MCEN 4173/5173

Chapter 4

2D and 3D Truss Elements

Fall, 2006

Truss
Truss is one of the simplest, yet very commonly used structural elements.

1
Truss
Features of a truss

Forces can only be transmitted along the axial

direction. Or a truss can only be subjected to axial
load.

The deformation is along the axial direction.

A truss cannot sustain shear and moment.

The load can only be applied at the two ends.

Learning points:
Shape Functions
Rotation of Coordinate System
3

Truss
Mechanics of a truss
Global Coordinate: (xyz)
Local Coordinate: (xy z )
y
y x

z
We first investigate the truss in the local coordinate
z system, then we perform coordinate transformation.
(Note: The procedure is different from lecture 3)4

2
Truss
Mechanics of a truss
L
2
1
x
1 2
T x
T

d1x d2 x

Truss
Shape Function
du
= u =?
dx
2
1
x
1 2
x
T T

d1x d2x

3
Truss
Shape Function

x x
u = 1 d1x + d2 x
L L

x d1x d
x
u = 1 u = [N1 N 2 ] 1x
L L d2 x d2 x

N1 and N2 are called SHAPE FUNCTIONS, or Interpolation functions.

Shape functions describe the shape of displacement field and are one of
the determinant factors in governing the efficiency and accuracy of FEA.

Truss
Shape Functions in general

In FEA, we hope

u ( x, y, z ) = a0 + a1 x + b1 y + c1 z + ....

f1 , f 2 , f 3 ,.... are shape functions

4
Truss
Shape Functions in general

x x
N1 = 1 N2 =
L L

Truss
d2x
Shape Function d1x

1 2
x
Here, the shape functions are linear functions

Do linear functions make sense here? Or can we use quadratic functions?

Linear function:

Since

Quadratic function:

Since

10

5
Truss Element
T 1 2 T
x
f1x f2 x 2

d d1x
f1x = T =
EA
L
(
d1x d2 x )
T = EA = EA 2 x
L
f2 x = T =
EA
L
(
d1x + d2 x )
f1x EA 1 1 d1x
=
f 2 x L 1 1 d2 x

11

Truss Element
T 1 2 T
x
f1x f2 x 2
du
T = EA = EA dN dN 2 d1x
dx f1x = T = EA 1
dx dx d2 x
d
u = [N1 N 2 ] 1x dN dN 2 d1x
d2 x f2 x = T = EA 1
dx dx d2 x

dN1 dN 2
f1x dx
dx d1x

= dN dN 2 d

EA
f 2 x 1 2x
dx dx

dN1 1 dN 2 1 f1x EA 1 1 d1x

= = =
dx L dx L f 2 x L 1 1 d2 x 12

6
Truss Element -2D

y
f2 y
y x
d2 y d2x f2x
f1 y
d1x f1x f2 x d2 y = 0 f2 y = 0
d1 y d2 x

f1x d1 y = 0 f1 y = 0
d1x
x

13

Truss Element -2D

How are quantities in different coordinate systems related?

y
y f1x cos + f1y sin = f1x

f1 y x
f1y cos
f1x
f1 y x
f1 x
f1x sin

f1x sin + f1 y cos = f1 y 14

7
Truss Element -2D
How are quantities in different coordinate systems related?

y f1x = f1x cos + f1 y sin

f1 y = f1x sin + f1 y cos
f1y x
f1x
f1y
f1x x

f1x cos sin f1x f1x cos sin f1x

= =
cos f1 y
or
f1 y sin cos f1 y f1 y sin

{f }= [T ]{ f } { f } = [T ]1 {f }
[T ]1 = [T ]T 15

Truss Element -2D

How are quantities in different coordinate systems related?

f1x C S f1x d1x C S d1x

= =
f1 y S

C f1 y d1 y S C d1 y

C = cos S = sin

Now the question is:

f1 x f1x d1 x d1x
f d
1y f1 y 1y d1 y
= [??] = [??]
f
2x f2x d
2x d 2 x
f2 y f d 2 y d
2y 2y

16

8
 Truss Element -2D
How are quantities in different coordinate systems related?

f1x = Cf1x Sf1 y f1x = Cf1x Sf1 y + 0 f2 x + 0 f2 y

f1x C S f1x f1 y = Sf1x + Cf1 y f1 y = Sf1x + Cf1 y + 0 f2 x + 0 f2 y

=
f1 y S C f1 y f 2 x = Cf2 x Sf2 y f 2 x = 0 f1x + 0 f1 y + Cf2 x Sf2 y
f 2 y = Sf2 x + Cf2 y f 2 y = 0 f1x + 0 f1 y + Sf2 x + Cf2 y

f1x C S 0 0 f1x d1x C S 0 0 d1x

f d
1y S C 0 0 f1 y 1y S C 0 0 d1 y
= =
f2x 0 0 C S f2 x d 2 x 0 0 C S d2 x
f 2 y 0 0 S

