Computers & Structures Vol. 66, Nos 2-3, PP.

249-257, 1998
0 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Pergamon Printed in Great Britain
PII: soo45-7!M!l(97poo6&7 00457949/98 919.00 + 0.00

THE WARPING TORSION BAR MODEL OF THE

DIFFERENTIAL QUADRATURE ELEMENT METHOD

Chang-New Chen
Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan,
Taiwan, Republic of China

Abstract-A new numerical approach for solving warping torsion problems is proposed. The approach
uses the differential quadrature element method (DQEM) to discretize the differential equations defined
on each element. The resulting overall discrete equations can be solved using the solvers of the linear
algebra. Numerical results of the DQEM warping torsion model are presented. 0 1997 Published by
Elsevier Science Ltd

Key words --differential quadrature element method, differential quadrature method, finite element
method, warping torsion, bimoment, warping torsion moment, Saint Venant torsion moment

INTRODUCTION

The solution of warping torsion problems is import- (2)

ant since a lot of engineering structures are formed
by thin-walled beam members [ 11. The finite element
where Ds,s, are the weighting coefficients attached
method (FEM) is admitted to be a useful technique to the function values at all discrete points. Then a
for solving warping torsion problems [2]. A more
general form of the mth order derivative can be
efficient method that can be used to develop sol- expressed as:
ution algorithms for warping torsion problems is
the differential quadrature element method
(DQEW.
The DQEM was proposed by the author [3]. The
convergence rate of DQEM is superior to the or
FEM [4]. The DQEM also has the same advantages
as the FEM of dealing with general domain geome- (4)
tries and boundaries. The warping torsion problem
model of DQEM has been developed. The numeri-
cal algorithm is summarized. Numerical results are where
also presented. They demonstrate the superiority of
the DQEM model.

DIFFERENTIAL QUADRATURE DISCRETIZATION

are the weighting coefficients of the mth order de-
For problems with one-dimensional domain, a
rivative.
variable function W(i) associated with a discrete el-
The weighting coefficients of the first order de-
ement e in the parent space can be approximately
rivative can be obtained by using eqn (1) in (2):
represented by an analytical polynomial function:
Co;([) = ik-‘; k = 1,2 ,..., Ne, (1)

where P is the number of discrete points in the el-

ement. Then, a differential quadrature approxi- Equation (6) represents n sets of linear algebraic
mation of the first-order derivative of the function system with one row of Df, , as the unknowns of
with respect to the natural coordinate < at a discrete one linear algebraic set. x fter constructing the
point is approximated as the weighted linear sum of matrix of weighting coefficients of the first-order de-
the function values at all discrete points in the rivative, the weighting coefficients of higher-order
element [5,6]: derivatives can be generated through the operation

249
250 C.-N. Chen

of inner products of the first-order weighting coeffi- physical element. The physical coordinate ze can
cient matrix. From Equation (5) it is known that be written as:
m - 1 matrix multiplications are necessary in order ze = (0.5 - nz; + (0.5 + [)z;c, (11)
to obtain the &h-order weighting coefficient
matrix. where zf and x&, are the coordinates of the first
and Neth nodes, respectively, of a M-node element
and i the natural coordinate. It should be noted
DIFFERENTIAL QUADRATURE ELEMENT that the range of the parent element is
DISCRETIZATION
-0.5 < [ IO.5.
Figure 1 shows the warping torsion problem in Using Equation (1 I), the differential of z’ can be
which m, is the distributed external torque. The expressed as:
governing differential equation of warping torsion dz” = (z”,e - z;)dl;
problems is
= Jed<
=’ (7)
= led[, (12)
where EI,, is the warping torsion stiffness, and GJ
the Saint Venant torsion stiffness. let 0 I z I 1 be where J” = zR_~-zy = P is the Jacobian and 1” the el-
the problem domain, the kinematic boundary con- ement length. From the above equation, the follow-
ditions are ing relation can be obtained:

&=$and d4
-=-, d6 z=Oorf, (8)
di
-_=__= 1 p_
1 I
(13)
dz dz dze Je z&----le.

in which 4 and d$/dz are prescribed values. And

Then the first, second, third and fourth-order de-
the natural boundary conditions are
rivatives of element rotation angle 4” with respect
(9) to z” can be written as:
\ ,
d4’
-=-- 1 d@
and dze l= d[

2 e
-EI--*+GJ*=&$,
ww z=Oorl 9 (10)
dz3 dz f$=$$- (15)

where M, is the concentrated end torque, and Iv&

the applied bimoment. 3 e

The governing differential equation and bound- $$=$+t (16)

ary conditions are defined on the physical coordi-
nate system, while the differential quadrature and
discretization is carried out on the natural coordi- 4 e
nate system. Therefore, in using the differential ~=+4~. (17)
quadrature technique to discretize the governing
differential equation and boundary conditions the
transformation operations of coordinates and de- Using the analytical polynomial function shown
rivatives of rotation angle between two different in Equation (1) to discretize the rotation angle 4
coordinate systems have to be carried out. and considering Equation (2) and Equation (4), the
Consider the mapping of a parent element onto a first to fourth order derivatives of rotation angle 4’

Fig. I. The warping torsion problem.

