 5000

Note that the distributed force is equally divided into Nodes 3 and 4. The solution of the above equation
provides non-zero displacements. By combining with zero displacements, we have nodal displacements, as

{Qs } 10 5 {0, 0, 0, 0, 0.25, 0, 0.25, 0} m

The element strains can be calculated using Eq. (6.25), as

(1)
{ } [B(1) ]{q(1) } 10 5 {0, 0, 0.25}
(2)
{ } [B(2) ]{q(2) } 10 5 {0, 0, 0.25}

Thus, there are no normal strains and shear strains are same for both elements. The element stress can be
calculated using the stress-strain relation for plane stress, as

{ (1)
} [C]{ (1)
} {0, 0, 105 }T Pa
{ (2)
} [C]{ (2)
} {0, 0, 105 }T Pa

Note that only shear stress exists, which satisfy the pure shear condition. Since distributed force f = 10
kN/m2 is applied at the top edge, the above shear stress is exact. Thus, the CST element can represent the
pure shear condition accurately. The figure below shows the deformed and undeformed shape of the
elements.

Problem 2 (Problem 7 in the textbook) The coordinate of the nodes and corresponding displacements in a
triangular element are given in the table. Calculate the displacement u and v and strains xx, yy, and xy
at the centroid of the element given by the coordinates (1/3, 1/3)
 Node x (m) y (m) u (m) v (m)

1 0 0 0 0

2 1 0 0.1 0.2

3 0 1 0 0.1

Solution:
Using nodal coordinates, we can calculate the shape functions as

N1 1 x y
N2 x
N3 y

Thus, the interpolation of displacements become

u(x, y) u1N1(x, y ) u2N 2 (x, y ) u3N 3 (x, y )

v(x, y) v1N1(x, y ) v2N 2 (x, y ) v3N 3 (x, y )

At (x, y) = (1/3, 1/3), we have

u( 13 , 13) u2N 2 ( 13 , 13) 0.1 1

3
0.033
v( 13 , 13) v2N 2 ( 13 , 13) v 3N 3 ( 13 , 13) 0.1

From the definition of strains, we have

u N2
xx u2 0.1
x x
v N2 N3
yy v2 v3 0.1
y y y
u v
xy 0.2
y x

Note that the strains are constant within the element.

Problem 3 (Problem 8 in the textbook) A 2m2m1mm square plate with E = 70 GPa and = 0.3 is
subjected to a uniformly distributed load as shown in Figure (a). Due to symmetry it is sufficient to
model one quarter of the plate with artificial boundary conditions as shown in Figure (b). Use two
triangular elements to find the displacements, strains and stresses in the plate. Check the answers using
simple calculations from mechanics of materials.
 yy = 100 MPa

yy = 100 MPa

3
41
2m 2
1m
1
2 x
2m 1
1m

yy = 100 MPa

Solution:
This problem can be modeled as plane stress because the thickness of the plate is small compared to the
other dimensions.

(1) Element 1: Nodes 123

Using nodal coordinates, we can calculate constants bi and ci as

x1 0, y1 0 x2 1, y2 0 x3 1, y 3 1
b1 y2 y 3 1 b2 y 3 y1 1 b3 y1 y2 0.
c1 x3 x2 0 c2 x1 x3 1 c3 x2 x1 1

In addition, from the geometry of the element, the area of the triangle A1 = 0.511 = .5m. The matrix
[B(1)] and [C] can be written as

b1 0 b2 0 b3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
(1) 1
[B ] 0 c1 0 c2 0 c3 0 0 0 1 0 1
2A
c1 b1 c2 b2 c3 b3 0 1 1 1 1 0

and

1 0 1 .3 0
E 9
[C ] 1 0 76.92 10 .3 1 0 .
2
1
0 0 (1 )/2 0 0 .35

Using the above two matrices, the element stiffness matrix can be obtained as
 5.19 0. 5.19 2.5 0 2.5
0 0 0 0 0
5.19 2.5 0 2.5
[ k(1) ] hA[B(1) ]T [C ][B(1) ] 107
5.19 0 5.19
0 0
s y m m. 5.19

(2) Element 2: Nodes 134

Using nodal coordinates, we can calculate bi and ci as

x1 0, y1 0 x2 1, y2 1 x3 0, y 3 1
b1 y2 y 3 0 b2 y 3 y1 1 b3 y1 y2 1
c1 x3 x2 1 c2 x1 x3 0 c3 x2 x1 1

In addition, from the geometry of the element, the area of the triangle A2 = 0.511 = .5m. The matrix
[B(2)] can be written as

b1 0 b2 0 b3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
(2) 1
[B ] 0 c1 0 c2 0 c3 0 1 0 0 0 1
2A
c1 b1 c2 b2 c3 b3 1 0 0 1 1 1

Using the above two matrices, the element stiffness matrix can be obtained as

1.35 0. 0 1.35 1.35 1.35

3.85 1.15 0 1.15 3.85
3.85 0 3.85 1.15
[ k(2) ] hA[B(2) ]T [C ][B(2) ] 107
1.35 .338 1.35
5.19 2.5
s y m m. 5.19

The two element stiffness matrices are assembled and then the rows and columns corresponding to the fixed
DOFs are deleted, to yield

5.19 1.35 1.15 0 u2

5.19 0 1.15 u3
K 107
5.19 1.34 v3
symm 5.19 v4

The load is uniformly distributed along the upper element between nodes 3 and 4. Therefore the equivalent
nodal forces are equally divided into two nodes.
 N
y 100 MPa 100 106
m2
P y b h 100 106 1 0.001 100, 000N

The nodal equivalent forces are half of the total load or 50,000 N. The force vector then, after the application
of the BCs, becomes:

T
F 103 0 0 50 50 N
u2 u 3 v 3 v 4

Thus, the global matrix equation becomes

5.19 1.35 1.15 0 u2 0

5.19 0 1.15 u3 0
107 103
5.19 1.34 v3 50
symm 5.19 v4 50

The above equation can be solved for unknown displacements as

{u2 u3 v3 v4 } { 0.428 0.428 1.43 1.43} mm

The deformed geometry is shown in the figure below:

Plot of the deformed shape of the plate.

1.5
Deformation is scaled by 100
red - Original shape
blue - Deformed shape

1
y (m)

0.5

0
0 0.5 1 1.5
x (m)
 0
0
1 0 1 0 0 0 .000428
3
0.428
{ 1} 0 0 0 1 0 1 10 .00143
0
0 1 1 1 1 0 0
0.428
1.43
0
0
0 0 1 0 1 0 .000428
3
0.428
{ 2} 0 1 0 0 0 1 10 .00143
1.43
1 0 0 1 1 1 0
0
1.43

3
1 .3 0 0.428 10 0
9 3
1 76.92 10 .3 1 0 1.43 10 100 MPa
0 0 .35 0 0
3
1 .3 0 0.428 10 0
9 3
2 76.92 10 .3 1 0 1.43 10 100 MPa
0 0 .35 0 0

The structure is under uniform stress field (x = 0, and y = 100MPa) and the finite element solution yields
the exact stress field. This is possible because the triangular elements can represent constant stress state
exactly.