Element types and modeling techniques

- Element formulation for the different analyses - Modeling techniques

Analysis of a 2-D structural problem Properties of the elements 1: if the element undergoes rigid motion, the strain is zero inside the element
i k

y x

e
j

{U e } =

ux uy ux uy ux uy

Rigid translation
y j yk 2 y y B13 = k i 2 y yj B15 = i 2 B11 =

{ } = [ B ]{U e }
B11 0 [ B ] = 0 C22 C B22 11 B13 C13 0 C24 B24 0

x = B11u x + B13u x + B15u x

B15 C15 0 0

C26 B26

x =

y j yk y yj y y ux + k i ux + i ux = 0 2 2 2
2

Analysis of a 2-D structural problem Properties of the elements 2: strain evaluated at two adjacent elements is discontinuous but limited: displacement field has a C0 continuity vn

n
vn n = n n = x, y

n vn n

finitevalue

Shape functions
Summary of the principal properties and conditions that must be considered in the shape functions definition Properties: - the shape function formulated for the node i, assumes the value 1 at node i and zero at the other element nodes
1 N i x j = ij = 0

( )

i j

i= j

j = 1,..., nnodes

j = 1,..., nnodes

- for a generic element defined by n nodes the summation of the shape function is equal to 1 in each point inside the element (the shape function is a partition of the unity)

N (x) = 1
i i

- the number of terms of a shape function must be equal to the number of conditions that can be imposed at nodes. In the 2D plane analysis the number of terms is equal to the number of nodes

Shape functions Conditions:

- The shape function must be continuous in the element - The field variable must be continuous in the domain. Therefore, the continuity must be assured also at inter-element boundary (the shape function must be at least of class C0) - In general the shape function must be of class Cm if in the integral defining the stiffness matrix derivative up to the m+1 order are included E.g. In the 2D plane structural problem, first order derivatives of displacement are present (strain-stresses) inside the integral, the shape function must therefore have a C0 continuity In the analysis of beams the function interpolating the displacement must be of class C1
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Principal element types

2D
Truss Shell Beam SOLID

3D

Shell/plate 2D continuum AxiTruss structures Beam structures 3D continuum 3D plate/shell symmetrical mechanics mechanics y z x y x
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Other element types GAP PIPE

Contact Pb. Mass

Piping and pipe structures Spring

Concentrated mass

Elastic Connecting Elements

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Spar or truss elements /1

Plane or 3D truss structures / linking / spring ,etc. J only normal action J 2 node J 2 or 3 d.o.f /node J only nodal loads J geometrical properties : A (area)
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Spar or truss elements /2 Shape functions

j
y x

i
Linear shape function: N11= A11 + B11x
For truss structures, links, springs the adopted shape function gives the exact solution for the internal displacement
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Spar or truss elements /3 Installation for petroleum drilling batteries.

These structures usually is The model based are on trusses represented as reticular acceptable because of: structures (free rotation at nodes) J Low bending stiffness of connecting elements J Loose fits between holes and bolts

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Spar or truss elements /4 Other structures: roof of an industrial building

Roof weight = 10 KN/m
Upper deck rods
Lower deck rods

Connecting rods

A=900 mm2

A=450 mm2

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1.5

Spar or truss elements /5

Axial force

Deformed shape F.E Model

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Beam elements /1

2D
The x,y plane contains: J nodes J applied loads J one of the principal inertia axes

Plane structures J 2 nodes J 3 d.o.f /node J concentrated and distributed loads J geometry: A (area), J, (moments of inertia)

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Beam elements /2

3D

Spatial structures J 2 (3) node J 6 d.o.f /node J concentrated and distributed loads J geometry: A, Jzz, Jyy, Jxx,

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Beam elements /3
Theoretical background: Stress/strain state implicitly involved in the choice of beam elements: - Strain due to shear loading is neglected - The only not null stress components are:

2D
x y

x
xy
xy

xz
x

3D

- x has a linear variation troughout the cross-section (flexural formula)

x y

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Beam elements /4
y
Beam: the node's d.o.f. represent the displacement field of the whole cross section

vix
i
x

Hypothesis of plane cross sections

viy

3 d.o.f. per node

vy vx ( y ) = vix + y = vix y x x= xi
vy y = y x x= xi
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Beam elements /5
viy vix
L

vjy
j

j vjx

i
y

x Small displacements/deformations vx(x) =f (vix, vjx) 2 conditions for vx(x) Shape functions linear in x

vx e {v ( x )} = vy {U } = e N x U ( ) {v ( x )} = { }
3x1 3x 6 6 x1

vix viy i v jx v jy j

N12 = N13 = N15 = N16 = 0

Same shape functions as those of the truss elements
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x x vx ( x ) = 1 vix + v jx = N11vix + N14 v jx L L