 Warping torsion bar model

with respect to .zeat discrete points can be expressed

as:

(18) (27)

Denote My + ’ the concentrated torque applied

at the inter-element boundary. The equilibrium con-
(19) dition of total torque can be expressed as:

(20)
_Gi+lJ’+l$
>
and
The discrete expression of the above equation is
(21)

For analyzing warping torsion problems, the num-

ber of element nodes must be at least five. In con-
structing the global discrete algebraic system, the
equilibrium conditions at discrete points 3,4,...,Ne-2
are used. Using Equation (19) and Equation (21) in
Equation (7), the discretized equilibrium conditions @’ = My+‘. (29)
can be obtained:

Letting element m be an element consisting of the

kinematic boundary, the discrete description of
Equation (8) is:
a = 3,4 ,..., Ne - 2. (22)

(30)
The above equation is the element stiffness
equation. Also letting element n be an element consisting of
The transition conditions of two adjacent el- the natural boundary, the natural boundary con-
ements are the continuities of rotation angle, ro- ditions represented by Equation (9) and
tation angle gradient, and the equilibriums of Equation (10) can be discretized which shows them
bimoment and total torque at the inter-element to have the following forms:
boundary. The condition of rotation angle continu-
$.!$TL~&+;=A&, Z=lorN” (31)
ity at inter-element boundary z = zi*i + ’ of two
adjacent elements i and i + 1 is
f&t = @‘. (23) and

The continuity of rotation angle gradient is

(24) Z = 1 or N”. (32)

The discrete expression of the above equation is
The equilibrium of bimoment is
The discrete expression of the above equation is
With Equation (23) in mind, then assemble
Equation (22), Equation (25), Equation (27) and
Equation (29) for all elements, Equation (30) for
the boundary elements with kinematic boundary,
and Equation (31) and Equation (32) for the
boundary elements with natural boundary, the dis-
crete governing equation system of warping torsion
problems can be obtained. It is the overall stiffness/
transition/boundary equation. This overall equation
can be solved by using a certain solver to obtain
252 C.-N. Chen

Y
A
X
/_ 2 / / / / / / I 401
I / / / / \ -r”
/I I I I I I I I I >z 80.
I
\ ?\ t\ t\ t\ f\ ?\ ?’ f’ +I.’

Fig. 2. A fixed-fixed I-bar with uniformly distributed torque.

the rotation angle at all discrete points. Then the in-

ternal forces of bimoment Me, warping torsion (35)
moment M f, Saint Venant torsion moment M St
and the total torque M, can be calculated by using
rotation angles at discrete points:
(36)

NUMERICAL RESULTS
(33)
The first problem been solved concerns a fixed-
fixed I-bar with uniformly distributed torque. The
problem is shown in Fig. 2. The value of warping
ML” =_EeIe_ d34: stiffness is EI,, = 7.031467 x lo’* N mm4, and the
.m
wwd(# value of Saint Venant torsion stiffness is
GJ = 3.515734 x 10’ N mm*. The results of DQEM
and exact solution are included in Table 1. It shows
(34)
that the developed DQEM warping torsion model
has excellent convergence property to converge to
MS’
za
=,,,,s the exact solution. Only few nine-node elements are
necessary to converge to the exact solution up to
dze
seven digit accuracy. It should be much superior

