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The document provides an introduction to the finite element method (FEM). It describes key features of FEM, including dividing the problem domain into smaller finite elements and approximating solutions within each element. The document outlines several advantages of FEM, such as its ability to model problems with irregular boundaries, discontinuities, and non-homogeneous materials. A brief history of FEM's development is also presented, along with examples of its applications in engineering simulation software.

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33 views18 pages

Ifem051 w1

The document provides an introduction to the finite element method (FEM). It describes key features of FEM, including dividing the problem domain into smaller finite elements and approximating solutions within each element. The document outlines several advantages of FEM, such as its ability to model problems with irregular boundaries, discontinuities, and non-homogeneous materials. A brief history of FEM's development is also presented, along with examples of its applications in engineering simulation software.

Uploaded by

derick0320
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Finite Element Method

Judy P. Yang (楊子儀)

Sept. 13, 2016

Department of Civil Engineering


National Chiao Tung University (NCTU)
Chapter 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Basic Description
– Features of FEM
– Advantages of FEM
• 1.2 Historical Background
• 1.3 Specific Application
1.1 Basic Description
– All the physical phenomena encountered in
engineering mechanics can be modeled by
differential equations
– However, problems involved complicated shapes and
loadings are usually too complex to be solved for
exact solutions by classical analytical methods
– The finite element method (FEM) is a numerical
approach by which general differential equations can
be solved in an approximate manner
1.1 Basic Description
• Differential equations
– Beam
𝑑2 𝑣 𝑝: load per unit length
• 𝑀= 𝐸𝐸 2
𝑑𝑥
𝑑2 𝑑2𝑣
• 𝐸𝐸 2 =𝑝
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
– Axial force bar
𝑑𝑑
• 𝑃 = 𝐸𝐸
𝑑𝑑
p(x)
𝑑 𝑑𝑑 P(x) P(x+Δx)
• 𝐸𝐸 +𝑝 𝑥 =0
𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑 Δx
1.1 Basic Description
Features of FEM
1. The differential equations describing the
physical problems are assumed to hold over a
certain region
 In FEM, the region is divided into smaller parts, the
so-called finite elements, and the approximation is
carried out over each element
 Even though the variable (displacement, velocity, and
temperature) varies in a highly nonlinear manner
over the entire region, it may be a fair approximation
to assume that the variable varies in a linear fashion
over each element
Features of FEM

The collection of all elements is called a finite element mesh


Features of FEM
2. The approximation is some kind of
interpolation over the element, where it is
assumed that the variable is known at nodal
points (nodes) in the element
 These nodes are often located on the boundary
of each element
 The precise manner in which the variable
changes between its values at nodes is expressed
by the specific approximation such as linear,
quadratic, and cubic approximations
Features of FEM
Features of FEM
3. The FEM can approximate solutions for
boundary value problems (BVPs) and initial
value problems (IVPs). In this course we
consider BVPs.
 BVPs
 IVPs are typical for transient problems and solved
by finite difference methods
4. The FEM uses variational methods (the
calculus of variations) to minimize an error
function and produce a stable solution
Advantages of FEM
1. The adjacent elements do not need to have
the same material properties such that FEM
can be applied to the structure composed of
different materials
 For example, non-homogeneous and anisotropic
materials
 Example: Bi-material cantilever beam

E2, ν2 E1, ν1
Advantages of FEM
2. The FEM can approximate structures with
irregular boundary conditions (BCs)
 For example, use elements with straight
boundary to approximate curved boundaries of
structures
 Example: a circle hole plate

1
0.2

1
Advantages of FEM
3. The size of finite elements can be changed,
which depends on the structure geometry
 Example

http://feaforall.com/fea-basics-plate-with-a-hole-analysis/
Advantages of FEM
4. The FEM can solve problems involving
discontinuity such as discontinuous geometry
or loadings
 Example: a beam with a notch

 Example: a beam where half part has uniformly


distributed loads and the other half has no load
1.2 Historical Background
• The emergence of FEM took place in the early 1960s
and since then its use has spread to virtually all fields of
engineering
• The finite element method is a numerical tool for
predicting the response of engineering systems
• It was developed originally to obtain the stress response
of structures and was extended to the prediction of
non-structural behavior such as pressure field, fluid
velocity, and heat flux
1.2 Historical Background
• Some of the prominent names associated with the development
of the FEM are Argyris, Clough, and Zienkiewicz. For a historical
account of different major contributions, we may refer to
Segerlind (1976), Stasa (1985), Zienkiewicz (1970, 1983),
Zienkiewicz and Taylor (1989)
• To illustrate the research advancement of the FEM, we may refer
to Cook et al. (1989), who pointed out that the following
numbers of papers on the FEM were published:
– 10 papers in 1961
– 134 in 1966
– 844 in 1971
– By 1976, the cumulative total of FE publications exceeded 7000
– by 1986, the total was about 20000 papers
1.3 Specific Application
• The procedure for finite element analysis
– Pre-processing
• 建立幾何形狀，給定材料性質，指定邊界條件
– Solution
• 線性分析、非線性迭代分析、動力分析
– Post-processing
• contour plot: 應力應變分布圖，桿件內力、結構位移
Examples
• ANSYS
– An engineering simulation software
• computer-aided engineering, or CAE
– Simulation Technology
• Structural Mechanics, Multiphysics, Fluid Dynamics,
Explicit Dynamics, Electromagnetics, Hydrodynamics

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