CHAPTER 2 LAGRANGE INTERPOLATION2 ONE-DIMENSIONAL LAGRANGE INTERPOLATION Lagrange interpolation is used almost exclusively in the derivation of displacement based finite elements. The use of polynomial shape functions permits high order elements to be formulated in which the element stfinesses are evaluated using numerical integration. This feature is especially important for three-dimensional and curved-sided elements where analytic integration of the stifinesses is impossible, 2.1 Linear Interpolation Consider a function u(x) which we wish to approximate byalinear function f(z) over the interval x, : Linea one-dimensional shape functions ‘We may check the validity of (24) by computing the value of f(z) at selected values of x Ate eywie) «22 Dy, BOD, oy HO) Gay Goat Axe 11 —a)), +26, = Another useful check on the shape functions is that they must sum to unity according to 1 = Bay +) NG) + Na) = PNG) = 1 ‘This condition follows from substituting 1 arbitay constant in equation (2.1), where c is an 2.2 Quadratic Interpolation (Consider a function 1) which we wish to approximate by a quadratic function fts)over the interval x, = x = 25. The approximation i) is defined to coincide with u(x) exactly at ey ‘Figure 2.3: Quadratic one-dimensional Lagrange interpolation the end points so that ix) = u(s,) = my, Ce) = wa) = up, and des) = ws) = wy asshown in Figure 23. Iti, of couse, necessary to match i) with u(x) at three distinct Points in order to define the quadratic variation uniquely. The approximation i(e) is writen in terms ofthe interpolation functions N(x), NG) and Ns) according to GG) = Nye), + Neus + NG @s) ‘At node one, we must have ig) = i = NyGe)ey + Walesa + Neds = 11 and hence Ny(e,) = 1 with Nee;) = Na(e;) = 0. Simiay at nodes two and thre, ‘Nofea) = Nats) = Lith NyCe3) = NGs)-= Notes) = NG) = 0 Since the equation ofthe lines passing through nodestwo and three are x = x,andx = x3, the condition N(x) = Nj(,) = Os satisied by guessing that Nj (2) is ofthe form. iQ) = Hema) x3) here dis an unknown multiplier. Substituting the condition that N,(x;) = 1, thisimplios —— “Gp and hence On EEE e5 Using the same procedure at nodes two and three we obtain Nyy = LED) aye) en = Ye = *2) Ne) = EE es Substituting (2.6), (27) and (28) into equation (25), we see that the quadratic ‘approximation i) is defined by @-e-a) , , @—aye- Grea) ee ‘The shape functions N(), N2)and Na(x) vary quadratically between x, and x3as shown in Figure 24. figs) = N ‘Figure 2.4: Quadratic one-dimensional shape functions ‘The correctness of (2.9) may be verified by checking that d(x) coincides with u(x) at xy. and x3 Atx =a,2 ==), LANA, MDs, oy = eae a) Galea) eae a Manny i = A=, 5 =H), , e—aN=2D, Gres ee mse) 2 Atrexg iif = @s—2),, Gs De—a), . @—aes—ad, © ° Ge sane =H)" * GN =99)"? * Ga Vey HD By dircet substitution, we may also readily verify that te NG) + Ne) + Ns) = YN) 2.3 General Formula for Lagrange Interpolation Instead of deriving the shape functions from frst principles it is posible to use the general formula f@) = Y Neu, (2.10) & where (uy land m ~ 1 is the degree ofthe polynomial approximation required. Applying equation (2.11) with m = 3, we obtain the same shape functions that were derived in the previous Section acording io aS oe 2 eee) m= Te 5- eBay ie iss F@-s) _ @-me-s NO = TE" eer jet = Bae -») By dinton te shape ution aay ply the lowing properties (= for ji (a) = 0 for j= 1.2, andj atDMG) =1