TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING BUCHAREST

DEPARTMENT OF HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES

THE FINITE ELEMENTS METHOD

CLASS AND HOMEWORKS
EXERCISE No. 2
The second exercise will emphasize the influence of the mesh refinement on the results. The
difference between the exact solution and the approximate one, obtained by the F.E.M.,
depends on the mesh refinement and/or on the degree of the approximation functions.
Usually, to improve the results (minimizing the error), two methods are available:
- to refine the mesh of the model (especially in those areas where high gradients of the
unknown parameters are expected);
- to use elements with higher order of the polynomial functions.
In both cases, the computing time increases. In the first case, the computing time increases by
augmenting the element calculations (more element matrices, more equations in the global
equation system, etc). In the second case, the integration process per element is more
complicated.
For the second exercise, the analyzed structure is a cantilever wall-beam (the name is due to
the unusual h/L ratio, larger then for ordinary beams), subjected to a vertical concentrated
force, acting on its right-hand side end. The parameter of interest is the vertical displacement
of the same point (the maximum vertical deflection occurring at the end of the beam).

Working hypotheses:
-

The problem is considered a 2D one, the beam working in plane stress state.
The beams own weight is neglected.

The geometry of the wall-beam is defined by its length, height and thickness (L., h, b). They
are prescribed according to the students number.
-

L = 1000 +25N cm
h = 200+5N cm
b = 40+N cm

The material properties:

1

Young modulus
Poissons ratio

E = 25000 daN/cm2;
= 0.25

The applied force:

-

P = 5000 + 100N daN

Four finite element models will be created, increasing the elements number (10, 20, 40 and
80 elements).

Model 1

Model 2

Model 3

Model 4
For each model, the vertical displacement (v, or UY in ANSYS terms) of the nodes placed on
the right-hand side of the beam will be determined. The values will be represented on a
convergence graph, together with the analytical (exact) solution of the problem.

2.1 The analytical solution

The displacements field assessment is based on the strains relationships and the Hookes law
expressed in the 2D space:

x =

u
v
u v
; y =
; xy =
+
x
y
y x

x =

1
x y
E

y =

1
y x
E

xy =

1
2(1 + ) xy
E

in which the stress expressions are:

x =

xy

M
Px
y=
y
I
I

TS
P h 2
=
= y 2
bI
2I 4

y = 0
For the strains the following relationships yield:

u
P
= xy
x
EI
v
P
=
xy
y
EI

u v
(1 + ) Ph 2 (1 + ) Py 2
+ =
+
y x
4 EI
EI
By integrating the first equations, the horizontal and vertical displacements field becomes:
3

u=

P 2
x y + f 2 ( y)
2 EI

v=

P 2
xy + f1 ( x)
2 EI

By replacing in the 3rd equation and rearranging, we have:

(1 + ) P 2
(1 + ) Ph 2
P 2

2 EI x + f1 ( x) + 2 EI y + f 2 ( y ) = 4 EI
both expressions inside the brackets being constant. After separate integration, the
displacement field yields:

P 2
(2 + ) P 3 (1 + ) Ph 2
u=
x y+
y
y y +
2 EI
6 EI
4 EI
v=

P 2
P 3
xy +
x + x +
2 EI
6 EI

The unknown coefficients , and will be determined using three local boundary
conditions. Because no boundary conditions set can entirely reproduce the perfect
embedment, various physical models can be conceived. One option for the embedment
boundary conditions can be expressed as:

For

x = 0 and y =

For

x = 0 and y = 0

h
2

u=0

v=0

Replacing the coordinates of the desired point x = L and y = 0 into the vertical
displacement field expression, the maximum vertical deflection yields:

vmax

PL3 (4 + 5) Ph 2 L
=
+
3EI
24 EI

2.2 Building the finite elements models

For each model an individual batch file edited with Notepad will be created. Because of the
mapped mesh and the regular shape of the finite elements shown in the previous figures, node
and element generation commands will be used. To define the boundary conditions and the
applied forces, appropriate node selections are recommended. The command sequence for
creating the first model (10 elements) is given below.

/PREP7
!
ET,1,42,,,3
R,1,b

! b WILL BE REPLACED BY THE WIDTH OF THE

! CROSS SECTION ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT NUMBER

!
MP,EX,1,2.5E4
MP,NUXY,1,0.25
!
N,1,0,0
N,6,L,0
! L WILL BE REPLACED BY THE LENGTH OF THE
! BEAM ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT NUMBER
FILL,1,6
!
NGEN,3,6,1,6,1,,h/2
!
! h WILL BE REPLACED BY THE HEIGHT OF THE
! CROSS SECTION ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT NUMBER
!
E,1,2,8,7
EGEN,5,1,1
EGEN,2,6,1,5,1
!
NSEL,S,LOC,X,0
D,ALL,ALL,0
NALL
!
NSEL,S,LOC,X,L
F,ALL,FY,-P/3 ! P WILL BE REPLACED BY THE FORCE VALUE
! ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT NUMBER
NALL
!
SAVE
FINISH
5

2.3 The convergence graph

In order to emphasize the convergence of the solution toward the analytical result by
increasing the refinement of the mesh, a convergence graph should be represented. On the
abscissa, we place the number of elements in the mesh. On the ordinate, we place the
displacement values calculated with the analytical formula and with the 4 models.
The solution for N = 0 is represented below.
According to the analytical formula, the exact solution for the maximum deflection is:

vmax,a =

5000 10003
(4 + 5 0.25) 5000 200 2 1000
+
= 2.5656 cm
3 25000 26666667
24 25000 26666667

The results for the same geometry and force applied on the 4 models are the following:
-

Model 1, 10 elements
Model 2, 20 elements
Model 3, 40 elements
Model 4, 80 elements

vmax = 2.5190 cm
vmax = 2.5472 cm
vmax = 2.5521 cm
vmax = 2.5623 cm