Introduction to

Finite Element Analysis

Praveen Ahuja
Technical Manager - CAE HCL Technologies , Bangalore

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

What This Presentation Covers

Introduction to Different Numerical Method Introduction to FEM - Concept & Philosophy Need & Advantages of Finite Element Analysis Practical Application of FEA Different Professional FEA Tools/Software Steps involved in any Finite Element Analysis Best Practices Approach

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Objective of this Session

By the End of this session, You will be able to : Understand and apply the Concept of FEM / FEA on Actual practical day-to-day / complex problems Understand Different Type of Analysis covered in FEA Prepare a suitable FE model for a given problem Know the Behavior of different type of FE Elements used , Concept of FE

Mesh , Loads and Boundary Condition

Step by Step approach followed in any Finite Element Analysis

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Introduction to FEA
Methods to Solve Any Engineering Problem

Analytical Method
Classical Approach 100% Accurate Results Applicable only for Simple problems like Cantilever , simply supported beams and Cylinders etc.. Complete in itself

Numerical Method
Mathematical Approach Approximate, Assumptions Made Applicable to real life complicated problems

Experimental Method
Actual Measurement Time Consuming , Needs expensive setup Applicable only if physical prototype is available

Results can not be believed blindly and must be verified by experimental methods and Hand Calculations. Finite Element Method: Linear , Nonlinear , Buckling , Thermal, Dynamics & Fatigue analysis Boundary Element Method: Acoustics / NVH analysis Finite Volume Method: CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) & Computational Electromagnetic Finite Difference Method: Thermal & Fluid Flow analysis (in combination with FVM)

Results can not be believed blindly and Minimum 2 or more prototypes must be tested. -Strain Gauge - Photo elasticity - Vibration measurement (accelerometers) - Sensors for Temp & pressure etc - Fatigue test

Although applicable to simple shaped geometries only , Analytical methods are considered as Closed form solutions i.e. 100% Accurate

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Analytical Approach An example

Cantilever Beam Deflection Analytical Approach

Cantilever Beam Deflection

Analytical Approach provides Very Accurate Solution

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Analytical Approach An example

If analytical approach is accurate then why are they not used for solving Real life problems ??

Any Guesses ?? Answer:

For a simple cantilever Beam, Governing equation is readily available , but this type of equations are not available for real life complex problems Basic Beam Bending equation is based upon many assumptions such as Small deflection , isotropic material , C/S of the beam remains plane and perpendicular to neural axis etc
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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Numerical Method (FEA Approach)

How does Numerical Method solve the same Cantilever problem ??

Finite Element Analysis Approach:

Component / Structure is modeled using discrete

building blocks called Elements (structure/component is
dicretize into smaller finite number of blocks called elements)

Each element has exact equation that describe how

it respond to certain load.

The sum of response of all the elements in the

model gives the total response of the component.

The Elements have finite number of unknowns (DOF

and loads) , hence the name Finite Elements
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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Different Numerical Methods

Finite Element Method (FEM) :
Very Popular Method based upon discretization of component into Finite number of blocks (elements) Applications : Linear, Nonlinear, Thermal, Dynamics , Buckling and Fatigue Analysis

Boundary Element Method (BEM) :

Its a very powerful and efficient technique to solve acoustics and NVH problems Just like Finite Element Method, it also requires Nodes and Elements but as the name suggest, it considers only the outer boundary of the domain

Finite Volume Method (FVM) :

All Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) soft wares are based upon FVM. Unit Volume is considered in Finite Volume Method (similar to Elements in Finite Element Method) Variable properties at nodes are Pressure , Velocity , Area , Mass etc. It is based on Navier Stoke equations ( Mass ,Momentum and Energy Conservation equations)

Finite Difference Method (FDM) :

Finite Element and Finite Difference share many common things. In general, Finite difference Method is described as a way to solve difference equation. It uses Taylors series to convert differential equation into algebraic equation. Higher order terms neglected.

Is it possible to use all the above listed methods (FEA ,BEM , FVM, FDM) to solve same problem (say Cantilever problem)?
Answer : YES ! But the difference is in Accuracy achieved , programming ease and time required to obtain the solution
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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Are FEA and FEM different ?

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Finite Element Method (FEM) both are one & the same.
FEA is a method/process based upon FEM

Term FEA is more popular in industries while FEM at Education centers

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Why Finite Element Method ?

FEA is the most widely applied computer simulation method in Engineering. It is very closely integrated with CAD/CAM applications. It is very well proven , tested and validated method for simulating any complex practical scenario in the area of Structural ,Thermal ,Vibration etc..

