Module 3: Element Properties

Lecture 1: Natural Coordinates

Natural coordinate system is basically a local coordinate system which allows the specification of a
point within the element by a set of dimensionless numbers whose magnitude never exceeds unity.
This coordinate system is found to be very effective in formulating the element properties in finite
element formulation. This system is defined in such that the magnitude at nodal points will have
unity or zero or a convenient set of fractions. It also facilitates the integration to calculate element
stiffness.

3.1.1 One Dimensional Line Elements

The line elements are used to represent spring, truss, beam like members for the finite element
analysis purpose. Such elements are quite useful in analyzing truss, cable and frame structures. Such
structures tend to be well defined in terms of the number and type of elements used. For example, to
represent a truss member, a two node linear element is sufficient to get accurate results. However,
three node line elements will be more suitable in case of analysis of cable structure to capture the
nonlinear effects. The natural coordinate system for one dimensional line element with two nodes is
shown in Fig. 3.1.1. Here, the natural coordinates of any point P can be defined as follows.
x x
N1 = 1- and N2 = (3.1.1)
l l
Where, x is represented in Cartesian coordinate system. Similarly, x/lcan be represented as ξ in
natural coordinate system. Thus the above expression can be rewritten in the form of natural
coordinate system as given below.
N1 = 1- x and N2 = x (3.1.2)
Now, the relationship between natural and Cartesian coordinates can be expressed from eq. (3.1.1) as
ì
ï1ü ï é1 1ù ïì ïN ü ï
íï ï = êê ú í 1 ï
ú
(3.1.3)
ï
ïî xï
ï ë0 l û îïï N 2 ïï
Here, N1 and N2is termed as shape function as well. The variation of the magnitude of two linear
shape functions (N1 and N2) over the length of bar element are shown in Fig. 3.1.2. This example
displays the simplest form of interpolation function. The linear interpolation used for field variable 
can be written as
f (x ) = f1 N1 + f2 N 2 (3.1.4)
 2

Fig. 3.1.1 Two node line element

Fig. 3.1.2 Linear interpolation function for two node line element

Similarly, for three node line element, the shape function can be derived with the help of natural
coordinate system which may be expressed as follows:
 3

ì
ï 3 x 2 x 2 üï
ï
ï 1 - + 2 ïï
ï l l ïï ìï1 - 3x + 2x 2 üï
ì
ï N1 üï ïï
ï ï
ï ï ï4x 4x ï 2 ïïï ï ï ïï (3.1.5)
{N } = í N 2  = í - 2 ï
 = í4x - 4x
2 ï
ïï ï ï l l ï ï ïï
ïîï N 3 ï
ï ï
ï
ï ï x 2x
ïï ïï
ïï îï -x + 2 x 2
ï
ï
2
ï
ï
ï - + ï
ï
îï l l2 ï
The detailed derivation of the interpolation function will be discussed in subsequent lecture. The
variation of the shape functions over the length of the three node element are shown in Fig. 3.1.3

Fig. 3.1.3 Variation of interpolation function for three node line element

Now, if  is considered to be a function of L1 and L2, the differentiation of with respect to xfor two
node line element can be expressed by the chain rule formula as
df ¶f ¶L1 ¶f ¶L 2 (3.1.6)
= . + .
dx ¶L1 ¶x ¶L 2 ¶ x
Thus, eq.(3.1.4) can be written as
¶L1 1 ¶L2 1
= - and = (3.1.7)
¶x l ¶x l
Therefore,
 4

d 1çæ ¶ ¶ ÷ö
= ç - ÷ (3.1.7)
dx l çè ¶L2 ¶L1 ÷÷ø
The integration over the length lin natural coordinate system can be expressed by
p !q !
òL L2 q dl = (3.1.9)
p
l
l
1
( p + q +1)!
Here, p! is the factorial product p(p-1)(p-2)….(1) and 0! is defined as equal to unity.

3.1.2 Two Dimensional Triangular Elements

The natural coordinate system for a triangular element is generally called as triangular coordinate
system. The coordinate of any point Pinside the triangle is x,y in Cartesian coordinate system. Here,
three coordinates, L1, L2 and L3 can be used to define the location of the point in terms of natural
coordinate system. The point P can be defined by the following set of area coordinates:
   ;      ;   (3.1.10)
Where,
= Area of the triangle P23
= Area of the triangle P13
= Area of the triangle P12
A=Area of the triangle 123
Thus,

and
1 (3.1.11)
Therefore, the natural coordinate of three nodes will be: node 1 (1,0,0); node 2 (0,1,0); and node 3
(0,0,1).
 5

Fig. 3.1.4 Triangular coordinate system

The area of the triangles can be written using Cartesian coordinates considering x, y as coordinates
of an arbitrary point P inside or on the boundaries of the element:

