Scribd
Upload
136 views8 pages

Module 3: Element Properties Lecture 6: Isoparametric Formulation

This document discusses isoparametric formulation in finite element analysis. Isoparametric elements are necessary to analyze geometries with curved boundaries using regular elements. It describes how parent elements in natural coordinates can be mapped to curved elements in Cartesian coordinates through coordinate transformation. The Jacobian matrix relates derivatives between the natural and Cartesian coordinate systems and is used to transform operators for strain and stiffness calculations.

Uploaded by

Daniyal965
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
136 views8 pages

Module 3: Element Properties Lecture 6: Isoparametric Formulation

This document discusses isoparametric formulation in finite element analysis. Isoparametric elements are necessary to analyze geometries with curved boundaries using regular elements. It describes how parent elements in natural coordinates can be mapped to curved elements in Cartesian coordinates through coordinate transformation. The Jacobian matrix relates derivatives between the natural and Cartesian coordinate systems and is used to transform operators for strain and stiffness calculations.

Uploaded by

Daniyal965
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
You are on page 1/ 8

Module 3: Element Properties

Lecture 6: Isoparametric Formulation


40

3.6.1 Necessity of Isoparametric Formulation


The two or three dimensional elements discussed till now are of regular geometry (e.g. triangular
and rectangular element) having straight edge. Hence, for the analysis of any irregular geometry, it is
difficult to use such elements directly. For example, the continuum having curve boundary as shown
in the Fig. 3.6.1(a) has been discretized into a mesh of finite elements in three ways as shown.

(a) The Continuum to be discritized (b) Discritization using Triangular Elements (c)
Discritization using rectangular elements (d) Discritization using a combination of
rectangular and quadrilateral elements

41

Fig 3.6.1 Discretization of a continuum using different elements


Figure 3.6.1(b) presents a possible mesh using triangular elements. Though, triangular elements can
suitable approximate the circular boundary of the continuum, but the elements close to the center
becomes slender and hence affect the accuracy of finite element solutions. One possible solution to
the problem is to reduce the height of each row of elements as we approach to the center. But,
unnecessary refining of the continuum generates relatively large number of elements and thus
increases computation time. Alternatively, when meshing is done using rectangular elements as
shown in Fig 3.6.1(c), the area of continuum excluded from the finite element model is
significantlyadequate to provide incorrect results. In order to improve the accuracy of the result one
can generate mesh using very small elements. But, this will significantly increase the computation
time. Another possible way is to use a combination of both rectangular and triangular elements as
discussed in section 3.2. But such types of combination may not provide the best solution in terms of
accuracy, since different order polynomials are used to represent the field variables for different
types of elements. Also the triangular elements may be slender and thus can affect the accuracy. In
Fig.3.6.1(d), the same continuum is discritized with rectangular elements near center and with fournode quadrilateral elements near boundary. This four-node quadrilateral element can be derived
from rectangular elements using the concept of mapping. Using the concept of mapping regular
triangular, rectangular or solid elements in natural coordinate system (known as parent element) can
be transformed into global Cartesian coordinate system having arbitrary shapes (with curved edge or
surfaces). Fig.3.6.2 shows the parent elements in natural coordinate system and the mapped elements
in global Cartesian system.

42

43

(a) Natural Coordinate System

(b) Global Coordinate System

Fig. 3.6.2 Mapping of isoparametric elements in global coordinate system


3.6.2 Coordinate Transformation
The geometry of an element may be expressed in terms of the interpolation functions as follows.
n

x N1 x1 N 2 x2 ... N n xn N i xi
i 1
n

y N1 y1 N 2 y2 ... N n yn N i yi
i 1

z N1 z1 N 2 z2 ... N n zn N i zi
i 1

Where,
n=No.of Nodes
Ni =Interpolation Functions
x i ,yi ,zi =Coordinates of Nodal Points of the Element
One can also express the field variable variation in the element as

(3.6.1)

44
n

, , N i , , i

(3.6.2)

i 1

As the same shape functions are used for both the field variableand description of element geometry,
the method is known as isoparametricmapping. The element defined by such a method is known as
an isoparametric element. This method can be used to transform the natural coordinates of a point to
the Cartesian coordinate system and vice versa.

