Finite Element Analysis
of Bidimensional Truss Structures
Consider the truss structure shown in the fallowing figure. Determine:
a) the free displacements;
b) the reactive forces;
c) the axial forces Ni in each bar.
EA is the same for all bars.
E=2.1x106daN/cm2
A=12cm2
P1=10kN
P2=10kN
Step 1: Identification of the finite elements, nodes and the corresponding DOFs.
The structure was divided into 3 finite elements, and the total number of DOFs for the
structure is 6.
The initial data and the nodes coordinates are defined:
ORIGIN := 1
6
E := 2.1 10
A := 12
x 1 := 0
x 2 := 0
x 3 := 600
y 1 := 0
y 2 := 400
y 3 := 0
Step 2: Expressions of the force-displacement relationships, for each finite element.
In order to express the element force-displacement characteristic, the element stiffness matrix for each finite
element is computed.
Element # 1
i := 1
l :=
j := 2
(xj
xi
)2 + (yj
xj xi
cos :=
cos = 0
yi
)2
sin :=
l = 400
yj yi
l
sin = 1
2
( cos) 2
( sin cos)
( cos)
sin cos
2
2
sin cos
( sin)
( sin cos)
( sin)
EA
k1 :=
l
2
2
( sin cos)
sin cos
( cos)
( cos)
2
2
( sin)
sin cos
( sin)
( sin cos)
0
0
0 6.3 104
k1 =
0
0
4
0 6.3 10
4
0 6.3 10
0
0
4
0 6.3 10
0
Element # 2
j := 3
i := 2
l :=
(xj
cos :=
xi
)2 + (yj
xj xi
l
cos = 0.832
yi
)2
sin :=
l = 721.11
yj yi
l
sin = 0.555
2
( cos) 2
( sin cos)
( cos)
sin cos
2
2
( sin)
sin cos
( sin cos)
( sin)
EA
k2 :=
l
2
2
( sin cos)
sin cos
( cos)
( cos)
2
2
sin cos
( sin)
( sin)
( sin cos)
2.419 104
4
1.613 10
k2 =
4
2.419 10
4
1.613 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.075 10
1.613 10
1.075 10
4
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
i := 1
l :=
j := 3
(xj
cos :=
xi
Element # 3
)2 + (yj
xj xi
yi
)2
sin :=
cos = 1
l = 600
yj yi
l
sin = 0
2
( cos) 2
( sin cos)
( cos)
sin cos
2
2
sin cos
( sin)
( sin cos)
( sin)
EA
k3 :=
l
2
2
( sin cos)
sin cos
( cos)
( cos)
2
2
( sin)
sin cos
( sin)
( sin cos)
4.2 104
0
k3 =
4.2 104
0 4.2 10
0
0
4.2 10
Step 3: Expansion of the elements' stiffness matrices.
Element # 1
k11 , 1
k12 , 1
k13 , 1
k1' :=
k1
4, 1
0
k11 , 2 k11 , 3 k11 , 4 0 0
k12 , 2 k12 , 3 k12 , 4 0
k13 , 2 k13 , 3 k13 , 4 0
k14 , 2 k14 , 3 k14 , 4 0
0
0
0
0
0
0 6.3 104
0
0
k1' =
4
0 6.3 10
0
0
0
0
0 0
0 6.3 10
0 0
0 0
0
4
6.3 10
0 0
0 0
0 0
Element # 2
0
0
k2' :=
0
0
0
0 k21 , 1 k21 , 2 k21 , 3
0 k22 , 1 k22 , 2 k22 , 3
0 k23 , 1 k23 , 2 k23 , 3
0 k24 , 1 k24 , 2 k24 , 3
Element # 3
0
k21 , 4
k22 , 4
k23 , 4
k24 , 4
0
0
k2' =
0
2.419 10
1.075 10
1.613 10
0 1.613 10
0 2.419 10
0
1.613 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
0
4
4
1.613 10
k31 , 1
k32 , 1
0
k3' :=
0
k33 , 1
k3
4, 1
4.2 104
k3' =
4.2 104
k31 , 2 0 0 k31 , 3 k31 , 4
k32 , 2 0 0 k32 , 3
0
0 0
0 0
k33 , 2 0 0 k33 , 3
k34 , 2 0 0 k34 , 3
k32 , 4
0
0
k33 , 4
k34 , 4
0 0 0 4.2 10
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0
4
4.2 10
Step 4: Determine the assembled structure stiffess matrix.