Beam elements /6
viy vix i vjy j

i
x

vjx

vx {v ( x )} = vy

4 conditions for vy(x) vy(x) third-degree polynomials in "x"

vy ( x ) = A + Bx + Cx 2 + Dx 3

d vy = dx

{U e } =

vix viy i v jx v jy j

= B + 2Cx + 3Dx 2

v (0) = v ( 0 ) = i iy y vy ( L ) = v jy ( L ) = j
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Beam elements /7
2 3 2 3 x x x x vy = viy 1 3 + 2 + i x 2 L + L + L L L L 3 2 3 x 2 x x x + v jy 3 2 + j L + L L L L L

2 2 1 x x x x = viy 6 + 6 + i 1 4 + 3 + L L L L L 2 2 x 1 x x x + v jy 6 6 + j 2 + 3 L L L L L

vx vy =

N11 0 0

N 32

N 22

N 33

N 23

N14 0 0

N 35

N 25

N 36

N 26

vix viy i v jx v jy j
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Beam elements /8
The shape function used to represent the beam's deflection is cubic

vy ( x ) = A + Bx + Cx 2 + Dx 3
d 3v y ( x ) V= = constant 3 dx
The shape functions correctly represent the deflection of the beam's segment only in the case of constant shear. In the remaining cases, the representation of displacements, deformations and stresses in in internal points of the element is approximate. The error decreases with decreasing element size.

V = constant V constant
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Beam elements /9 200 700

8 500

Bridge beam 350

5 200

Endtruck wheel base (e1) =5 m Gauge (S) =20 m Trolley gauge (Scartamento carrello) = 2.5 m

Endtruck
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Beam elements /10

Deformed shapeaxis Z) Shear Z (local FE Model

Bending Moment M (local yx Torsional Moment M (loadaxis axisY) X)

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Pipe elements /1
Type of elements adopted to study piping problems in 2D and 3D J rectilinear pipe: same as beam elements with appropriate definition of geometry (diameters instead of A, J, etc.)

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Pipe elements /2
J Curvilinear pipe: specific definition of the stiffness matrix accounting for the ratio of curvature radius/pipe diameter J Special pipes: defined for a correct representation of the stiffness of typical piping components (T-junctions, valves, etc.)

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Pipe elements /3
Bicycle frame

Model built with pipe elements

The cross-sectional data (inner and outer diameter) are input as real constants

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Pipe elements /4
Deformed shape and equivalent stress for a typical jump loading configuration

Deformed shape and equivalent stress for a dynamic biking loading configuration

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Plane elements /1

Structural, thermal, thermo-mechanical, electromagnetic problems, etc J 4 (3) nodes J 2 d.o.f /node Classes of structural problems: J plane stress J plane strain J axisymmetric stress/strain
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Plane elements /2: plane stress

J One of the principal stresses is zero J Typical for components with a small thickness, if compared with other characteristic dimensions J Load applied in the mid-plane.

y z x

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Plane elements /3: plane stress

Loads can be defined on the entire thickness or per unit of thickness

180

The F.E. model is on the X-Y plane, representing the mid plane of the body.

R10

60
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Plane elements /4: plane strain

J one of the principal strains is zero J typical for very thick bodies: thickness much bigger than other characteristics dimensions.

z=0

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Plane elements /5: plane strain

J The model is on the x-y plane and represents a section perpendicular to the Z-axis of the structure. J Loads are defined per unit of thickness

x
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Plane elements /6: plane strain

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Plane elements /7: axisymmetric problems

Components characterized by an axis-symmetrical geometry (obtained by rotating a plane section around a fixed axis z) Axisymmetric loads

z

Notched bar under tension

z
z
r


Cylindrical vessel with internal pressure

J by defining a cylindrical reference system r, , z, the stress/strain are independent of due to the symmetry, moreover the circumferential displacements () are zero: the problem can be referred to as plane.
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Plane elements /8: axisymmetric problems The model represents a section generated by a plane containing the symmetry axis

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Plane elements /9: axisymmetric problems

Volume represented by the generic element

v x = x x vy y = y

xy

v = x x

vx vy = + y x

With respect to the plane stress condition it is necessary to define the circumferential stress/ strain

[L] =

x 0 y 1 x

0 y x 0

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Plane elements /10: application examples

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Plane elements /11: application examples

