Isoparametric Elements

Element Stiffness Matrices

Structural Mechanics
Displacement-based
Formulations

General Approach Specific

Example
We will look at manipulation of the mechanics
quantities (displacement, strain, stress) using shape
functions
The approach is quite general, and is used to
formulate a number of different elements
We will use a specific example to make the
development more concrete (Q4)
We will start from the nodal displacement
representation, work toward strain and stress, and
finally element stiffness
There is a lot going on here, pay attention to both
the overall themes and the detailed steps

Master Element Mapping

Note: we will use a for and b for because I cant

remember, pronounce, or legibly write xi and eta

actual element

master element

Bilinear Quadrilateral (Q4)

Interpolation involves the summation of nodal values
multiplied by corresponding shapes functions
N x

i i
=

=
[ N ]{c}
N i y i
y

geometry interpolation

{c} = [ x1

y1

N u

i i
=

=
[ N ]{d}
N iv i
v

x2

{d} = [ u1 v1 u2
N
1
N
=
[ ]
0

field variable interpolation

- where -

0 N2
N1 0

y2 x3

y3

v2

v3

0
N2

u3

N3
0

x4
u4
0
N3

y4 ]
v4 ]
N4
0

nodal coordinates
nodal displacements

N 4

shape functions

Q4 - Displacements
Start with the element displacement field
We have to give it some functional form in order to work with it
Let it be defined over the element by our interpolation scheme

{u} = [ N ]{d}

N1 =

1
(1 a)(1 b)
4

N2 =

1
(1+ a)(1 b)
4

N3 =

1
(1+ a)(1+ b)
4

N4 =

1
(1 a)(1+ b)
4

{u} = displacements continuously defined (all components) over

an element
[N] = the element shape functions in master element coordinates
{d} = the nodal (discrete) displacement values

Strain from {u}

Now calculate element strains from the displacement
field

{u}

x
0

x x

y =
0

xy

u


v
y

This is just the usual strain-displacement relationship

written in compact form with an operator matrix

Q4 Strain from {d}

Lets now work toward an expression for element strainu1

this operation
v1

cannot be done

0
u 2
directly
[ N ]{d}
x x
N
1 0 N 2 0 N 3 0 N 4 0
v 2

y =
0

- or

y
0 N1 0 N 2 0 N 3 0 N 4
u 3

xy

[ B]{d}

v 3

y
x

u
4
We have a bit of a difficulty here with direct substitution

v4

The shape functions (N1, N2, N3, N4) are defined in terms of the
master element coordinates (a,b)
But we need to differentiate in terms of the global coordinates

(x,y)

Coordinate Transformation

Given any function of the master element coordinates (a,b):

f = f ( a,b)

We can find derivatives with respect to global (x,y) by using

the chain rule:
f f
x f y
f f x f y
=
+
=
+

a x a y a
b x b y b

Wecan
combine and rearrange these relationships to get

our derivatives:

f ,a

f ,x
f ,x
1 f ,a
=
[ J ]

=
[ J ]

f ,b
f ,b
f ,y

f ,y

The Jacobian

The Jacobian matrix is an important part of element

formulation:
N x N y
x,
a y,a
i,a i
i,a i
[ J ] =
x,
b

=
N i,b x i
y,b

For the Q4 element this becomes:

x 1

1 (1 b) (1 b) (1+ b) (1+ b) x 2

[ J ] =
4
(1 a) (1+ a) (1+ a) (1 a)
x 3

x 4

N i,b y i

y1

y 2

y 3
y4

local coordinate
derivatives of the shape
global coordinate
functions
locations of the
element nodes

note the
Jacobian matrix
is a function of
location within
the master
element

Jacobian Interpretation

The Jacobian contains information about element size and

shape

J11
[ J ] =
J 21

J12

J 22

The Jacobian determinant (j) is a scaling factor that relates

the differential area of the actual element to the differential

= det [ J ] = J11J 22 J 21J 22
area of the master jelement

The Jacobian inverse () relates global coordinate system

11
J12
12 coordinate
(x,y) function derivatives
element
1 Jto
22 master
1

[ J ] =derivatives
system (a,b) function
j J
J

21

11

21

22

Intra-Element Jacobian
Variation

Here is a single Q4 element (highly-distorted, not recommended)

Notice how sub-region size and distortion varies within the element
The Jacobian captures local area and distortion differences

large area
high
distortion

small area
low
distortion

Jacobian (determinant)
Ratio

This is one measure of element quality (which affects element accuracy)

Ratio of the highest to lowest quadrature point Jacobian determinant
It is 1.0 for any square or rectangular element (same j throughout element)
It increases as element distortion increases

Strain/Displacement for Q4

Start with the usual strain-displacement relationship in a

slightly different form:
u,
x
x 1 0 0 0

u, y
0 0 0 1
y =

v, x

xy 0 1 1 0
v, y

Now add the Jacobian approach to master/global coordinate

derivative transformation:

u, x ?11 12 0
0 ??u,a ?
?
?? ?
0 ??u,b ?
u, y ?21 22 0
=
?
? ?
?
0 11 12 ??v,a ?
v, x ?0
?
? ?
0 21 22 ?
??v,b ?
v, y ?0

Strain/Displacement cont.