Example 3.6.1
Determine the Cartesian coordinate of the point P (= 0.8, = 0.9) as shown in Fig. 3.6.3.

Fig. 3.6.3 Transformation of Coordinates


Solution:
As described above, the relation between two coordinate systems can be represented through their
interpolation functions. Therefore, the valuesof the interpolation function at point P will be
(1 )(1 n) (1 0.8)(1 0.9)

0.005
4
4
(1 )(1 n) (1 0.8)(1 0.9)
N2

0.045
4
4
(1 )(1 n) (1 0.8)(1 0.9)
N3

0.855
4
4
(1 )(1 n) (1 0.8)(1 0.9)
N4

0.095
4
4
N1

Thus the coordinate of point P in Cartesian coordinate system can be calculated as

45
4

x N i xi 0.005 1 0.045 3 0.855 3.5 0.095 1.5 3.275


i 1
4

y N i yi 0.005 1 0.045 1.5 0.855 4.0 0.095 2.5 3.73


i 1

Thus the coordinate of point P (= 0.8, = 0.9) in Cartesian coordinate system will be 3.275, 3.73.
Solid isoparametric elements can easily be formulated by the extension of the procedure followed for
2-D elements. Regardless of the number of nodes or possible curvature of edges, the solid element is
just like a plane element which is mapped into the space of natural co-ordinates, i.e,

1, 1, 1 .
3.6.3 Concept of Jacobian Matrix
A variety of derivatives of the interpolationfunctions with respect to the global coordinates are
necessary to formulate the element stiffness matrices. As the both element geometry andvariation of
the shape functions are represented in terms of the naturalcoordinates of the parent element,some
additional mathematical obstacle arises. For example, in case of evaluation of the strain vector, the
operator matrix is with respect to x and y, but the interpolation function is with x and h . Therefore,
the operator matrix is to be transformed for taking derivative with x and h . The relationship between
two coordinate systems may be computed by using the chain rule of partial differentiation as

x y

x y
=
+
and
=
+
x x x y x
h x h y h

(3.6.3)

The above equations can be expressed in matrix form as well.


x

x x

h h

y



x

x
x


= [ J ]

h
y
y

(3.6.4)

x
The matrix [J] is denoted as Jacobian matrix which is:
x

x
.As we know,
y

x N i xi

where, nis the number of nodes in an element. Hence, J11

N i xi
i 1

i 1

N i
xi

Similarly one can calculate the other terms J12, J21and J22 of the Jacobian matrix. Hence,

i 1

46

n N i

x
i=1 x i
[ J ] = n
N i xi
i=1 h

yi

i =1

n
N i
yi

i =1 h

N i

(3.6.5)

From eq. (3.6.4), one can write



x
x
1

= [ J ]

y
h

J*
Considering 11
J*
21
relations.

(3.6.6)

J12*
are the elements of inverted [J] matrix, we may arise into the following
*
J 22

= J11* + J12*
x
x
h

*
*
= J 21
+ J 22

y
x
h

(3.6.7)

Similarly, for three dimensional case, the following relation exists between the derivative operators
in the global and the natural coordinate system.
x


x


x

Where,

x
x


z

y
y

z
z

(3.6.8)

47
x

x
J

x

z

z

z

(3.6.9)

[J] is known as the Jacobian Matrix for three dimensional case. Putting eq. (3.6.1) in eq. (3.6.9) and
after simplifying one can get
N i
xi

n
N
J i xi
i 1

N i
xi

N i
yi

N i
yi

N i
yi

N i
zi

N i
zi

N i
zi

(3.6.10)

From eq. (3.6.8), one can find the following expression.


J
y

J11*
1
*
Considering J J 21
*
J 31

(3.6.11)

J12*
*
J 22
*
J 32

J13*
*
J 23
we can arrived at the following relations.
*
J 33

= J11* + J12* + J13*


x
x
h
z

*
*
*
= J 21
+ J 22
+ J 23

y
x
h
z

*
*
*
= J 31
+ J 32
+ J 33

z
x
h
z

(3.6.12)

You might also like