1.

Finite element formulation of frames

2. Comparing results of several FEA formulations
 Frames represent structural members
that may be rigidly connected with
welded joints or bolted joints.
For such structures, in addition to
rotation and lateral displacement, we
also need to consider axial
deformations.
It is a combination of beam and axial
loading.
Beam Stiffness Matrix Axial Loading Stiffness Matrix

Each node has 3 DOFs which are rotation,

vertical (lateral) and horizontal (longitudinal)
displacements.
 Because there are 3 DOFs associated with 2 nodes, the
stiffness matrix for each frame element will be 6X6
matrix.
Consists of position of beam stiffness matrix and axial
loading stiffness matrix
Beam Axial Loading
 Combination of beam and axial loading
stiffness matrix lead to frame stiffness matrix
with respect to local coordinate system x, y.
 Need to substitute the local displacements in terms of
global displacement using the transformation matrix
K e TT K xye T
From truss local to global displacement transformation
= [] where,
The frame is made of steel,
with E=30 x 106 lb/in2. The
cross-sectional areas and the
second moment of area for
the two members are shown
in the figure. Determine the
deformation of the frame
under the given distribution
load.
For element (1), the local and global frames of reference are aligned in the same direction.
Therefore, the stiffness matrix for element (1) can be computed from [K](e)xy
For element (2), the stiffness matrix represented with
respect to the local coordinate system is;
 (2)
Substituting for [] , [] and [] and perform matrix
operation;
(2) (2)
[] = [] [] []

58.299 0 3148.148 58.299 0 3148.148

0 2125 0 0 2125 0


3 3148.148 0 226666 3148.148 0 113333
K 2 10
58.299 0 3148 .148 58.299 0 3148 .148
0 2125 0 0 2125 0

3148 .148 0 113333 3148 .148 0 226666
 Constructing the global stiffness matrix:

(1)
[]() = [] +[](2) (9X9 matrix form)

1912.5 0 0 1912.5 0 0 0 0 0 U 11
0 42.5 2550 0 42.5 2550 0 0 0 U
12
0 2550 204000 0 2550 102000 0 0 0 U 13

1912.5 0 0 1912.5 58.299 0 0 3148.148 58.299 0 3148.148 U 21
K G 10 3 0 42.5 2550 0 42.5 2125 2550 0 2125 0 U 22

0 2550 102000 0 3148.148 2550 204000 226666 3148.148 0 113333 U 23
0 0 0 58.299 0 3148.148 58.299 0 3148.148 U 31

0 0 0 0 2125 0 0 2125 0 U 32
0 3148.148 226666 U 33
0 0 3148.148 0 113333 0
 Since load matrix {F}(2)=0, {F}(1) = {F}(G)
From solid mechanics beams equation {F}(G),

F1

Application the BCs, (U11=U12=U13=U31=U32=U33=0) reduces the

9x9 global stiffness matrix to 3x3 matrix,
1970.799 0 3148.148 U 21 0 U 21 0.0002845 (in)

10 3 0 2167.5 2550 U 22 4000 U 22 0.0016359 (in)
3148.148 2550 430666 U 23 80000 U 23 0.00017815 (rad )
The statics equilibrium requires the sum of the forces in y-direction to be zero.
This requirement leads to the relation
PF 0
du
Since F A, E and
dy

P EA y
du Pdy
0 rearranging, du
dy EA y

To find the deflation profile along the bar, we need to integrate over the length of the bar:
u Pdy
L
w2 w1 P = 1000 lb
0 du
0 EA y where A y w1 y t E = 10.4 x 106 lb/in2
L w1 = 2 in
u y
y Pdy y Pdy
w2 = 1 in
0 EA y
0
w w1 L = 10 in
E w1 2 y t
L t = 0.125 in

w2 w1
u y
PL Can be used to generate displacement
In w y In w1
Et ( w2 w1 )
1
L values at various points along the bar.

 Method based on assuming an approximate solution for
the governing differential equation.
The assumed solution must satisfy the initial and
boundary conditions of the given problem.
Since the assumed solution is not exact, substitution of
the solution will lead to some residuals or errors.
There are several residual methods and each of them
requires the error to vanish over some selected intervals
or at some points.
 The governing differential equation and the corresponding boundary
condition for this problem are as follows:

= 0 subject to the boundary condition 0 = 0

Assume approximate solution to satisfy boundary condition 0 = 0, say

= 1 + 2 2 + 3 3
Substitute into governing differential equation will yields the error
function . du
A ( y)
dy
P = 1000 lb
E = 10.4 x 106 lb/in2
w2 w1
w1 y t E c1 2c 2 y 3c3 y P w1 = 2 in
2

L w2 = 1 in
L = 10 in
Substitute for values of w1, w2, L, t, E, and P; t = 0.125 in

/ E (0.25 0.0125 y )(c1 2c 2 y 3c3 y 2 ) 96.154 10 6

 The error or residual function is forced to be zero at as many points as the
unknown coefficients.
Since the assumed solution in this example has 3 unknown coefficients, we will
force the error function to equal zero at three points that is y=L/3, y=2L/3 and y=L
 This procedures create three linear equations that we can
solve to obtain the unknown coefficients;

Substitution of the c-coefficients into the assumed solution

yields the approximate displacement profile by Collocation
Method.

u y 423.0776 10 6 y 21.65 10 15 y 2 1.153848 10 6 y 3

 Requires the error to be orthogonal to some weighting functions i
according to the integral
b
a
i dy 0 i 1,2,......, N
We need to generate three equations because there are three
unknowns in the assumed approximate solution. Since =
1 + 2 2 + 3 3 the weighting functions are selected to be 1 =
, 2 = 2 3 = 3 .
 Solve integration to obtain unknowns

Substitution of c-coefficients yields approximate

displacement profile by Galerkin method

u y 400.642 10 6 y 4.006 10 6 y 2 0.935 10 6 y 3

1. Finite element formulation of frames with 3
DOF which are rotation, lateral
displacement and axial deformation
2. Generate finite element models using the
weighted residual formulations that fairly
match the exact results