INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS, CHENNAI

Department of Civil Engineering

CE 5340 FEM and Constitutive Modelling in Geomechanics
Tutorial # 3-1: One- and Two-Dimensional Problems: Isoparametric Elements and
Numerical Integration

Note: Make suitable assumptions wherever necessary.

Springs, Bars and Trusses

1. (a) A magic square is an n × n matrix in which each of the integers 1, 2, 3, …, n2 appears

exactly once, and all column sums, row sums, and diagonal sums are equal. Write a program
to construct a magic square for any odd value of n.
(b) How do you find the inverse of a square matrix using LU Decomposition?
2. For each assembly of springs shown in the accompanying figures (Figures 1-3), determine the
global stiffness matrix using the system assembly procedure of your choice.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3
3. (a) A weight W is suspended in a vertical plane by a linear spring having spring constant k.
Show that the equilibrium position corresponds to minimum total potential energy.
(b) Consider the rod shown in Figure 4, where the strain at any point x is given by ε x = 1 + 2x2.
Find the tip displacement δ.

Fig. 4
4. Consider the simplest problem of a 1D bar of uniform cross-section, as shown in Figure 5. The
bar is fixed at the left end and is of length l = 1 m and section area A = 0.0001 m2. It is
subjected to a uniform body force f x and a concentrated force Fs at the right end. The Young’s
modulus of the material is E = 2.0 × 1010 N/m2. Using the analytical (exact) method, obtain
solutions in terms of the distribution and the maximum value of the displacement, strain and
3.1
 stress, for the following cases: (a) f x = 0 and Fs = 1000 N, (b) f x = 1000 N/m and Fs = 1000 N,
and (c) f x = (100 x + 1000) N/m and Fs = 0.

Fig. 5 A bar with uniform cross-section area fixed at the left end
5. (a)

(b)

(c)
(i) Use the Rayleigh-Ritz method to find the
displacement of the midpoint of the rod
shown in the figure.
(ii) Use the Galerkin’s method to find the
displacement of the midpoint of the rod
shown in the figure.

3.2
6. (a)

(b) A steel rod subjected to compression is modelled by two bar elements, as shown in Figure
2. Determine the nodal displacements and the axial stress in each element. What other
concerns should be examined?

Fig. 2
7. For each of the following differential equations and stated boundary conditions, obtain a one-
term solution using Galerkin’s method of weighted residuals and the specified trial function.
In each case, compare the one-term solution to the exact solution.

3.3
8.

9. (a) Find the bandwidth NBW for the one-dimensional model whose nodes are numbered as
shown in the figure below:

(b) A finite element solution using one-dimensional, two-noded elements has been obtained for
a rod as shown in the figure:

3.4
10. For each of the truss structures shown in the figure below, construct an element-to-global
displacement correspondence table.

3.5
 Figure for Problem 10
11.
The plane truss shown in the figure is
composed of members having a square 15
mm × 15 mm cross section and modulus of
elasticity E = 69 GPa.
(a) Assemble the global stiffness matrix.
(b) Compute the nodal displacements in the
global coordinate system for the loads
shown.

(c) Compute the axial stress in each element.

12. Repeat Problem 11 assuming elements 1 and 4 are removed.

13. Consider the bar as loaded, shown in the figure below. Determine the nodal displacements,
element stresses and support reactions. Solve this problem by hand calculation, adopting the
elimination method for handling boundary conditions. Verify your results using program
FEM1D.

3.6
14.
Figure shown right shows a two-member plane
truss supported by a linearly elastic spring. The
truss members are of a solid circular cross
section having d = 20 mm and E = 80 GPa.
The linear spring has stiffness constant 50
N/mm.
(a) Assemble the system global stiffness matrix
and calculate the global displacements of
the unconstrained node.
(b) Compute the reaction forces and check the
equilibrium conditions.
(c) Check the energy balance. Is the strain
energy in balance with the mechanical
work of the applied force?

15. Consider the bar shown in the figure. Determine the nodal displacements, element stresses and
support reactions.

3.7
16. (a) For the spring assemblage shown in the figure below, determine the nodal displacements,
the forces in each element and the reaction. Use the direct stiffness method (DSM).

(b) Compute the total stiffness matrix K of the assemblage shown in the figure by
superimposing the stiffness matrices of the individual bars. Note that K should be in terms of
A 1 , A2 , A3 , E 1 , E 2 , E 3 , L1 , L2 and L 3 . Here A, E and L are generic symbols used for cross-
sectional area, modulus of elasticity, and length, respectively.

(c) Refer to the above figure. Now let A1 = A 2 = A3 = A; E 1 = E 2 = E 3 = E, and L1 = L2 = L3 =

L. If nodes 1 and 4 are fixed and a force P acts at node 3 in the positive x direction, find
expressions for the displacement of nodes 2 and 3 in terms of A, E, L and P.
17. (a) For the bar assemblage shown in the figure, determine the nodal displacements, the forces
in each element and the reactions. Use the direct stiffness method.

