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Lecture 3
Global Co-ordinate System -It is a co-ordinate system to represent the whole system
under consideration.

Local Co-ordinate System - It is a co-ordinate system created individually for each

component or any suitable sub-assembly.

Natural or Intrinsic Co-ordinate System - It is a special type of co-ordinate system.

Here the co-ordinates of any point in a system lies between -1 and +1.

The Natural Co-ordinate system is very useful during usage of iso parametric elements.

Global Co-ordinate System Natural Co-ordinate system

Global Co-ordinate System Natural Co-ordinate system

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1D Element Co-ordinate Transformation

Global Co-ordinate System Natural Co-ordinate system

For 1D element, in natural co-ordinate system, the coordinate of centre of the element is
considered as ξ = 0 (zero), and the node 1, node 2 respectively placed at ξ = -1, ξ = +1 as shown
in figure above.

In Global co-ordinate system Point P is having coordinate x.

In Natural coordinate system point P is at distance ξ from the origin.

To find the relation between the global coordinate and natural coordinate system:

𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚

=
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑃 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑁𝑜𝑑𝑒 1𝑖𝑛 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑃 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑁𝑜𝑑𝑒 1 𝑖𝑛 𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚

2 ξ +1
∴ =
𝑥2 − 𝑥1 𝑥 − 𝑥1

2(𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
∴ ξ= −1
𝑥2 − 𝑥1

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1D Element: Linear Shape function

Consider physical variable u (ξ) varies linearly between node 1 and 2. So we can write

u (ξ) = C1 + C2 ξ ----------------Eqn. A

at node 1: ξ = -1 therefore,

u1 = C1 - C2 ----------------------Eqn. B

at node 2: ξ = +1 therefore, Node 1 Node 2

u2 = C1 + C2 ----------------------Eqn. C

From Eqn. B & C

(𝑢1 +𝑢2 ) (𝑢2 −𝑢1 )

𝐶1 = and 𝐶2 = ----------------------Eqn. D
2 2

From Eqn. A & D

(𝑢1 +𝑢2 ) (𝑢2 −𝑢1 )

u (ξ) = + ξ
2 2

(1− ξ) (1+ ξ)
u (ξ) = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2
2 2

u (ξ) =𝑁1 𝑢1 + 𝑁2 𝑢2

(1− ξ) (1+ ξ)
Where 𝑁1 = and 𝑁2 = are the linear basis function for 1D element.
2 2

N1 N2

0
-1 +1
1D Element

Note that, always N1 + N2 = 1

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1D Element: Quadratic Shape function

Consider physical variable u (ξ) varies linearly between node 1 and 2. So we can write

u (ξ) = C1 + C2 ξ + C3 ξ2 ----------------Eqn. A

at node 1: ξ = -1 therefore,

u1 = C1 - C2 + C3 ----------------------Eqn. B

at node 2: ξ = 0 therefore, Node 1 Node 2 Node 3

u2 = C1 -----------------------Eqn. C

at node 3: ξ = +1 therefore,

u3 = C1 + C2 + C3 ----------------------Eqn. D

From Eqn. B , C & D

(𝑢3 −𝑢1 ) (𝑢1 −2𝑢2 +𝑢3 )

𝐶2 = and 𝐶3 = ----------------------Eqn. D
2 2

From Eqn. A,C & D

(𝑢3 −𝑢1 ) (𝑢1 −2𝑢2 +𝑢3 ) 2

u (ξ) = 𝑢2 + ξ+ ξ
2 2

ξ ξ2 ξ ξ2
Note that, always
u (ξ) = [− + ] 𝑢1 + [1 + ξ 2 ] 𝑢2 + [ + ] 𝑢3
2 2 2 2 N1 + N2 + N3 = 1

u (ξ) =𝑁1 𝑢1 + 𝑁2 𝑢2 + 𝑁3 𝑢3

ξ ξ2 ξ ξ2
Where 𝑁1 = − + , 𝑁2 = 1 + ξ 2 and 𝑁3 = + the quadratic basis function
2 2 2 2

for 1D element.

N1 N3

N2

0
-1 +1
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Element Connectivity Table

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Element Number Node Number

1 2
1 1 2 Local Node
Number
2 2 3
3 3 4 Global
Node
4 4 5
Number
5 5 6
6 6 7

Example 1 :A 1D spar element having a linear shape function is as shown below. Find natural
co-ordinate of point P if x1 = 25 mm, X2 = 50 mm and x = 30 mm.

Solution: For 1D element with linear shape function the transformation from global to natural
2(𝑥−𝑥1 )
coordinate is given by ξ = −1
𝑥2 −𝑥1

Given x1 = 25 mm, X2 = 50 mm and x = 30 mm

2(30 − 25)
ξ= −1
50 − 25

𝛏 = −𝟎. 𝟔

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Example 2. The length of 1D element shown in Figure below is 100 mm. find the shape
function associated with node 1 and node 2. Assume Linear shape function.

100 mm

Node 1 Node 2

Solution: x1 = 0, x2 = 100 mm

At Node 1 : x = 0

2(𝑥−𝑥1 )
ξ= − 1 = -1
𝑥2 −𝑥1

(1− ξ) (1+ ξ)
Therefore, Shape function at Node 1 𝑁1 = = 1 and 𝑁2 = =0
2 2

At Node 2 : x = 100

2(𝑥−𝑥1 )
ξ= −1=1
𝑥2 −𝑥1

(1− ξ) (1+ ξ)
Therefore, Shape function at Node 1 𝑁1 = = 0 and 𝑁2 = =1
2 2

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Example 3: Find the temperature at point ‘P’ at 20 mm from Node A as shown in Figure
below if the temperature at node A is 1500 and at Node B is 2750. Assume Linear shape
function.

100 mm

A P B

Answer: x1 = 0, x2 = 100 mm and t1 = 1500, t2 = 2750

At pont P : x = 20 mm

2(𝑥−𝑥1 )
ξ= − 1 = -0.6
𝑥2 −𝑥1

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Therefore, Shape function at point P will be:

(1− ξ) (1+ ξ)
𝑁𝐴 (ξ) = = 0.8 and 𝑁𝐵 (ξ) = = 0.2
2 2

tP = N1t1 + N2 t2

tP = 0.8 X 150 + 0.2 X 275

tP = 120 + 55

tP = 1750

Q1. What are Global, local and natural coordinate system in FEM?
Q2. Derive the linear shape function for 1D element.
Q3. A 1D spar element having a linear shape function is as shown below. Find natural co-
ordinate of point P if x1 = 45 mm, X2 = 90 mm and x = 70 mm.

Q4. The length of 1D element is 90 mm. find the shape function associated with node 1 and
node 2. Assume Linear shape function.

Q5. Find the temperature at point ‘P’ at 80 mm from Node A as shown in Figure below if the
temperature at node A is 500 and at Node B is 750. Assume Linear shape function.

100 mm

A P B

Q6. Derive the quadratic shape function for the 1D element.

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