Chapter 2

Formulation of Finite Element Method

by
Variational Principle
 The Concept of Variation of FUNCTIONALS
Variation Principle:
Is to keep the DIFFERENCE between a REAL situation and an APPROXIMATE situation in MINIMUM

REAL
SITUATION
APPROXIMATIE
SITUATION = Minimum

In reality, we will find FUNCTIONALS to represent the “Real” and “Approximate” situations

Functional = “function of functions”

Thus, derivation of appropriate FUNCTIONALS is an important step in FE formulations
 Mathematical tool for determining MINIMUM of a function
Minimum/maximum values of function determined by calculus:

Given function: f(x)

Procedures in determining maximum value of f(x):

df ( x)
1) Solve the equation =0 with solution x = xm
dx
The solution xm can be either maximum or minimum value of function f(x)

2) Check:

d 2 f (x )
If 2
>0 Xm is the minimum value of f(x)
dx x = x
m

d 2 f (x )
If 2
<0 Xm is the maximum value of f(x)
dx x = x
m
 The Concept of Discretization
The essence of FEM is “Divide and Conquer” - meaning if the geometry/loading/boundary conditions of entire
medium is too complicated to be solved by existing tools, one
viable way is to divide the continuum into a finite number of
sub-divisions (elements) inter-connected at nodes.
This process is called DISCRETIZATION
Example of discretization : Estimate the land area of
Antarctic:

The land area of this continent is enclosed by complicated

curved lines.

One method for finding area is to use “squares” and “rectangles” Antarctic
enclosures over the entire area, because we know how to find the
Enclosed areas of squares and rectangles.

By super impose the surveyed land mass of the Antarctic on

square grids with each square mesh 40,000 km2 counting 404.5
Square meshes leading to total land area = 16,180 million km2
This land area of Anarchic obtained by the above method of discretization obviously is an approximated value.
Because the actual area is 13.6% less than this approximated value.
 Convergence of an Area Computation by Discretization
There are two ways one may compute the approximation of areas by discretization:

Method 1: Enclose the individual areas within the actual curved boundaries, and
Method 2: Enclose the individual areas outside the actual curved boundaries.

We observe that:

The “exterior envelope” (Method 2)

exceeds the actual values,
and the “interior envelope” (Method 1)
results in less than actual values.

FE method often involves “interior envelopes”

So, FE results are often less than the actual
solutions.
 Application of Discretization Principle in FEM
Example on WHY Discretization is necessary in real-world stress analysis:

Manageable

by analytical
solution method

NO available
analytical
solution

Original geometry Discretized (approximate) geometry

 Variational Principle in FEM

MINIMUM

= for
Close
Approximation

Original geometry Discretized (approximate) geometry

The Difference in Results

≠0 but can be made
MINIMUM

VARIATIONAL PROCESS
 Variational Process for General FE Formulation
A continuum subject to ACTIONS with induced REACTIONS and boundary supports (conditions):

Actions and Reactions in Mechanical Engineering Analysis

Stress analysis Heat transfer Fluid dynamics
ACTIONS: {P}: P1, P2, P3,……, Pn Forces {F}, pressures {p} Driving thermal Driving pressure
forces: Q, q, etc.
Induced REACTIONS: {Φ}: Local displacements {u}, Local Local velocities
Φ1, Φ2, Φ3,……..,Φm Strains {ε}, stresses {σ} temperatures T {V}
Variational Process for General FE Formulation-Cont’d

Real situation:
Discretized (approximate) geometry
Original geometry
+ loading/boundary conditions
+ loading/boundary
conditions
Difference expressed in FUNCTIONAL
= Minimum
Variational Process for General FE Formulation:

Minimizing the FUNCTIONAL

Functionals for Variational Process for General FE Formulation
A continuum subject to ACTIONS with induced REACTIONS and boundary supports (conditions):