(b)

(c) What are the characteristics of the joints in a truss structure and what are the effects of this
on the deformation and stress properties in a truss element?
(d) Derive the expression for all the entries for the expression for the element stiffness matrix,
ke , with Young’s modulus, E, length, l e, and cross-sectional area, A = 0.02x + 0.01. (Note:
non-uniform cross-sectional area.)

3.8
 (e)
For the bar element shown in the figure, evaluate
the global x-y stiffness matrix.

18. (a) For the plane trusses shown in the figures below, determine the horizontal and vertical
displacements of node 1 and the stresses in each element. All elements have E = 210 GPa and
A = 4.0E-4 m2.

(b)
For the plane truss shown in the figure,
determine the nodal displacements, the
element forces and stresses and the
support reactions. All elements have E
= 70 GPa and A = 3.0E-4 m2. Verify
force equilibrium at nodes 2 and 4. Use
symmetry in your model.

3.9
19. Figure given below shows a three-node truss element of length L and a constant cross-
sectional area A. It is made of a material of Young’s modulus E and density ρ. The truss is
subjected to a uniformly distributed force b:

Figure – A truss element with 3 nodes

20. Figure given below shows a truss structure with two uniform members made of the same
material. The truss structure is constrained at two ends. The cross-sectional area of all the truss
members is 0.01 m2, and the Young’s modulus of the material is 2.0E10 N/m2. Using the
FEM, calculate:

21.
For the roof truss shown in the figure, use
symmetry to determine the displacements of
the nodes and the stresses in each element.
All elements have E = 210 GPa and A =
10E-4 m2.

3.10
Beams and Frames

22.

in which V is shear force, M is moment, θ is section rotation, w is displacement, E I is bending

stiffness, GA is shear stiffness, and q is load as shown in the figure below.

Fig. 22.1 Beam bending description

23. (a) How would you like to formulate a beam element that also carries axial forces?
(b) Derive the stiffness matrices for torsion element and grid element.

3.11
24. Figure 24.1 shows a two-node beam of length 2a. The beam is made of material of Young’s
modulus E and density ρ. The cross-section of the beam is circular, and the radius varies in the
x-direction in a manner so that the area of the cross-section is a linear function of

Fig. 24.1 A beam with varying circular cross-section

25. Consider a beam with uniform rectangular cross-section, as shown in the figure. It is simply
supported and subjected to a vertical load P at x = a/2. Using two elements for the entire
beam, make use of the symmetry of the structure, and let l = 2 m, E = 69 GPa and υ = 0.3, b =
0.1 m, h = 0.06 m, and

26. (a) Explain why the superposition technique can be used to formulate the frame elements
simply by using the formulations of the truss and beam elements. Under what conditions will
this superposition technique fail?
(b) In the transformation from the local to the global coordinate system in a planar frame, does
the rotational degree of freedom undergo any transformation? Why?

27. Work out the displacements of the planar frame structure shown in the figure. All the
members are of the same material (E = 69 GPa, ν = 0.33) and with circular cross-sections. The
areas of the cross-sections are 0.01 m2.

3.12
28. For the beams shown in Figures 28.1 – 28.3, determine the displacements and the slopes at the
nodes, the forces in each element, and the reactions. Also, draw the shear force and bending
moment diagrams.

Fig. 28.1

Fig. 28.2

Fig. 28.3
3.13
29. Using the concept of work equivalence, determine the nodal forces and moments (called
equivalent nodal forces) used to replace the linearly varying distributed load shown in the
figure.

30. For the beams shown in Figures 30.1 and 30.2, determine the nodal displacements and slopes,
the forces in each element, and the reactions.

Fig. 30.1

Fig. 30.2
31.

3.14
32. Derive the equations for the beam element on an elastic foundation using Galerkin’s method.
The basic differential equation for the beam on an elastic foundation is

33.
The bar element 2 is used to stiffen the cantilever
beam element 1, as shown in the figure. Determine
the displacements at node 1 and the element forces.
For the bar, let A = 1 × 10-3 m2. For the beam, let A
= 2 × 10-3 m2, I = 5 × 10-5 m4, and L = 3 m.
For both the bar and the beam elements, let E =
210 GPa. Let the angle between the beam and the
bar be 45°. A downward force of 500 kN is applied
at node 1.

34.
Determine the direction cosines and

the rotation matrix of the local

axes in reference to the global x, y, z
axes for the beam element oriented in
space with end nodal coordinates of 1
(0, 0, 0) and 2 (3, 4, 12), as shown in
the figure.

35. For the frames shown in Figures 35.1 – 35.4, determine the displacements and rotations of the
nodes, the element forces and the reactions. The values of E, A and I to be used are listed in
the figures.

3.15
 Fig. 35.1

Fig. 35.2

Fig. 35.3

Fig. 35.4

3.16