K := k1' + k2' + k3'
4.2 104
0
4
0
6.3 10
0
0
K =
4
6.3 10
0
4
0
4.2 10
0
0
4.2 10
6.3 10
0
4
2.419 10
1.613 10
7.375 10
1.613 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.613 10
6.619 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
0
4
4
1.613 10
Rearranging the assembled structure stiffness matrix:
K := stack ( submatrix ( K , 2 , 2 , 1 , 6) , submatrix ( K , 5 , 6 , 1 , 6) , submatrix ( K , 1 , 1 , 1 , 6) , submatrix ( K , 3 , 4 , 1 , 6) )
K := augment ( submatrix ( K , 1 , 6 , 2 , 2) , submatrix ( K , 1 , 6 , 5 , 6) , submatrix ( K , 1 , 6 , 1 , 1) , submatrix ( K , 1 , 6 , 3 , 4) )
6.3 104
K =
6.3 10
0
4
6.619 10
1.613 10
4
4.2 10
0
4
1.613 10
1.075 10
1.613 10
2.419 10
1.613 10
1.613 10
1.075 10
4.2 10
4.2 10
2.419 10
4
1.613 10
4
1.075 10
4
1.613 10
4
7.375 10
4
6.3 10
0
4
2.419 10
1.613 10
Partitioning the assembled structure stiffness matrix:
Krr := submatrix ( K , 1 , 3 , 1 , 3)
Krn := submatrix ( K , 1 , 3 , 4 , 6)
Knr := submatrix ( K , 4 , 6 , 1 , 3)
Knn := submatrix ( K , 4 , 6 , 4 , 6)
6.3 104
0
0
4
4
Krr =
0
1.613 10
6.619 10
4
4
1.613 10
1.075 10
0
0
6.3 10
0
Krn = 4.2 104 2.419 104 1.613 104
4
4
0
1.613 10
1.075 10
0
4.2 10
0
4
4
Knr =
0
2.419 10
1.613 10
4
4
4
6.3 10 1.613 10 1.075 10
4.2 104
0
0
4
4
Knn =
0
2.419 10
1.613 10
4
4
0
1.613 10
7.375 10
Step 5: Determination of the free displacements and reactive forces.
Free displacements:
0
Pn := 3000 daN
1000
Dn := lsolve ( Knn , Pn)
0
Dn = 0.156 cm
0.048
Reactive forces:
Pr := Krn Dn
3 103
Pr = 3 103
3
2 10
daN
Step 6: Determination of the nodal forces for each finite element.
To ease the computation, we reconstrucy the vectors of the nodal forces and displacements.
0
Dr := 0
0
D := stack ( Dr , Dn)
P := stack ( Pr , Pn)
0
0
D=
0
0.156
0.048
3 103
3 103
2 103
P =
3
3 10
3
1 10
We rearrange the structure external forces and displacements vectors, in the order of the structure
degrees of freedom.
D4 , 1
D1 , 1
D
5, 1
D :=
D6 , 1
D2 , 1
D3 , 1
P4 , 1
P1 , 1
P
5, 1
P :=
P6 , 1
P2 , 1
P3 , 1
0
0.156
D=
0.048
0
0
0
3
3 10
3
3 10
P =
3
1 10
3
3 10
3
2 10
Using the values of the nodal displacements and the element force-displacement characteristic, the nodal forces
and axial forces are computed for each element.
Element # 1
i := 1
j := 2
D2 i 1 , 1
D2 i , 1
d1 :=
D2 j 1 , 1
D
2 j , 1
d1 =
0.156
0.048
F1 := k1 d1
3 103
F1 =
3
3 10
N1 :=
(F11)2 + (F12)2
3
N1 = 3 10
N1' :=
N1' = 3 10
Element # 2
i := 2
j := 3
D2 i 1 , 1
D2 i , 1
d2 :=
D2 j 1 , 1
D
2 j , 1
3
F2 := k2
3 d210
3
2 10
F2 =
3
3 10
3
2 10
(F13)2 + (F14)2
0.156
0.048
d2 =
0
N2 :=
(F21)2 + (F22)2
N2' :=
(F23)2 + (F24)2
3
N2' = 3.606 10
N2 = 3.606 10
Element # 3
i := 1
j := 3
D2 i 1 , 1
D2 i , 1
d3 :=
D2 j 1 , 1
D
2 j , 1
0
0
d3 =
0
0
F3 := k3 d3
0
0
F3 =
0
0
N3 :=
N3 = 0
(F31)2 + (F32)2
N3' :=
N3' = 0
(F33)2 + (F34)2