Real Situation of solids Approximate Situation with elements

Actions, Reactions and Functionals in Mechanical Engineering Analysis
Stress analysis Heat transfer Fluid dynamics
ACTIONS: {P}:P1, P2, P3,…,Pn Forces {F}, pressures {p} Driving thermal Driving pressure
forces: Q, q, etc.
Induced REACTIONS: {Φ}: Local displacements {u}, Local Local velocities V
Φ1, Φ2, Φ3,……..,Φm Strains {ε}, stresses {σ} temperatures, T

FUNCTIONAL
χ (φ ) Potential energy (P) Governing Diff.
Equation plus
Governing Diff.
Equation plus
boundary boundary
conditions conditions
Mathematical Modeling of Variational Process in Finite Element Analysis Formulation

Real Situation on continuum

 ∂{φ }   ∂{φ } 
The FUNCTIONAL in the original continuum is: χ (φ ) = f  {
∫v  ∂rφ }, , ..........  dv + ∫ g  {φ }, ,......... . s
 s
 ∂r 
 ∂χ 
where v is volume, s is surface (boundary), r denotes x,y,z coordinates  ∂φ 
 1
Minimization of the functional will ensure the loaded continuum  ∂χ 
to be in equilibrium condition. Mathematically, This condition is ∂χ (φ )  
=  ∂φ2  = 0
satisfied by the relations: ∂{φ }  • 
 
 • 
A number of equations for each induced reaction Φ:  • 
∂χ (φ ) ∂χ (φ ) ∂χ (φ )
= 0, = 0, = 0,................ We will learn later that these are “element
∂φ1 ∂φ2 ∂φ3 equations” for the discretized FE model
Mathematical Modeling of Variational Process in Finite Element Analysis Formulation
In FE Model with finite number of
ELEMENTS interconnected at NODES:

Actions {P}: p1, p2, p3,……Pn

in discretized continuum
Induced Reactions in elements:
Real Situation on solids Approximate Situation on elements {φ }e : φ1e ,φ2e ,φ3e , ......, φme
in ELEMENTS of discretized continuum
The functional of the discretized continuum is:
m
χ (φ ) = ∑ χ (φ )e

where χ e (φ ) is the functional in elements of discretized solid, and m is the total number of elements in the FE model

The Variational process required for the equilibrium of the discretized continuum becomes:
∂χ (φ ) ∂χ e (φ )
m

∂{φ }
= ∑1 ∂{φ }e = 0
from which the “element equations” for every element in the discretized FE model is derived
Element Equations in FE Model

The “element equations” derived from the above Variational process usually have the form of:
∂χ (φ ) ∂χ (φ ) ∂χ (φ )
∂φ1
= 0,
∂φ2
= 0,
∂φ3
= 0,................ [K e ]{φ } = {q}
where [Ke] = coefficient matrix ( usually a square matrix)
{Φ} = matrix of unknown quantities at the nodes
{q} = the specified actions (or forces) at the nodes of the same element

The unknown quantities at ALL nodes in the FE mesh can be obtained by assembling all element equations in the FE model,
and result in the following OVERALL equation in the form:

[K ]{φ } = {Q}
m n
in which [K ] = ∑ [K e ] = OVERALL coefficient matrix, and {Q} = ∑ {q} with n = total number of nodes in the FE model
1 1
 SUMMARY OF VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE

Variational principle is used to minimize the difference in the approximate solutions obtained by
the FE method on Discretized situation corresponding to the Real situations.

Functionals are derived as the function to be minimized by the Variational process

Functionals vary in the forms with the nature of the problems:

● functional for stress analysis of deformed solid structures is “Potential energy,”
● functional for heat conduction is the governing differential equation for heat conduction of solids
● functional for fluid dynamics is the differential equations called the Navier-Stoke’s equation

Outcome of the Variational process of discretized media is the “element equations” for each element in
the FE model

Element equations are assembled to form the OVERALL stiffness equations, from which one may solve for all
Primary unknown quantities at all the nodes in the discretized media

Therefore, it is not an over statement to refer the Variational principle to be the basis of FE method.