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IFEM Model Paper

(1) The document provides the solutions to questions from a midterm exam on finite element methods. (2) For question 1, the student is asked to identify symmetry lines to simplify two plate structures with cracks and holes, sketch coarse meshes on the simplified structures ensuring nodes cover the crack and hole, and indicate how boundary conditions would enforce the identified symmetry. (3) Question 2 involves applying the direct stiffness method to a 2-element, 3-node plane truss with fixed and roller supports and a single downward load. The student is asked to assemble the stiffness equations, apply boundary conditions to obtain a reduced system, and solve for displacements. (4) Question 3 modifies the problem from question 2

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Muhammad Huzaifa Najeeb
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239 views4 pages

IFEM Model Paper

(1) The document provides the solutions to questions from a midterm exam on finite element methods. (2) For question 1, the student is asked to identify symmetry lines to simplify two plate structures with cracks and holes, sketch coarse meshes on the simplified structures ensuring nodes cover the crack and hole, and indicate how boundary conditions would enforce the identified symmetry. (3) Question 2 involves applying the direct stiffness method to a 2-element, 3-node plane truss with fixed and roller supports and a single downward load. The student is asked to assemble the stiffness equations, apply boundary conditions to obtain a reduced system, and solve for displacements. (4) Question 3 modifies the problem from question 2

Uploaded by

Muhammad Huzaifa Najeeb
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ASEN 5007 Introduction to Finite Element Methods - Fall 2014 - Midterm Exam 1 Solutions

QUESTION 1. 30 pts: 15 for each problem


Figure Q1.1 shows two flat plates of constant thickness and uniform material. They are loaded as indicated. All
edges are free: there are no external supports. The external boundary (B) is a circle. The crack in (A) and the square
hole in (B) are centered.

(A)

(B)

y
q
(uniform)

q
(uniform)

thin
crack

P
F
Figure Q1.1. Plane structures for Question 1. In (B) the loads act at 45 from x.

(a)
(b)

(c)

Try to reduce the portion to be discretized as much as possible by identifying symmetry and/or antisymmetry
lines. Sketch a diagram of the whole plate that identifies such lines.
Sketch a coarse finite element mesh over the portion you picked in (a). Draw this separately from the sketch
in (a). Make sure that there are several nodes over the crack in (A) and cutout in (B). Identify (for example
with arrows) regions over which a finer mesh may be desirable (but do not draw the finer mesh). Identify the
loads that are to be applied on the smaller region. For (A) there is no need to lump the distributed load to
nodal forces.
Indicate how you would apply displacement boundary conditions on the nodes of the mesh picked in (b), so
as to enforce symmetry and/or antisymmetry conditions identified in (a).

Solution.

(A)

cL

(B)

q
crack

cL

cL

reduce to 1/4 of original

F/2

nodes on crack
must be left free
to displace

reduce to 1/8 of original

q (full load)

cL

Symmetry and
antisymmetry lines
(marked in red)

cL

P/2
Support conditions
and applied loads

cL

cL

A
no supports
on hole nodes not
on symmetry or
antisymmetry lines

near point load

Regions that would


benefit from a finer mesh

at crack tip
at entrant corner

Q13

near point load

QUESTION 2 35 points: 10 + 15 + 10
The plane truss problem defined in Figure Q1.2 has two elements and three nodes. Node 1 is fixed whereas 2 and 3
move over rollers as shown. The only load P has a magnitude of 40 and acts downward on node 3.
Solve this problem by the Direct Stiffness Method. Start from the element stiffness equations given in (Q1.1) and
(Q1.2) below. These are listed so you do not need to refer to the Notes, and already incorporate the E A/L factor
in the stiffness matrices.
The element stiffness equations in global coordinates are, for element (1)
0
0
0
0

u (1)
100 0
x1
(1)
0 0 u y1
=
100 0 u (1)
x2
0 0
u (1)
y2

(1)
f x1
(1)
f y1

(1)
f x2
(1)
f y2

(Q1.3)

5
(1)

;;

100
0

100
0

;;

EA = 500
4

(2)

;;

P = 40

Figure Q1.2. Structure for Questions 2 and 3.

and for element (2)

(a)
(b)
(c)

u (2)
36
48 36 48
x2
(2)
u
64 48 64 y2
48
36 48
=
36
48 u (2)
x3
48 64
48
64
u (2)
y3

(2)
f x2
(2)
f y2

(2)
f x3
(2)
f y3

(Q1.4)

Assemble the master stiffness equations.


Apply the given force and displacement BCs to get a reduced system of 2 equations and show it.
Solve the reduced stiffness system for the unknown displacements and show the complete node displacement
vector.

Solution.
(a) Assembled master stiffness equations:

100
0

100

0
0

0 100
0
0
0
u x1
0
0
0
0
0 u y1

0
136
48 36 48 u x2
=

0
48
64 48 64 u y2

0
36 48
36
48
u x3
0
48 64
48
64
u y3

f x1
f y1

f x2

f y2

f x3
f y3

(Q1.5)

(b) BCs: u x1 = u y1 = u y2 = u x3 = 0, f x3 = 0, f x3 = 40. Crossing out rows and columns 1, 2, 4


and 5 gives the reduced stiffness equation:




0
136 48
u x2
=
(Q1.6)
40
48
64
u y3
Q14

Solving:
u x2 = 3/10 = 0.30,

u y3 = 17/20 = 0.85

(Q1.7)

(c) Complete displacement solution:


u = [0 0

0.30

0 0.85 ]T

(Q1.8)

QUESTION 3 35 points = 15 + 10 + 10
This question assumes the same structure solved for Question 2, with exactly the same load and roller supports.
The reduced stiffness system upon applying those BCs is

u x2
u y3

(Q1.9)

where the * are the numbers you obtained in item (b) of Question 2. Suppose that an additional constraint of MFC
type is given:
u x2 = 2u y3
(Q1.10)
(a)
(b)
(c)

Starting from (Q1.11), get the modified equation by the master-slave method with u x2 as slave, and solve for
u y3 .
Apply the MFC by the penalty function method, leaving the weight w as a free parameter. Show the modified
system but do not solve.
Write down the modified system given by the Lagrange multiplier method, but do not solve.

Solution.
(a) Transformation equation with u x2 as slave:


2
u x2
=
[ u y3 ]
1
u y3

u = T u.

or

(Q1.11)

Modified system:


[2

136
1]
48

48
64

[ 416 ] [ u y3 ] = [ 40 ] ,




0
2
,
= [2 1]
40
1
5
= 0.096154.
u y3 =
52

(b) The penalty element, using u x2 2u y2 = 0 as canonical form is









1 2
u x2
0
1
u x2
=w
=
.
w
[ 1 2 ]
2
4
0
u y3
u y3
2
Modified system:

136 + w
48 2w

48 2w
64 + 4w

u x2
u y3


0
=
.
40

(Q1.12)

(Q1.13)

(Q1.14)

(c) Lagrange multiplier system


Q15

128
48
1

48
64
2

1
2
0

u x2
u y3

0
40
0


(Q1.15)

Switching signs in the last row and column is also considered correct.
BONUS QUESTION. Up to 5 pts, total may not exceed 100.
By inspection,
f x2 = 0,

f y2

pah
=
2 2

(Q1.16)

Q16

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