FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

ME751
Mechanical IV/II
Chapter 5

Interpolation Function
5.1 INTRODUCTION
The basic idea of the finite element method is piecewise
approximation, that is, the solution of a complicated problem is
obtained by dividing the region of interest into small regions (finite
elements) and approximating the solution over each subregion by a
simple function.

Thus, a necessary and important step is that of choosing a simple

function for the solution in each element. The functions used to
represent the behavior of the solution within an element are called
interpolation functions or approximating functions or interpolation
models.

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Polynomial-type interpolation functions have been most widely used
in the literature due to the following reasons:

• It is easier to formulate and computerize the finite element

equations with polynomial-type interpolation functions.
Specifically. It is easier to perform differentiation or integration
with polynomials.

• It is possible to improve the accuracy of the results by increasing

the order of the polynomial. Theoretically, a polynomial of infinite
order corresponds to the exact solution. But in practice we use
polynomials of finite order only as an approximation.

Although trigonometric functions also possess some of these

properties, they are seldom used in the finite element analysis. We
shall further consider only polynomial-type interpolation functions

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When the interpolation polynomial is of order one, the element is
termed a linear element. A linear element is called a simplex element
if the number of nodes in the element is 2, 3, and 4 in 1, 2, and 3
dimensions, respectively.
If the interpolation polynomial is of order two or more, the element
is known as a higher order element.
In higher order elements, some secondary (midside and/or interior)
nodes are introduced in addition to the primary (corner) nodes in
order to match the number of nodal degrees of freedom with the
number of constants (generalized coordinates) in the interpolation
polynomial.
In general, fewer higher order elements are needed to achieve the
same degree of accuracy in the final results. Although it does not
reduce the computational time, the reduction in the number of
elements generally reduces the effort needed in the preparation of
data and hence the chances of errors in the input data.
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The higher order elements are especially useful in cases in which tile
gradient of the field variable is expected to vary rapidly. In these
cases the simplex elements, which approximate the gradient by a set
of constant values, do not yield good results. The combination of
greater accuracy and a reduction in the data preparation effort has
resulted in the widespread use of higher order elements in several
practical applications.

If the order of the interpolation polynomial is fixed, the

discretization of the region (or domain) can be improved by two
methods. In the first method, known as the r-method, the locations
of the nodes are altered without changing the total number of
elements. In the second method, known as the h-method, the
number of elements is increased. On the other hand, if improvement
in accuracy is sought by increasing the order of the interpolation of
polynomial, the method is known as the p-method.

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Problems involving curved boundaries cannot be modeled
satisfactorily by using straight-sided elements. The family of
elements known as "isoparametric" elements has been developed for
this purpose. The basic idea underlying the isoparametric elements is
to use the same interpolation functions to define the element shape or
geometry as well as the variation of the field variable within the
element.

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5.2 POLYNOMIAL FORM OF INTERPOLATION
FUNCTIONS
If a polynomial type of variation is assumed for the field variable
f(x) in a one-dimensional element, f(x) can be expressed as

Similarly, in two- and three-dimensional finite elements the

polynomial form of interpolation functions can be expressed as

where a, b, c, ……… are the coefficients of the polynomial, also

known as generalized coordinates.
In most of the practical applications the order of the polynomial in
the interpolation functions is taken as one, two, or three.
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For n = 1 (Linear model)
One-dimensional case:

Two-dimensional case:
Three-dimensional case:

For n = 2 (Quadratic model)

One-dimensional case:

Two-dimensional case:
Three-dimensional case:

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5.3 SELECTION OF THE ORDER OF THE
INTERPOLATION POLYNOMIAL
While choosing the order of the polynomial in a polynomial-type
interpolation function, the following considerations have to be taken
into account:

• The interpolation polynomial should satisfy, as far as possible, the

convergence requirements.
• The pattern of variation of the field variable resulting from the
polynomial model should be independent of the local coordinate
system.

• The number of generalized coordinates (a, b, c, …) should be equal

to the number of nodal degrees of freedom of the element (fi).

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According to the second consideration, as can be felt intuitively also,
it is undesirable to have a preferential coordinate direction. That is,
the field variable representation within an element, and hence the
polynomial, should not change with a change in the local coordinate
system (when a linear transformation is made from one Cartesian
coordinate system to another). This property is called geometric
isotropy or geometric invariance or spatial isotropy. In order to
achieve geometric isotropy, the polynomial should contain terms that
do not violate symmetry as shown in Pascal triangle in the case of
two dimensions and Pascal tetrahedron in the case of three
dimensions.
The final consideration in selecting the order of the interpolation
polynomial is to make the total number of terms involved in the
polynomial equal to the number of nodal degrees of freedom of the
element. The satisfaction of this requirement enables us to express
the polynomial coefficients in terms of the nodal unknowns of the
element.
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5.4 CONVERGENCE REQUIREMENTS
Since the finite element method is a numerical technique, we obtain a
sequence of approximate solutions as the element size is reduced
successively. This sequence will converge to the exact solution if the
interpolation polynomial satisfies the following convergence
requirements:
• The field variable must be continuous within the elements. This
requirement is easily satisfied by choosing continuous functions as
interpolation models. Since polynomials are inherently
continuous, the polynomial type of interpolation models satisfies
this requirement. [Continuity Requirement]