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Application of FEM in Engineering

Mechanical / Aerospace / Civil Engineering / Automobile Engineering Structural Analysis ( Static / Dynamic , Linear / Non-Linear ) Thermal Analysis ( Steady State / Transient ) Electromagnetic Analysis Geomechanics Biomechanics

etc.

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Practical Applications of FEA

Aerospace Domain

Automotive Domain

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Practical Applications of FEA

Hi-Tech /Electronics

Medical Devices

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Practical Applications of FEA

and many more .

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Advantages of FEA

Visualization
Design Cycle time

No. of Prototypes
Testing

Design Optimization
FEA Computer Simulation allows multiple What-if scenarios to be studied quickly and effectively.

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Available Commercial FEA Tools/Software Packages

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

FEM Philosophy in layman terms

The Philosophy of FEA can be explained with a small example such as Measuring the Perimeter of a Circle If one need to evaluate the perimeter of a circle without using the conventional formula (2*pi*r), FEA approach is analogous to Dividing the circle into a number of segments and joining the points using Straight lines

Since it is very easy to measure the length of straight line. Measure the length of one line and multiply it by No. of lines to get the perimeter.

Approximate results.isnt it ?

What if we want to achieve more accurate result?

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

FEM Philosophy : Discretization

Another Example :

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Concept of Discretization (Meshing)

Physical System

FE Model

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Concept of Discretization (Meshing)

Concept of FEM is all about Discretization (Meshing) i.e. Dividing a big structure/component into small discrete Blocks (Nodes and Element concept) But why do we do this Meshing ???

No. of Points = DoF per point = 6 Total No of Equations to be solved =*6=

No. of Points = 8 DoF per point = 6 Total No of Equations to be solved = 8 * 6 = 48

From Infinite to FiniteHence the Term Finite Element Method

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Concept of Discretization (Meshing)

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Concept of Discretization (Meshing)

Parameters deciding the Quality of Mesh : Aspect ratio Skew / Warpage Element internal Angles and more

Bad Quality FEA Good Quality FEA

Better the Mesh Quality , Better the Accuracy

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Concept of Shape Function

FE Model

FEA solves for DOF values only at nodes.

An element Shape Function is a mathematical function that allows values of a DOF from the nodes to be mapped to points within the element. Thus, the element shape function gives the shape of the results within the element. How well each assumed element shape function matches the true behavior directly affects the accuracy of the solution (see next slide)

Solution

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Concept of Shape Function

Fine Meshing and/or Higher order element yield more accurate results
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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Stiffness Matrix Derivation - using a Spring Element:

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Different Type of Elements

Linear - 1st Order Element
Triangular Element

Quadratic 2nd Order Element

2D
Quadrilateral Element

Hexahedral Element

3D

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Types of Boundary Conditions, Loads & Results

Boundary Conditions : Fixed Boundary Conditions (U , ROT etc.. = 0) Prescribed Displacements (U , ROT , Temp etc.. 0) Loads: Point /Concentrated Load (Force) Surface Load (Pressure , Flux etc..) Body Load (Temp , Inertia g etc..) Results: Displacement and Rotations Reaction Forces Stresses /Strains (Equivalent Von Mises , Directional & Principal ) Temperature etc..

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Steps involved in FEA

Understanding the Problem (Thermal , Structural, Dynamic etc) Element Selection (Solid , Shell , Beams etc) Deciding the Boundary Conditions (Constraints , Connections etc..) Load Application (Point , Surface , Body loads etc..) Solution (Solver , Sub step / Time step , Nonlinearity etc) Solution Pre Processing

In-Depth study & interpretation of Analysis Results (Sanity Checks)

Post processing of Results (Deflection , Stress , Strain etc..) Report Preparation Observation and Conclusion from the Analysis (MoS Calcs, Design ok) Suggestion and Recommendation for Design Changes, if required.
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Post Processing

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Basics for Static Structural & Dynamic Analysis

The Basics for Static Structural and Dynamic Analysis are derived from the well know General Equation of Motion: For Static Structural Analysis Case:
(Ignoring First two time dependent terms)

For Dynamic Analysis Case:

Assume free vibrations and ignore damping:

[M ]{} + [K] {U}= 0

Assume harmonic motion:

{U}= {U0 } sint

[K]- 2 [M ]){U}= {0} [K]- 2 [M] = 0

Hence

For non-trivial solutions | [K]- 2 [M] | must vanish :

= K/M
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( Fundamental Natural Frequency Equation)

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element Analysis At a Glance

Best Practice Approach

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Best Practices Approach

Plan your analysis Analysis type (Static/Dynamic, Linear/Non-Linear etc..) Material Details (isotropic/orthotropic , Constant/Temp dependent) Choice of Elements and Meshing (2D/3D , Hex / Tet) Results Evaluation (Detailed Post processing) Verification (Sanity Checks , Test data match)

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Plan your analysis

What are the design objectives?
What do you need to know? Why are you doing FEA?