1
A = 1
1
1
A1 = 1
1
1
A2 = 1
1
1
A3 = 1
1

The relation between two coordinate systems to define point P can be established by their nodal
coordinates as
1 1 1 1
(3.1.12)

Where,
 6

The inverse between natural and Cartesian coordinates from eq.(3.1.12) may be expressed as
1
(3.1.13)

The derivatives with respect to global coordinates are necessary to determine the properties of an
element. The relationship between two coordinate systems may be computed by using the chain rule
of partial differentiation as
¶ ¶ ¶L1 ¶ ¶L2 ¶ ¶L3
= . + . + .
¶x ¶L1 ¶x ¶L2 ¶x ¶L3 ¶x
b1 ¶ b ¶ b ¶
= . + 2. + 3.
2A ¶L1 2A ¶L2 2A ¶L3 (3.1.14)
3
bi ¶
=å .
i=1 2A ¶Li

Where, b1 = y2 – y3; b2 = y3 – y1 and b3 = y1 – y2. Similarly, following relation can be obtained.

¶ 3
c ¶
=å i .
¶y i=1 2A ¶Li (3.1.15)

Where, c1 = x3 – x2; c2 = x1 – x3 and c3 = x2 – x1. The above expressions are looked

However, the main advantage is the ease with which polynomial terms can be

cumbersome.
integrated using following area integral expression.

p!q!r!
òL
p
L 2 q L 3r dA = 2A (3.1.16)
A
1
(p + q + r + 2)!

Where 0! is defined as unity.

3.1.3 Shape Function using Area Coordinates

The interpolation functions for the triangular element are algebraically complex if expressed in
Cartesian coordinates. Moreover, the integration required to obtain the element stiffness matrix is
quite cumbersome. This will be discussed in details in next lecture. The interpolation function and
subsequently the required integration can be obtained in a simplified manner by the concept of area
 7

coordinates. Considering a linear displacement variation of a triangular element as shown in Fig.

3.1.5, the displacement at any point can be written in terms of its area coordinates.
u = a1L1 +a 2L2 +a3L3
T
Or, u = {f} {a } (3.1.17)
T T
where, {f} = [ L1 L2 L3 ] and {a } = {a1 a 2 a 3 }
And    ;      ;   (3.1.18)
Here, A is the total area of the triangle. It is important to note that the area coordinates are dependent
as 1 . It may be seen from figure that at node 1, L1 = 1 while L2 = L3 = 0. Similarly
for other two nodes: at node 2, L2 = 1 while L1 = L3 = 0, andL3 = 1 while L2 = L1 = 0. Now,
substituting the area coordinates for node 1, 2 and 3, the displacement components at nodes can be
written as
ì
ï u ü é1 0 0ù
ï 1ï ï ê ú
{u i } = íu 2 ï = êê0 1 0úú {a}
ï (3.1.19)
ï
ï ï
ï ê0 0 1ú
ï
ï 3ï
î u ï ë
 û
Thus, from the above expression, one can obtain the unknown coefficient a :
é1 0 0ù ìï u1 ü
ï
ê úï ï
{a} = ê0 1 0ú íu 2 ï
ê ú ï
(3.1.20)
ï ï
ê 0 0 1ú ï
ï ï
ë ûîïu 3 ï
ï


Fig. 3.1.5 Area coordinates for triangular element

 8

Now, eq.(3.1.17) can be written as:

é1 0 0ù ì ï u1 üï é1 0 0ù
ê ú ï ï Tê ú
{u} = {f} êê0 1 0úú ïíu 2 ï = {f} êê0 1 0úú {u i }
T
(3.1.21)
ï ï
ê 0 0 1ú ï ï ê 0 0 1ú
ë ûï ïu 3 ï
î ï
 ë û
T
The above expression can be written in terms of interpolation function as u = {N} {u i }
Where,
é1 0 0ù
T ê ú
{N} = [ L1 L2 L3 ] ê0 1 0ú = [ L1 L2 L3 ] (3.1.22)
ê ú
ê 0 0 1ú
ë û
Similarly, the displacement variation v in Y direction can be expressed as follows.
T
v = { N } {v i } (3.1.23)
Thus, for two displacement components u and v of any point inside the element can be written as:

ì ü é{ N }T {0} úù ïìïui ïüï

T
ï
ïuïï ê
{d } = í  = ê T T úí 
(3.1.24)
ï
ïv ï
î ï êë {0}
 { N } úû îïïvi ïï
Thus, the shape function of the element will become
é L1 L 2 L3 0 0 0ù
[ N ] = êê ú (3.1.25)
ë0 0 0 L1 L 2 L3 úû
It is important to note that the shape function Ni become unity at node i and zero at other nodes of
the element. The displacement at any point of the element can be expressed in terms of its nodal
displacement and the interpolation function as given below.
u = N1u1 + N2u2 + N3u3
(3.1.26)
v = N1v1 + N2v2 + N3v3