Table 1. The results of a fixed-fixed I-bar with uniformly distributed torque

Number MI’ MZ
Element of 4, (radius) (y;$) (Y$$) (N mm) (N mm)
type elements (at B) a a (at A) (at A)
Five-node 2 0.3520244 x 1O-3 0.7920792 x 10’ 0.4752475 x IO3 0.01667069 x lo-l3 0.4752475 x lo3
4 0.3336406 x 1O-3 0.7794776 x 10’ 0.4935733 x lo3 -0.1120510 x lo-*’ 0.4935733 x lo3
6 0.3310716 x 1O-3 0.7751648 x lo5 0.4971231 x 10’ -0.1401327 x lo-” 0.4971231 x lo3
8 0.3302517 x 10” 0.7734998 x 10’ 0.4983777 x lo3 0.1000762 x lo-‘) 0.4983777 x lo3
Nine-node 2 0.3292673 x 10” 0.7712469 x lo5 0.4999983 x lo3 -0.8123242 x lo-” 0.4999983 x lo3
4 0.3292617 x 1O-3 0.7712387 x 10’ 0.5000000 x lo3 -0.5471752 x lo-‘* 0.5OOOOOO x lo3
6 0.3292617 x 1O-3 0.7712385 x 10’ 0.5OOOOOO x lo3 -0.2438277 x lo-” 0.5OOOOOO x lo3
Exact solution 0.3292617 x lo-’ 0.7712385 x 10’ 0.5000000 x lo3 0.0000000 x loo 0.50OOOOO x 10)
 Warping torsion bar model 253

0.0004
Exact solution

0 DQEM

0.0003

0.000 1

0.0000 I
I I
I I
I 1
I I

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Position (mm)

Fig. 3. Distribution of rotation angle (example 1).

over the finite element method, adopting Hermite
interpolation, of which accurate results can not be
obtained without using a large number of elements.
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the distributions of var-
ious internal forces. From these figures, it is known
that the DQEM is very efficient and reliable for the
analysis of warping torsion problems.
The other sample problem shown in Fig. 7 is a
fixed-free I-bar with concentrated torque at the
mid-span. The results of DQEM and exact solution

80000

Fig. 4. Distribution of bimoment (example 1).

254 C.-N. Chen

600 - Exact solution

0 DQEM

-300

Fig. 5. Distribution of warping torsion moment (example 1).

40 Exact solution

20

-20

Fig. 6. Distribution of Saint Venant torsion moment (example 1).

 Warping torsion bar model 255

Y ii?= = l.N-mm
A
X
J W-4
T
I >Z 80.
AL
v J
2.

Fig. 7. A fixed-free I-bar with a concentrated torque at the mid-span.

Table 2. The results of a fixed-free bar with a concentrated torque at the mid-span

Number 4? MCI M;” MS’ Mz

Element of (radius) (N mm) (N mm) (N mm) (N mm)
tYPe elements (at B) (at A) (at A) (at A) (at A)
Five-node 2 0.5777272 x 1O-5 0.3325491 x lo3 0.9926818 x 10’ -0.2568475 x lo-l5 0.9926818 x 10’
4 0.5533537 x 10-s 0.3141445 x 103 0.9981126 x 10’ -0.4630899 x lo-” 0.9981126 x 10’
6 0.5492605 x lO-5 0.3107380 x lo3 0.9991564 x 10’ -0.6150814 x lo-l5 0.9991564 x 10’
8 0.5478622 x lo-’ 0.3095445 x lo3 0.9995245 x 10’ -0.7771561 x lo-” 0.9995245 x 10’
Nine-node 2 0.5460968 x 1O-5 0.3080134 x lo3 0.9999995 x IO0 -0.3219728 x lo-l4 0.9999995 x 10’
4 0.5460915 x 10-j 0.3080089 x lo3 0.1000000 x 10’ -0.1842615 x IO-l4 0.1000000 x 10’
6 0.5460914 x IO-’ 0.3080088 x lo3 0.1000000 x IO’ -0.7476861 x 1O-‘5 0.1000000 x lOI
Exact solution 0.5460914 x lo-’ 0.3080088 x 10’ 0.1000000 x 10’ 0.0000000 x 100 0.1000000 x 10’

6E-6 -
Exact solution

0 DQEM

4E-6 -

2E-6 -

0 -+-“I I I
I I
I I
I I
I
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Position (mm)

Fig. 8. Distribution of rotation angle (example 2).

256 C.-N. Chen

400
- Exact solution

300
1 0 DQEM

200

100

-100
Fig. 9. Distribution of bimoment (example 2).

1.0 Exact solution

0 DQEM

600 800 1000

I I I I I

Fig. 10. Distribution of warping torsion moment (example 2).

 Warping torsion bar model 257

Exact solution
0.3

0.2

E
&
lu
c
0.1

0.0

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Position (mm)

Fig. 11. Distribution of Saint Venant torsion moment (example 2).

are included in Table 2. Excellent convergence proper- REFERENCES

And the dis-

ties are also seen for this sample problem.
tributions of internal forces are also excellent. They
can be seen in Figs 8,9,10 and 11.
CONCLUSIONS
The warping torsion model of the differential
quadrature element method was developed. The nu-
merical model was summarized and presented.
Numerical results proved that the DQEM has excel-
lent convergence properties. Since the theoretical
basis of this DQEM is rigorous, the performance of
this numerical model is much superior to the finite
element method adopting Hermite interpolation.
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