What is the design criteria?

What engineering criteria will be used to evaluate the design?

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Plan your analysis

What are you trying to find out? How much of the structure needs to be modeled? What are the boundary conditions and loads? Do you need to know stresses, displacements, frequency, buckling or temperature? Get ballpark figures through hand-calculations or test data, so you have an idea of how the structure will behave and what numbers are reasonable.

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Type of analysis
Is it static or dynamic?
Are the loads applied gradually, or quickly? Vibrations? Seismic?

Linear or nonlinear?
Are there large deflections? Nonlinear materials? Contact?

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Is it really static?
Static analysis assumes that inertial and damping effects are negligible You can use time-dependency of loads as a way to choose between static and dynamic analysis.
If the loading is constant over a relatively long period of time, choose a static analysis.

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Nonlinearities in System
Geometric Non-linearity Large Deflection

Material Non-linearity - Plasticity

Elastic

Yield Point y

Unloading Plastic

Changing Status - Contact Nonlinearities

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Materials
Material properties used will be approximate! Is the material homogenous (the same throughout)? Is it isotropic, orthotropic or anisotropic? Is temperature dependence important to the analysis? Is there rate or time dependence? Are composites used?

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Material Information
For linear isotropic material, need modulus of elasticity and Poissons ratio for a static analysis Need density for inertial loads For thermal analysis, need thermal conductivity Also need Coefficient of Thermal Expansion for thermal stress Need elastic plastic data for nonlinear materials

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Material Data Sources

Testing:
Datapoint Labs: http://www.datapointlabs.com/ Axel Products: http://www.axelproducts.com/

Online:
Matweb: http://www.matweb.com Material Data Network: http://matdata.net/index.jsp

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Linear or Nonlinear?
If no stress-strain data is given, the program will assume the analysis is linear, and will use Youngs Modulus even if the part yields. This gives erroneous results when the loads cause the model to exceed yield.

Linear stress
Actual stress

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Units
Many general purpose FEA codes allow the user to enter a consistent unit set Make sure forces, displacements, material properties have same units these determine the units of the results.

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Consistent Unit Systems

Mass unit Length unit Time unit Gravity const. Force unit Pressure/Modulus of Elasticity Density Unit Mod. Elasticity Steel Mod. Elasticity Concrete Density of Steel Density of Concrete

kg m s 9.807 N Pa kg/m3 0.2E12 30E9 7860 2380

kg mm s 9807 mN kPa kg/mm3 0.2E9 30000 7.86E-6 2.38E-6

lbf-s2/in in s 386 lbf psi lbf-s2/in4 30E6 4.5E6 7.5e-4 2.2e-4

slug ft s 32.2 lbf psf slug/ft3 4.32E9 648E6 15.2 4.61

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Symmetry
Types of symmetry: Axisymmetry Rotational Planar or reflective Repetitive or translational

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Symmetry, Interrupted

Sometimes a small detail interrupts symmetry Can ignore it, or treat it as symmetric best to do a small test case if unsure

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Choice of elements
2D vs 3D vs line 2D elements are spatially 3D, but in the model they are geometrically 2D Element Order: linear, quadratic, polynomial Specialized elements? (composites, concrete, acoustics, coupled field) Geometric dimensionality-how the geometry is

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Evaluating Results
Stress criteria (Recall SoM Theory of Failures) Factor of safety Is stress greater than yield? Dont assume the results are correct! Are the displacements in the expected range? Compare to tests or theory, when possible Does the displaced shape make sense? Check reactions against applied loads

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Results Verification
Use deformed animation to check loads and look for cracks in model Combined load behavior is sometimes difficult to predict consider separating each load into its own load case to check

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Document Everything!
Detail all decisions made Explain simplifications Detail loads and supports Document material data Document test data Document as much results data as possible List reaction forces Stresses Displacements

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Introduction to Finite Element Analysis

Sanity Check: Peer Review

Having a fellow engineer review your analysis can help you catch problems in the model. Can be informal, one-on-one, or a formal review, with a team looking over the analysis. Either way, it's better to be embarrassed in front of your colleagues, than in front of your customer! (Garbage in ..Garbage Out !)

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Thanks !

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