WESTERN UNIVERSITY - FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

CEE3384b FINITE ELEMENT METHODS IN ENGINEERING

Sample Problems (1)

(a) The cantilever beam in Fig. 1a has a constant moment of inertia I and a constant
Modulus of Elasticity E. The beam is fixed at one end and supported by an elastic
spring having a constant K at its second end. The beam is loaded by a moment M L
at its free end x = L. Assume that the deflection is given by the following relation
w(x) = ax2, where a is a constant. Use the Rayleigh-Ritz method to evaluate the
end deflection (at x = L). Also find the expression for the bending moment along
the length of the beam.
(b) The same cantilever beam is now subjected to a downward uniformly distributed
load p0 as shown in Fig. 1b. Assume that the deflection w(x) is given by a similar
relation w(x) = bx2, where b is a constant. Use the Rayleigh-Ritz method to
evaluate the end deflection (at x = L) and also find the expression for the bending
moment along the length of the beam.
(c) Assume k = 0. Compare the expression for the bending moment diagrams of both
cases (a and b) to the exact ones. Comment on the results.
ML
E,I
K E,I K

L L

Fig. 1a Fig. 1b

Problem # 2

The elastic bar shown in Fig. 2 has a modulus of elasticity E = 2x108 kN/m2, a cross
sectional area A = 0.2 m2 and a length L = 6 m. The bar is subjected to a quadratic axial
load T(x) which is given by the following relation: T(x) = 3000 (x/L)2 (kN/m). The bar is
fixed at one end (x = 0) and free at the other end (x = 6).
(a) Assuming that the axial displacement u(x) is given by u(x) = ax + bx 2, use the
Rayleigh-Ritz method to evaluate the displacement at the free end of the bar.
(b) Draw the stress distribution along the length of the bar resulting from the above
Rayleigh-Ritz. Do you consider this stress distribution an exact one? why?
3000 kN/m
2
3000 (x/L)
T(x) x,u

6m
Fig. 2
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Problem #3
The beam shown in Fig.3 has a constant Moment of Inertia I and a constant Modulus of Elasticity E .
The beam is fixed at one end, and is supported by an elastic spring having a constant K at its second end.
The beam is subjected to a downward point load P as shown in the picture.
Assume that the deflection of the beam is given by the following relation: w( x )  ax , where a
2
(a)
is a constant. Use the Rayleight-Ritz method to evaluate the end deflection (at x  L ). Find the
expression for the bending moment along the length of the beam.
Solve the same problem by assuming: w( x)  ax  bx where a and b are constants. Evaluate
3 2
(b)
the end deflection (at x  L ). Also find the expression for the bending moment along the length
of the beam.
(c) Assuming K  0 , compare the expression for the bending moment diagrams for
both cases (a and b) to the exact one. Comment on the results.

w(x) P

E,I

Fig. 3

Problem #4
The elastic bar shown in Fig. 4 has a Modulus of Elasticity E  2 X 108 kN / m2 , a cross
sectional Area A  0.3m2 and a length L  5m . The bar is subjected to a uniformly
distributed load po  3000kN / m . The bar is fixed at one end ( x  0) , and free at the
other end ( x  5m) .

(a) Assuming that the axial displacement u( x) is given by u( x)  ax  bx 2 , use the

po po

x, u

5m

Fig. 4

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Problem #5
The uniform bar shown in Fig. 5 has a Modulus of Elasticity E  2 X 105 MPa , and a
cross sectional Area A  600mm2 . One half of the bar is loaded by a uniformly
distributed load po  200 N / mm . Meanwhile, a point load P  40kN is acting at the
centre of the bar. The bar is fixed at both ends.
(a) Solve the problem using two bar finite elements. Draw the displacement and the
stress distribution along the length of the bar resulting from the two element
solution.

(b) Solve the same problem using three bar elements. Draw the displacement and the
stress distribution along the length of the bar resulting from the three element
solution.
(c) Comment on the stress distribution resulting from (a) and (b).

po=200N/mm

P=40kN

300mm 300mm

Fig. 5

Problem # 6

The bar shown in Fig. 6a has a linearly variable cross sectional area. The bar was
modelled using a number of tapered bar elements shown in Fig. 6b.

(a) Derive the stiffness matrix for a typical bar element shown in Fig. 6b.
(b) The specific weight of the bar is . Evaluate the load vector of a typical tapered
bar element due to the effect of own weight.

u2 A2

s
Le (1  s ) (1  s )
A(s )  A1  A2
2 2
u1
A1

Fig. 6a Fig. 6b

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