• All uniform states of the field variable f and its partial derivatives
up to the highest order appearing in the functional I(f) must have
representation in the interpolation polynomial when, in the limit,
the element size reduces to zero. [Completeness Requirement]

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• The field variable f and its partial derivatives up to one order less
than the highest order derivative appearing in the functional I(f)
must be continuous at element boundaries or interfaces.
[Compatibility Requirement]

If rth derivative of the field variable f is continuous, then f is said to

have cr continuity. In terms of this notation, the completeness
requirement implies that f must have cr continuity within an element,
whereas the compatibility requirement implies that f must have cr-1
continuity at element interfaces.

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C0 Continuous Interpolation Function

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C1 Continuous Interpolation Function

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C2 Continuous Interpolation Function

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5.5 LINEAR INTERPOLATION POLYNOMIALS IN
TERMS OF GLOBAL COORDINATES
5.5.1 One-Dimensional Element
Consider a one-
dimensional element (line
segment) of length h with
two nodes, one at each
end, as shown in Figure.
Let the nodes be denoted
as i and j and the nodal
values of the field
variable f as Fi and Fj.
The variation of f inside
the element is assumed
to be linear as

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By using the nodal conditions

we obtain

The solution of these equations gives

where xi and xj denote the global coordinates of nodes i and j,

respectively.
Substituting a and b, we obtain

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This equation can be written, after rearrangement of terms, as

where

The linear functions of x defined in the above equation are called

interpolation or shape functions. Notice that each interpolation
function has a subscript to denote the node to which it is associated.
Furthermore, the value of Ni(x) can be seen to be 1 at node i (x = xi)
and 0 at node j (x = xj). Likewise, the value of Nj(x) can be seen to be
0 at node i (x = xi) and 1 at node j (x = xj). These represent the
common characteristics of interpolation functions. They will be equal
to 1 at one node and 0 at each of the other nodes of the element.
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This fact can be used for derivation of shape functions Ni(x) and Nj(x)
by using alternative method. For one dimensional linear
interpolation, we can assume Ni(x) and Nj(x) as

Since Ni(xi) = 1 and Ni(xj) =0

Solving for ai and bi, we get

Then substituting ai and bi, we get an expression for Ni(x) as

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Similarly, since Nj(xi) = 0 and Nj(xj) =1

Solving for aj and bj, we get

Then substituting aj and bj, we get an expression for Nj(x) as

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5.5.2 Two-Dimensional Triangular Element
The two-dimensional element is a straight-sided triangle with three
nodes, one at each corner, as indicated in Figure. Let the nodes be
labeled as i, j and k by proceeding counterclockwise from node i,
which is arbitrarily specified.
Let the global coordinates of the
nodes i, j and k be given by (xi,
yi), (xj, yj) and (xk, yk), and the
nodal values of the field variable
f (x, y) by Fi , Fj and Fk,
respectively.

The variation of f (x, y) inside

the element is assumed to be
linear as

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The nodal conditions

lead to the system of equations

The solution of the above equations yields

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where

The field variable can then be expressed

where,

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Alternative method
For two dimensional linear interpolation, we can assume Ni(x,y),
Nj(x,y) and Nk(x,y) as

Since Ni(xi, yi) = 1, Ni(xj, yj) = 0 and Ni(xk, yk) = 0

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Solving for ai, bi and ci,

where

Then substituting ai, bi and ci, we get an expression for Ni(x,y) as

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Similarly, aj, bj and cj can be determined to get the expression for
Nj(x,y) as

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Similarly, ak, bk and ck can be determined to get the expression for
Nk(x,y) as

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EXAMPLE 5.1
A one dimensional linear element has been used to approximate
the temperature distribution in a fin. The solution indicates that
the temperatures at node i and j are 1200C and 900C,
respectively. Determine the temperature at a point 4 cm from the
origin and the temperature gradient within the element. Nodes i
and j are located at 1.5 cm and 6 cm from the origin as shown in
Figure E5.1.

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EXAMPLE 5.2
The nodal temperature values for the simplex element shown in
the Figure E5.2 given below are T1 = 1300C, T2 = 1000C and T3 =
1200C. Determine where the 1250C isotherm intersects the
boundaries of the element.

Figure E5.2

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