CE 72.

12 Finite Element Methods in Engineering

Lecture 02: Definitions: Solid Mechanics → Linear Elasticity
Semester – January 2023

Dr. Chaitanya Krishna

Department of Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
School of Engineering and Technology (SET)

19 January 2023 1
Solid Mechanics and Linear Elasticity 2

• Solid Mechanics:
• Studies the behavior of solid materials under external loads
• Analyzes and predicts the response of structures to various
loads
• Linear Elasticity:
• Studies the deformation and stresses in linear elastic materials
• Material returns to its original shape after loads are removed
• Deformation is proportional to applied load
• Based on Hooke's Law, principle of superposition and other
fundamental principles
• Widely used in engineering to analyze and design structures
made of linear elastic materials
• Applications in aerospace, civil engineering, mechanical
engineering and biomedical engineering

19 January 2023
Elasticity Equations 3

• The basic equations of theory of elasticity depend on:

• Displacements
• Strains
• Stresses
• Boundary conditions
• Initial conditions  Transient problems
• Constitutive relations Stress-strain relations

We will be sub-dividing the explanation into

1. General 3D problem in cartesian form
2. 2D problems
• Plane stress
• Plane strain
• Axis symmetry

19 January 2023
Displacement Functions 4

• Displacement functions describe how a point in a solid

moves under an applied load
• Represented as vector functions, with 3 components for 3D
and 2 components for 2D problems
• Used to compute strains, stresses, and force/moment on
a structure
• Found by solving equations of equilibrium, which
describe the balance of forces and moments in a solid.
• Can be solved using various numerical or analytical
techniques.

19 January 2023
Displacement functions 5

• For a 3D problem, the displacement field is governed by

4 parameters (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡)

𝑢(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡)
𝑢 𝑋, 𝑡 = ቐ 𝑣(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡)
𝑤(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡)
Time
𝑥
Position 𝑋= 𝑦
𝑧
• In a 2D problem, a plane stress or plane strain case
𝑢(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑡)
𝑢 𝑋, 𝑡 = ቊ
𝑣(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑡)
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Strain Matrix 6

• Strain matrix
• In linear elasticity, the strain is usually
represented as a tensor in a [3 × 3]
matrix,
• however, we are going to represent it
with 6 strains

Voigt: in multilinear algebra is a

way to represent a symmetric
tensor by reducing its order

• Strain- displacement matrix

• The strains for a problem undergoing small deformations
computed from displacements and may be expressed in matrix
form as
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Strain Displacement Matrix 7

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Strain Displacement Matrix in 2D 8

In 2D problems; (For the convenience of considering different 2D

problems)

1) Plane stress
-> no stress in z direction
-> strain in z direction

2) Plane strain
-> No strain in z direction
Only in plane
stress

19 January 2023
Stresses 9

• In a 3D body, there are nine components of stress which

act on an element of body

• Generally, shear components are symmetric

• So, these stresses can be written in 6 components

Only in plane
stress

19 January 2023
3D STRESS BLOCK
Equilibrium equations. (Newton)
The linear momentum of the equilibrium behaviour for a 3D
case from the FDB can be written as

Body force Mass

Equations of
equilibrium

ü
Equation of equilibrium in voigt form is:

Mass density / Acceleration

unit volume vector
Equilibrium Eq. in Plane States 12

In 2D plane problems we omit 𝜏 𝑦𝑧 , 𝜏 𝑧𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑧

In voigt form:

19 January 2023
Boundary Conditions 13

• The strain - diplacement and equilibrium equations are valid at each

point of the body: Ω

• Boundary condition must be specified on the surface of the solid Γ

Here we only consider 2 types of boundary conditions

a) Displacement boundary conditions

b) Traction boundary condition

Total boundary = Displacement boundary + Traction boundary

19 January 2023
Boundary Conditions in FEM 14

• Displacement boundary conditions (essential boundary

conditions) specify the displacement of a node or group
of nodes on the boundary
• Applied to nodes that are fixed in space, such as fixed supports
• Traction boundary conditions (natural boundary
conditions) specify the forces acting on the boundary
• Applied to nodes that are free to move, such as load and spring
supports
• Both types of boundary conditions are used to model the
behavior of a structure at its boundaries
• Applying the correct boundary conditions ensures that
the equations of equilibrium are satisfied and that the
correct solution is obtained

19 January 2023
Displacement and Traction 15

• Displacement Boundary conditions are specified at each

point of the boundary as:
time

Known value position

• Traction boundary conditions are specified for each point

of the boundary and are given in terms of stresses by:

In 2D plane problem

are direction cosines for the outward pointing normal to boundary

19 January 2023
Initial Conditions and Energy 16

(time dependent)
• Initial conditions
• For transient problems it is necessary to describe the state of
the body when analysis starts

Since the governing equation is of second order

Initial condition Initial displacement

Initial velocity

• Energy
• Stored energy is an important quantity in mechanics that
may be used as the basis of conservation principles
• It may also be used to define the relationship between
stress and strain transformations
• In voigt notation,

19 January 2023
Constitutive Relationship 17

• A relationship between stress and strain are called

constitutive relationship
The stress-strain relationship for a linearly elastic material may
be expressed as: Non mechanical sources → thermal
stress and thermal strain

Hooke’s law

D matrix is known as the elasticity matrix of modulii and 𝐷 −1 as the

elasticity matrix of compliance

19 January 2023
Elasticity Matrix 18

• Elasticity matrix (also known as stiffness matrix or constitutive

matrix) is a matrix of numbers that describes the elastic properties
of a material
• It relates the stresses in a material to the strains caused by those
stresses
• Elasticity matrix for an isotropic material is symmetric
• Elements of elasticity matrix can be computed from material's
Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and shear modulus

19 January 2023
Constitutive Relationship in FEM 19

• Describes the mechanical behavior of a material

• Used to compute the internal forces and moments in a
structure
• Linear or nonlinear, dependent or independent of time
• Linear elasticity is the most common constitutive
relationship used in FEM
• Describes behavior of a material under different loading
conditions (tension, compression, shear, torsion)
• Also used to model behavior under different loading
rates and temperatures

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Elasticity in Isotropic Materials 20

𝜈 is poisson ratio

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Isotropic Material in Plane State 21

In a 2D problem

In case of plane strain

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2D State of Stresses 22

• Plane Stress • Plane Strain

• Only the stresses on • Only strains on one

one plane exist plane exist
• Stress in z plane is • Strain in the z plane is
zero 𝜎𝑧 = 0 zero 𝜀𝑧 = 0

0 0

19 January 2023