Geometrically identical models

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Shell elements /1

Axisymmetric shell elements

Axisymmetric thin walled bodies undergoing to axissymmetrical loads J 2 nodes J 3 d.o.f /node(vx, vy e qz)
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Shell elements /2

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Shell elements /3
Kirchoff-Love hypothesis to determine the stiffness matrix: a line perpendicular to the mid-plane remains rectilinear and perpendicular to the mid-plane after the deformation

vix
i x

viy

The displacement field can be defined through the thickness by knowing the displacement and the rotation of the mid-plane

vy vx ( y ) = vix + y = vix y x x= xi

v y = y y x x= xi

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Shell elements /4
Validity of the Kirchoff-Love hypothesis: Thickness << other geometrical parameters
Structural parts that can be assimilated to thin shells or plates with axissymmetrical geometry

s R

s R , Rxy

Isotropic Mat . s < 0.1 R , Rxy

R

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Shell elements /5
As a consequence the stress/strain tensors are defined as follows: J Shear strains are not accounted for J non zero stress tensor components:

Y (axial) X (R)
J normal stress constant or linearly variable thru the thickness

x y

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Shell elements /6
The F.E. model represents a section with a plane containing the axis of symmetry. The nodes are placed on the mid-plane.

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Shell elements /7
Thin vessels Axisymmetric shell Thick vessels Plane axisymmetric elements

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Shell elements /8
Example: thin pressure vessel

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Shell elements /9

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Shell elements /10: 3D elements Shell or plates with generic geometry: J 4 nodes J 6 d.o.f /node

Kirchoff-Love hypothesis for determining the stiffness matrix is valid also for 3D elements

The displacement field can be defined through the thickness by knowing the displacement and the rotation of the mid-plane
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Shell elements /11: 3D elements

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Shell elements /12: 3D elements

Validity of the Kirchoff-Love hypothesis: Thickness << other geometrical parameters (dimension, curvature radius)

The element represents the mid-plane

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Shell elements /13: 3D elements z x y x, y, xy, xz, yz

Stress components

Through thickness linear variation of the normal stress components

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Shell elements /14: 3D elements Modelling of a bike frame

Shell elements for the frame, pipe element for the fork
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Shell elements /15: 3D elements

Results in the jump configuration

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Shell elements /16: 3D elements

Results for the dynamic byking

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3D solid elements /1: bricks

3D structural, thermal, problems: J 8 nodes: hexahedral., 4 nodes: tetrahedral J 3 d.o.f /node

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3D solid elements /2: bricks

Tetrahedral : 4 nodes Shape function : A+Bx+Cy+Dz Constant Strain/stress

Hexahedral: 8 nodes Shape function : A+Bx+Cy+Dz+Exy+Fyz+Gzx+Hxyz

Linearly variable stress and strain

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3D solid elements /3: bricks

Radial stress Radial stress

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3D solid elements /4: submodeling Stress condition depending on local geometrical parameters (e.g. notch radius).

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3D solid elements /5: submodeling

The analysis requires very small element size to represent the local geometry very fine mesh (these elements are usually too small to represent the rest of the component).

Building up the model is very hard and complex (inclusion of all geometrical details) and computationally heavy (huge number of d.o.f.)

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3D solid elements /6: submodeling

1 step: a coarse model is built, not accounting for the geometrical details at notches. The external loads and constraints are applied.

2 step: a fine model of the local detail is built up (sub model)

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3D solid elements /7: submodeling

3 Step: The coarse model is used to determine the displacements of nodes on the sub-models boundary surfaces

Displacement values are accurate if the dimensions of sub-model are sufficiently higher than those of the local detail
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3D solid elements /8: submodeling 4 step:

the surface displacements are applied as boundary condition for the sub-model and the problem is solved obtaining an accurate evaluation of stress and strain at the detail

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3D solid elements /9: submodeling Sub-modelling can be used with 2D and 3D elements. E.g. the coarse model can be made of plane or shell elements and the sub-model of brick elements

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3D solid elements /10: submodeling Example: Al-alloy suspension arm of a scooter

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3D solid elements /11: submodeling

Full scale testing
Telaio di prova Braccio di flessione Provino Afferraggio fisso

Cuscinetto assiale orientabile a semplice effetto Cella di carico Zona rottura

Attuatore idraulico

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3D solid elements /12: submodeling

Mf

Mt=0.5 Mf

Failure modes

R=0.1

Bending + torsion

Bending

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3D solid elements /13: submodeling

Finite element analysis

Submodeling

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3D solid elements /14: submodeling

Results Failure localization

Predicted Bending

Effective

Bending+torsion

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