Elasticity problem by 3-node triangular element

Definition of the problem:

Equilibrium equation:     b  0 in   2

Traction boundary conditions: t  to along 1

Displacement boundary conditions: u  u o along 2

in which 1  2   and 1  2    

Virtual work equation:


 
    b  0    (    b)d  0   (1 , 2 )


Integration by parts +
Gauss integral transform
   



  : () d  b   d  t   d



  (1 ,2 )

or in index form  

ij i, j d 
 b  d   t  d

i i

i i i 1, 2

Three-node triangular element, T3

Displacements (u, v) over the triangular element T3 are given by

u  L1u1  L2 u2  L3u3 and v  L1v1  L2 v2  L3v3

L1, L2 and L3 are interpolation functions which are given by

1 1 1
L1  (a1  b1 x  c1 y), L2  (a  b2 x  c2 y) and L3  (a  b x  c3 y)
2 2 2 2 3 3

where a1 = x2y3 – x3y2, b1 = y2 – y3, c1 = x3 – x2

a2 = x3y1 – x1y3, b2 = y3 – y1, c2 = x1 – x3
a3 = x1y2 – x2y1, b3 = y1 – y2, c3 = x2 – x1, and 2 = a1 + a2 + a3
For an arbitrary function    ( L1 , L2 , L3 ) defined over the triangular element

  L1  L2  L3 1   

    (b1  b2  b3 )
x L1 x L2 x L3 x 2 L1 L2 L3

  L1  L2  L3 1   

Similarly,     (c1  c2  c3 )
y L1 y L2 y L3 y 2 L1 L2 L3

Over the linear triangular element, the displacements (u, v) are given by

u  L1u1  L2 u 2  L3u3 and v  L1v1  L2 v2  L3 v3

u v
Hence,  ui and  vi i  1,2,3
Li Li

u 1
Strain  x   (b1u1  b2 u 2  b3u3 )
x 2
v 1
y   (c1v1  c2 v2  c3 v3 )
y 2
v u 1
and  xy    (c1u1  c2 u 2  c3u3  b1v1  b2 v2  b3 v3 )
x y 2

In matrix form:
 u1 
v 
x  b1 0 b2 0 b3 0  1 
  1  u 
c3   2 
 
   y   0 c1 0 c2 0 or   Bu
2  v
 xy 
  c1 b1 c 2 b2 c3 b3   2 
u 3 
 
 v3 
 u1 
v 
b1 0 b2 0 b3 0  1
1  u 
where B 0 c1 0 c2 0 c3  and u   2
2   v2 
c1 b1 c2 b2 c3 b3 
u 3 
 
 v3 

B gives the strains from nodal displacements, B : u  . In general B is a function of

(x,y) or (L1,L2,L3). For 3-node triangular element T3, however B is constant, hence
strain and stress are constant over triangular element T3.
 x 
   
 y     C , where in plane stress analysis, constitutive matrix C is given by
 xy 
 

1  0 
E 
C  1 0 
1  2 
0 0 
2 (1   ) 
1

Test functions:

Let  i  L11i  L22i  L33i i  1,2 (Galerkin Formulation)

 1 1  1 1
 (b111  b2 21  b331 ) and  (c111  c2 21  c331 )
x 2 y 2

 2 1  2 1
 (b112  b2 22  b332 ) and  (c112  c2 22  c332 )
x 2 y 2

Recall virtual work equation,

 

ij i, j d 
 b  d 

i i 
 t  d

i i

 : virtual strain energy f b : virtual work f s : virtual work

due to body forces due to surface forces

In two dimensions, i,j=1,2.