Now represent the displacement field master element

derivatives in terms of the shape functions:

?u,a ? ?N1,a
? ? ?
?u,b ? ?N1,b
? ?= ?
?v,a ? ? 0
? ? ?
?v,b ? ? 0

N 2,a

N 3,a

N 4,a

N 2,b

N 3,b

N 4,b

N1,a

N 2,a

N 3,a

N1,b

N 2,b

N 3,b

?u1 ?
? ?
?v1 ?
? ?
0 ??u2 ?
?
0 ??
?v 2 ?
?
?? ?
N 4,a ??u3 ?
? ?
N 4,b ?
??v 3 ?
?u ?
? 4 ?
?
?v 4 ?
?

All Together Now

12
x 1 0 0 0 11

21 22
y =
0 0 0 1
0

0

0
1
1
0

xy
0
0

0
0
11
21

1,a
0 N

0 N
1,b

12 0
22

organization

- or

[ B]{d}

Jacobian
inverse
terms, master
to global
coordinate
transformatio
n

N 2,a

N 3,a

N 4,a

N 2,b

N 3,b

N 4,b

N1,a

N 2,a

N 3,a

N1,b

N 2,b

N 3,b

shape
function
derivatives,
master
coordinates

u 1

v1

u 2
0

0

v 2

N 4,a
u 3

v
N 4,b

3
u
4

v4

nodal
displaceme
nts, global
coordinates

Stress

If we have strain, we can get to stress by bringing in

material properties

[ E ]{} = [ E ][ B]{d}

We have to be a little careful here, this simple expression

assumes:

(residual, assembly) stresses present

No
initial
Linear elastic behavior
The general form above does accommodate anisotropic behavior

0
1
0
E
E

If we further
E limit ourselves
E
1to 2D, isotropic, plane stress,

1
E] =

1
0
E
=
0
G
=

[
[
]
2

E
E
we can 1
write:
2(1+ )

1 )
(
1
0 0

0
2
0
G

Element Stiffness Matrix

Recall where the element stiffness matrix fits into the finite element
formulation:
[ k ]{d} = {r}

Take it as a given for the present that the element stiffness matrix
[k] is:

[k ] =

[ B]

[ E ][ B] tdA

An integral over the element area in global coordinates (t =

thickness)

Why is integration
required?
Think about what [k] does
For displacements applied to the element nodes, it determines the required force
If one element is larger than another, the force required ought to be greater for
the same nodal displacements
If an element has a rotated orientation, a coordinate axis displacement can
produce forces with multiple coordinate components

Integration in Master
Coordinates

It is not easy to integrate for the terms in [k] using the

global coordinate system (elements are generally distorted
and not aligned with global axes)
But we can do this instead (matrix dimensions for a Q4
element):
1 1
T
[k] =

8x 8
symm

[ B]

1 1 8x 3

[ E ] [ B] tjdadb
3x 3 3x8

Integrate over the master element

It is undistorted and aligned with the coordinate system
Adjust for the change in coordinates by bringing in the
Jacobian determinant j

Quadrature
Read quadrature as numerical integration
Why do we want to numerically integrate to establish [k]?
1

[k] =
8x 8
symm

[ B]

1 1 8x 3

[ E ] [ B] tjdadb
3x 3 3x8

these contain
Jacobian inverse
terms which vary
point-by-point
within the element

this varies point-bypoint too

To integrate directly is still computationally expensive, even

with the change to local coordinates
Quadrature involves sampling at discrete points, multiplying
by a weighting factor, and summing to get an estimate of
the integral

Gauss Points
Gauss quadrature is a method of numerical integration that has optimal
characteristics when the underlying functions have polynomial form
The figure shows Gauss points for 2nd order and 3rd order quadrature
For (a), all four points have a weight of 1.0 (total = 4.0)
For (b): 1,3,7,9 weight = .3086; 2,4,6,8 weight = .4938; 5 weight = .7901 (total = 4.0)

Note: the quadrature rule is independent of element order (Q4, Q8, Q9)

Element Distortion
One of the reasons a distorted element is less
than ideal:
The integral is estimated by discrete sampling at specific
locations within the element
If the element is not distorted, the sampled points are highly
representative of the un-sampled near by regions of the
element
If the element is highly distorted, the sampled points are not
representative of the un-sampled regions of the element

Element Normal Vectors

If you get inside out element errors
Verify-Element-Normals as a fringe or vector plot (rotate the
model to see the vector orientation)

Element Normal Vectors

Use Modify-Element-Reverse to get them all going in
the same (positive Z, I think, check this) direction