C f2 y d 2 y 0 0 S

C d 2 y

17

Truss Element -2D

How are quantities in different coordinate systems related?

xy z xyz
f1x C S 0 0 f1x d1x C S 0 0 d1x
f d
1y S C 0 0 f1 y 1y S C 0 0 d1 y
= =
f2x 0 0 C S f2 x d 2 x 0 0 C S d2 x
f 2 y 0 0 S

C f2 y d 2 y 0 0 S

C d2 y

xyz xy z
f1x C S 0 0 f1 x d1x C S 0 0 d1 x

f1 y S C 0 0 f1 y d1 y S C 0 0 d1 y
= =
f2x 0 0 C S f2x d 2 x 0 0 C S d 2 x
f 0 0 S

C f 2 y d 0 0 S

C d 2 y
2y 2y

18

9
Truss Element -2D
Element stiffness matrix in global coordinate

f1x 1 0 1 0 d1x

f1x EA 1 1 d1x f1 y EA 0 0 0 0 d1 y
= =
f 2 x L 1 1 d2 x f 2 x L 1 0 1 0 d2 x
f
2y 0 0 0 0 d2 y

f1x C S 0 0 f1x C S 0 0 1 0 1 0 d1x

f
1y S C 0 0 f1 y EA S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 d1 y
= =
f2x 0 0 C S f2x L 0 0 C S 1 0 1 0 d2 x
f 2 y 0
0 S C f2 y 0 0 S C 0 0 0 0 d2 y

C S 0 0 1 0 1 0 C S 0 0 d1x

EA S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 S C 0 0 d1 y
=
L 0 0 C S 1 0 1 0 0 0 C S d 2 x

0 0 S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 S C d 2 y 19

Truss Element -2D

Element stiffness matrix in global coordinate

f1 x C S 0 0 1 0 1 0 C S 0 0 d1x
f
1 y EA S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 S C 0 0 d1 y
=
f2x L 0 0 C S 1 0 1 0 0 0 C S d 2 x
f2 y
0 0 S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 S C d 2 y

f1 x C2 CS C2 CS d1x
f
1 y EA CS S 2
CS S 2 d1 y
=
f 2 x L C
2
CS C2 CS d 2 x

f2 y CS S2 S 2 d 2 y
CS

C S 0
{ f } = [T T ][K ] [T ]{d }
0 e
S C 0 0
[T ] =

0 0
0 0
C
S
S
C

e
[]
[ K ] = [T T ] K [T ] 20

10
Truss Element -2D
Global Stiffness Matrix
Using the direct stiffness method.
Note: This time, each node has 2 degrees of freedom.
If we have N nodes in the model,

[K ] =





2N 2N
21

Truss Element -3D

Review: what did we do when we move from 1D to 2D?

Formulate 1D element f1x EA 1 1 d1x

=
stiffness matrix f 2 x L 1 1 d2 x

Find the transformation f1x C S f1x

=
matrix for coordinates [T]
f1 y S C f1 y

f1x C S 0 0 f1x
f
Expand the transformation 1y S C 0 0 f1 y
=
matrix to [T] f2x 0 0 C S f2 x
f 2 y 0
C f2 y
0 S

[]e
[ K ]e = [T T ] K [T ]

22

11
Truss Element -3D
x y
Coordinate transformation matrix
cos( x,
x ) cos( x,
y )
y
f1x cos sin f1x x
=
f1 y sin cos f1 y y
f1y x
f1x cos( y,
x ) cos( y,
y )
f1y
f1x x
x y
cos( x, x ) cos( x, y )
f1x cos sin f1x x
=
f1 y sin cos f1 y y

cos( y, x ) cos( y, y ) 23

Truss Element -3D

y
Coordinate transformation matrix y
x

x
z z

x y z
f1x cos( x, x ) cos( x,
y ) cos( x,
z ) f1x x

f1 y = cos( y,
x ) cos( y,
y ) cos( y,
z ) f1 y y

f cos( z, x ) cos( z,
y ) cos( z,
z )
1x f1x z

24

12
 Truss Element -3D

cos( x, x ) cos( x,
y ) cos( x,
z )
[T ] = cos( y, x ) cos( y,
y ) cos( y,
z )


cos( z, x ) cos( z,
y ) cos( z,
z )

1 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
[T ]

0
[T ] = [] e EA 0 0 0 0 0 0
[T ]
K =

L 1
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

e e
[ K ] = [T ] K [T ] T
[] 25

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

So far, we learned the following important concepts:

Element stiffness matrix

Element specific
Shape function

Rotation of coordinate systems Not element specific

Global stiffness matrix

Features of global stiffness matrix

Physical meaning of elements in global stiffness matrix

Boundary conditions

26

13
Summary of Lecture 3 and 4
Element stiffness matrix

It represents the deformation (displacement) response of a node

in an element to an nodal force.
At element level.

d1x f1x d2 x f2 x

x
1 2

f1x k k d1x
=
f 2 x k k d2 x

27

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Element stiffness matrix
Shape function:
A shape function describes the shape of displacement field (not
the shape of an element).
It also describes the contribution of displacement of a node to the
displacement field of an element.

d = a0 + a1 x + a2 x 2 + ... a0=?, a1=?, a2=?...

