Chapter 7: FEM MODELING: MESH, LOADS AND BCS 7–20

Homework Exercises for Chapter 7. - Solutions

FEM Modeling: Mesh, Loads and BCs

EXERCISE 7.1 Trouble spots from recipe are: B, F, J, M (entrant corners), N, D, I (concentrated forces).
See Figure E7.7 for a physical justification.

Figure E7.7. Figure shows principal stress trajectories or “isostatics.” They are drawn in red for tension
and blue for compression. (Determined from experimental data gathered in 1964 photoelasticity project at
UC Berkeley.) Trajectories “bunch up” in regions of high stress gradients near loads and entrant corners.

EXERCISE 7.2 What perhaps are the two simplest solutions for the transition zone are pictured in Figure
E7.8.

A B A B

D C D C
Figure E7.8. Two simple transition-mesh solutions for Exercise 7.2.

Several quadrilateral-based “transition meshes” are illustrated in Figure E7.9 for completeness; redrawn from
Irons and Ahmad [148]. The solutions of Figure E7.8 are essentially variations of (e) and (f). Solution (d) is
interesting in that it produces somewhat better looking element shapes.
EXERCISE 7.3
(a) Counting “tributary squares” of size a × a rapidly gives the answer: f y1 = f y5 = −2a 2 γ h, f y2 =
f y3 = f y4 = −4a 2 γ h, f y6 = f y10 = −3a 2 γ h, f y7 = f y8 = f y9 = −6a 2 γ h, f y11 = f y15 = −a 2 γ h,
n=15
f y12 = f y13 = f y14 = −2a 2 γ h. Check: W = n=1 f yn = −(2 × 2 + 3 × 4 + 2 × 3 + 3 × 6 + 2 ×
1 + 3 × 2) a 2 γ h = −48 a 2 γ h.
(b) The results are identical to NbN. When doing it by hand, EbE is slower because NbN can be done by
“grid eyeballing.”

7–20
7–21 Solutions to Exercises

(a) (b) (c)

(d) (e) (f)

(g) (h) (i)

Figure E7.9. Quad-only transition meshes for various situations.

EXERCISE 7.4
This Exercise was solved with the Mathematica scripts listed in Figure E7.10. Note that the logic of the EbE
script is simpler, with less “ifs and buts” than NbN. This is generally true of their computer implementations.
Results of running these scripts are collected in the Table 7.1.

Table 7.1. Results for Exercise 7.4 (forces in lbs)

Node Node by Node (NbN) Element by Element (EbE)

x-force y-force x-force y-force

1 15100.8 0 20134.4 0
2 137779.2 0 139776.0 0
3 296400.0 0 295360.0 0
4 369532.8 0 366912.0 0
5 192067.2 −393120.0 188697.6 −393120.0
6 0 −1179360.0 0 −1179360.0
7 0 −1572480.0 0 −1572480.0
8 0 −1572480.0 0 −1572480.0
9 0 −786240.0 0 −786240.0

Sum 1010880.0 −5503680.0 1010880.0 −5503680.0

The sum of x-forces and y-forces checks out with the total hydrostatic forces 12 1802 × 62.4 = 1010880.0 lbs
and −490 × 180 × 62.4 = −5503680.0 lbs, respectively.

7–21
Chapter 7: FEM MODELING: MESH, LOADS AND BCS 7–22

Exercise 7.4 - Hydrostatic load lumping by NbN method

(* Assume face AB is vertical to simplify formulas *)
ClearAll[Γ,whead]; Γ=62.4; whead=180;
xn={ 0, 0, 0, 0,0,-70,-210,-350,-490};
yn={180,136,84,36,0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
fxn=fyn=Table[0,{9}];
For [j=1,j<=9,j++,
{xi,yi}={xj,yj}={xk,yk}={xn[[j]],yn[[j]]};
If [j>1, {xi,yi}={xn[[j-1]],yn[[j-1]]} ];
If [j<9, {xk,yk}={xn[[j+1]],yn[[j+1]]} ];
{xd1,yd1,xd2,yd2}={xj-xi,yi-yj,xk-xj,yj-yk}/2;
{di,dj,dk}=whead-{yi,yj,yk};
If [j<=5, dm=(di+2*dj+dk)/4, dm=dj]; dmx=dmy=dm;
If [j==5, dmx=(di+3*dj)/4; dmy=dj];
fxn[[j]]=(yd1+yd2)*dmx*Γ; fyn[[j]]=(xd1+xd2)*dmy*Γ;
];
Print["NbN hydro force lumping results:"];
Print[Table[{i,fxn[[i]],fyn[[i]]},{i,1,9}]//InputForm];
sx=Sum[fxn[[i]],{i,1,9}]; sy=Sum[fyn[[i]],{i,1,9}];
Print["x equil check: ", sx," vs ",whead^2*Γ/2];
Print["y equil check: ", sy," vs ",whead*(xn[[9]]-xn[[5]])*Γ];