Consider the term  iji , j   111,1   222, 2   121, 2   212,1

  1 
 
 x 
 1  2  1  2  
  y  xy 
2
x  y   xy (  )  x     
x y y x  y 
 1 2 
    
 y x 
   1 
 
 x   b111  b2 21  b3 31 
 2
 
where     1
  c112  c 2 22  c3 32 
y 2
 2
 1  c11  c 2 2  c3 3  b11  b2 2  b3 3 
1 1 1 2 2

    
2

 y x 

11 
 2

b1 0 b2 0 b3 0   11 
1   
c3   22   B

 0 c1 0 c2 0
2  
c1 b1 c2 b2 c3 b3   21 
 
 32 
3 

B:    like a differentiation operator which maps nodal parameters to the gradient of
   
that function. In general,   H    (H )  (H)  B .


   
   
 iji , j d     d  (B )  (C   )d  (B ) T (C  Bu)d
   

T  T  
 
T  
  (B  C  B)u d    B  C  B du   T  K  u
T


   16 66 61

where element stiffness matrix 66 

K  B T  C B d

63 33 36

For 3-node triangular element and homogeneous material, B and C matrices are constant.


K = hBTCB h



Virtual work done due to body force, 

b
  L1 0
0 L1 

 L2 0   b1 
   2   1  d 
b 
  bi   i d 
  12  21  22  31  32   d
1 1

L2  b2 
1
 
 2
b
 0
 L3 0
 
 0 L3 

 L1 0   L1b1 
0 L  L b 
 1  1 2
   L2 b1 
   
L 0  1
b
 11 12  21  22 31 32  2     d  1 1  2  2 3 3  
1 2 1 2 1 2
 d
  0 L2  b2    L2 b2 
 L3 0   L3b1 
   
 0 L3   L3b2 

 L1b1 
L b 
 1 2

 11 12  12  22  31  L b  
 32   2 1  d   i  f ib

b 

where f ib  Li  1  d  Li b d
 L 2 b2  b2 
  
 L3 b1 
 
 L3b2 

In general, equivalent nodal forces fib   H i b d i  1, n



For 3-node triangular element, Hi = Li, and for constant body force b,

 1
fis  b  H i d  b  Li d  bh  Li d  bh  W i  1,3 (W = Total force)
  
3 3
Virtual work done due to surface force, 
s

For plane stress problem, no surface force on top and bottom surfaces.



 h
 s  t ii d  i  f is


 

Where 
f is  H i t d

i  1, n

Body force:
W W/3

W/3

W/3

Surface force:
Q/2 Q/2 Q/3 2Q/3
 Element stiffness matrix, Ke

 b1 0 c1 
0 c1 b1 
  1  0  b1 0 b2 0 b3 0
b2 c2  
0 0 c3 
Eh 0
K e  hB T CB    1 c1 0 c2 0
4(1   )  0
2
c2 b2    
0 0   c1 b3 
c3  
b1 c2 b2 c3
b3 0
 
0 c3 b3 

b12  c12 b1c1 (   ) b1b2  c1c2 b1c2  c1b2 b1b3  c1c3 b1c3  c1b3 
 
 c  b
2
1 1
2
c1b2  b1c2 c1c2  b1b2 c1b3  b1c3 c1c3  b1b3 
Eh  b22  c22 b2 c2 (   ) b2 b3  c2 c3 b2 c3  c2 b3 
Ke   
4(1  2 )  c22  b22 c2 b3  b2 c3 c2 c3  b2 b3 
 b32  c32 b3 c3 (   ) 
 
 SYM . c32  b32 

where  = ½ (1-)

In terms of submatrices:

 u1 
v 
 K 11 K 12 K 13   1  b j 0
 u   
K 23   2 
Eh
Ke  2 
K 22 K ij  hB iTCB j with B j   0 cj
4(1   ) v
sym. K 33   2  c j
 b j 
u 3 
 
 v 3 

 bi b j  ci c j bi c j  ci b j 

K ij   
ci b j  bi c j ci c j  bi b j 
Virtual work equation:

 

ij i, j d 
 b  d 

i i 
 t  d

i i

 : virtual strain energy f b : virtual work f s : virtual work

due to body forces due to surface forces

Finite element equations:

   
T  K  u  T  f b  T  f s  T

 
We have,  T  (K  u  f b  f s )  0  T

Hence, K u fb f s  0 or K u f where f  f b  f s