Using conditions of d=d(1), d=d(2), d=d(3),

a0=a0(d(1),d(2), d(3),..) a1=a1(d(1),d(2),d(3),..)

( ) ( ) ( )
d = a0 d (1) , d ( 2 ) , d (3) ,... + a1 d (1) , d ( 2 ) , d (3) ,... x + a2 d (1) , d ( 2 ) , d (3) ,... x 2 + ...

d = N1d (1) + N 2 d ( 2) + N 3 d (3) + ...

28

14
Summary of Lecture 3 and 4
Element stiffness matrix
Shape function:
d = N1d (1) + N 2 d ( 2) + N 3 d (3) + ...

d (1) d (1)
N1d (1)
d (2 ) 1 2 1 2
d (1)

1 2 = + = +
d (2 ) d (2 )
N 2 d (2 )

1 2 1 2

N1=1, at the coordinate of node 1, N1=0, at the coordinate of node other than 1.
29
N2=1, at the coordinate of node 2, N2=0, at the coordinate of node other than 2.

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Element stiffness matrix
Shape function:

N1 N2
1 1

1 2 1 2

Such a feature of shape function is always true. We will use this

feature to build a shape function later.
30

15
Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Rotation of Coordinate Systems

The coordinate system used at element level might be
different from the coordinate system used at global level.

Truss Structure Composite Materials31

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Rotation of Coordinate Systems

f1 x C S 0 0 1 0 1 0 C S 0 0 d1x
f
1 y EA S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 S C 0 0 d1 y
=
f2x L 0 0 C S 1 0 1 0 0 0 C S d 2 x
f2 y
0 0 S C 0 0 0 0 0 0 S C d 2 y

f1 x C2 CS C2 CS d1x
f
1 y EA CS S 2
CS S 2 d1 y
=
CS d 2 x
f 2 x L C CS
2
C2

f2 y CS S2 S 2 d 2 y
CS

C S 0 0
S C 0 0
[T ] =

0 0
0 0
C
S
S
C

e
[]
[ K ] = [T T ] K [T ]
32

16
Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Rotation of Coordinate Systems x y

cos( x,
x ) cos( x,
y )
y
f1x cos sin f1x x
=
f1 y sin cos f1 y y
f1y x
f1x cos( y,
x ) cos( y,
y )
f1y
f1x x
x y
cos( x, x ) cos( x, y )
f1x cos sin f1x x
=
f1 y sin cos f1 y y

cos( y, x ) cos( y, y ) 33

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Rotation of Coordinate Systems y

y
x

x
z z

x y z
f1x cos( x, x ) cos( x,
y ) cos( x,
z ) f1x x

f1 y = cos( y,
x ) cos( y,
y ) cos( y,
z ) f1 y y

f cos( z, x ) cos( z,
y ) cos( z,
z )
1x f1x z

34

17
Summary of Lecture 3 and 4 Element I
Global Stiffness Matrix
i j
kii( I ) kij( I )
Element Stiffness Matrix (I )
N by N matrix kij k (jjI )

Direct 1 i j N
Stiffness 1
Method

kii(I) kij(I) i
[K ] =

Boarding kij(I) k(Ijj) j
Airplane


N
Global Stiffness Matrix
35

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Global Stiffness Matrix

A large, symmetric,
sparse matrix.


0 Memory requirement depends
on the total DOF and bandwidth.

Total DOF depends on
mesh and type of elements
Symm. Bandwidth depends how
nodes are numbered.

bandwidth 36

18
Summary of Lecture 3 and 4
Global Stiffness Matrix
Physical Meaning

Kij is equal to the reaction force on the i-th DOF due to a

unit displacement on the j-th DOF whereas all the other
DOFs are fixed.

Here, force can be a force, or a moment; displacement can be

a displacement, or a rotation.

i-th DOF does NOT have to be in the same direction as j-th DOF.

37

Summary of Lecture 3 and 4

Boundary Conditions
For static analysis, boundary conditions should at least get rid of
rigid body motion.

d1x = 0 d3 x d2 x
k1 k2
3 2 x
1

F1x F3 x F2 x

F1x X k1 X
0 Xk1 0

F2 x = X
0 k2 k 2 d2 x
F k k2 k1 + k 2 d3 x
3 x X1
38

19