Exercise 7.4 - Hydrostatic load lumping by EbE method

(* Assume face AB is vertical to simplify hand computations *)
ClearAll[Γ,whead]; Γ=62.4; whead=180;
xn={ 0, 0, 0, 0,0,-70,-210,-350,-490};
yn={180,136,84,36,0, 0, 0, 0, 0}; dn=(whead-yn)*Γ;
fxn=fyn=Table[0,{9}];
For [e=1,e<=8,e++, i=e; j=e+1;
{xi,xj}={xn[[i]],xn[[j]]}; {yi,yj}={yn[[i]],yn[[j]]};
{di,dj}={dn[[i]],dn[[j]]}; xe=xi-xj; ye=yi-yj;
fexi= (2*di+dj)*ye/6; fexj= (di+2*dj)*ye/6;
feyi=-(2*di+dj)*xe/6; feyj=-(di+2*dj)*xe/6;
fxn[[i]]+=fexi; fxn[[j]]+=fexj; fyn[[i]]+=feyi; fyn[[j]]+=feyj;
];
Print["EbE hydro force lumping results:"];
Print[Table[{i,fxn[[i]],fyn[[i]]},{i,1,9}]//TableForm];
sx=Sum[fxn[[i]],{i,1,9}]; sy=Sum[fyn[[i]],{i,1,9}];
Print["x equil check: ", sx," vs ",whead^2*Γ/2];
Print["y equil check: ", sy," vs ",whead*(xn[[9]]-xn[[5]])*Γ];

Figure E7.10. Solution of Exercise 7.4 with Mathematica.

EXERCISE 7.5 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.6 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.7 Symmetry and antisymmetry lines are identified on Figure E7.11. Problem domains may be
reduced to the darker regions. Appropriate supports to realize these symmetry and antisymmetry conditions
as well as actual supports (if given) are depicted in Figure E7.11.

EXERCISE 7.8 (a) From the beak to ground one “worm-bar” element is enough. Smaller elements inside
the ground, specially near G, to capture high force gradient. May increase in size as end E is approached.
(b) Pull force as axial load at B. Friction forces, assumed known may be represented by tangentially lumping
on worm nodes. Lateral worm displacement precluded by rollers over G E.
(c) A 2D or 3D continuum-element solid model representing skin and insides.

7–22
7–23 Solutions to Exercises

Partial credit for

finding only the two
P symmetry lines if
(a) BCs & loads are correctly
(b) treated (see next figure)

P
;;;
;;;;;;
(c) P (d)
;;;

(e) P (f) P P

Figure E7.11. Symmetry and antisymmetry lines in problems

of Exercise 7.4.

(d) A 2D or 3D continuum-element model for soil. No infinite elements are needed because the problem is
highly localized (a worm is not a dam). Friction may be represented by special nonlinear elements on the
worm surface, but that is an advanced topic.

EXERCISE 7.9 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.10 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.11 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.12 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.13 Exercise never assigned.

7–23
Chapter 7: FEM MODELING: MESH, LOADS AND BCS 7–24

;;;;;;;
P/2

;;

;
;;
;;
(a) P/2 (b)

;
Full credit for this solution

; ;;
P/2
;;;
;
;
;
P/2

;
;;;
;; ;;;

;
;
Partial credit for this solution
(c)

;;
all nodes fixed (d)

; ;;
on clamped P
edge
q

;;
;;
; ;;;; ;;
;; ; ;;; ;;
no supports on
hole edge nodes!

;;
(e) P/2 P
(f)
; ;;;;

Important
BCs
;; Important

;;
BCs
BCs on truncated mesh BCs on truncated mesh
edges can be fairly edges can be fairly
arbitrary if sufficiently arbitrary if sufficiently
away from load.

;
away from load.
;;;

;;;
Recommend placing Recommend placing
rollers as shown but rollers as shown but
full fixity would not be full fixity would not be
;;

a serious mistake a serious mistake

Figure E7.12. Representation of the kinematic boundary conditions on the

reduced regions (darker areas) of the previous figure. Only extremely coarse
FEM meshes sketched since the only important answers are the treatment of
boundary conditions and loads.

EXERCISE 7.14 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.15 Exercise never assigned.

EXERCISE 7.16 n(n + 1)/2.

7–24