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KL IEM Workshop on FEM
11 JULY 2018
Lecture 1: Finite Element Modelling
in Geotechnical Engineering
By: Professor Harry Tan
National University of Singapore
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Outline
1. Introduction
• Design requirements in geotechnical engineering
• Geotechnical methods of analysis
• Geotechnical finite element analysis: some remarks
2. The Finite Element Method
• Introduction and general overview
• Domain discretization
• Element formulation
• Constitutive law
• Element stiffness matrix
• Global equations: assembly and solution
• Compute secondary variables
3. Final remarks
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Design requirements in geotechnical engineering
• Stability (local and general)
• Admissible deformation and displacements
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Design requirements in geotechnical engineering
• Flow problems
• Sometimes flow and stability/deformation problems are solved together
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Geotechnical analysis: Basic solution requirements
• Unknowns: 15 • Equilibrium (3 equations)
(6 stresses, 6 strains, 3 displacements) • Compatibility (6 equations)
• Constitutive equation (6 equations)
Potts & Zdravkovic
(1999)
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Geotechnical methods of numerical analysis
• Methods for numerical analysis
Finite difference method
Boundary element method (BEM)
Discrete element method (DEM)
Finite element method (FEM)
Others (meshless methods, material point method, particle methods…)
• While the FEM has been used in many fields of engineering practice for over 40
years, it is only recently that it has begun to be widely used for analyzing
geotechnical problems. This is probably because there are many complex issues
which are specific to geotechnical engineering and which have been resolved
relatively recently.
• When properly used, this method can produce realistic results which are of value
to practical soil engineering problems
• A good analysis, which simulates real behaviour, allows the engineer to understand
problems better. While an important part of the design process, analysis only
provides the engineer with a tool to quantify effects once material properties and
loading conditions have been set
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Geotechnical finite element analysis
• Objectives of the numerical (finite element) analysis
Selection of design alternatives
Quantitative predictions
Back-calculations
Understanding!
Identification of critical mechanisms
Identification of key parameters
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Geotechnical finite element analysis
• Advantages of numerical (finite element) analysis
Simulation of complete construction history
Interaction with water can be considered rigorously
Complex geometries (2D-3D) can be modelled
Structural elements can be introduced
No failure mechanism needs to be postulated (it is an outcome of the
analysis)
• (Nearly) unavoidable uncertainties
Ground profile
Initial conditions (initial stresses, pore water pressure…)
Boundary conditions (mechanical, hydraulic)
Appropriate model for soil behaviour
Model parameters
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Geotechnical finite element analysis
• Some requirements for successful numerical modelling
Construction of an adequate conceptual model that includes the basic
features of the model. The model should be as simple as possible but
not simpler
Selection of an appropriate constitutive model. It depends on:
type of soil or rock
goal of the analysis
quality and quantity of available information
Pay attention to patterns of behaviour and mechanisms rather than
just to quantitative predictions
Perform sensitivity analyses. Check robustness of solution
Model calibration (using field results) should be a priority, especially if
quantitative predictions are sought
Check against alternative computations if available (even if simplified)
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Geotechnical finite element analysis
Three final remarks:
1. Geotechnical engineering is complex. It is not because you’re
using the FEM that it becomes simpler
2. The quality of a tool is important, yet the quality of a result
also (mainly) depends on the user’s understanding of both
the problem and the tool
3. The design process involves considerably more than analysis
from C. Viggiani,
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The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview
The FEM is a computational procedure that may be used to obtain an
approximate solution to a boundary value problem
The governing mathematical equations are approximated by a series of
algebraic equations involving quantities that are evaluated at discrete points
within the region of interest. The FE equations are formulated and solved in
such a way as to minimize the error in the approximate solution
x xy xz
Governing mathematical equation: bx (equilibrium)
x y z
Algebraic equation: a11 x1 a12 x2 a1n xn c1
This lecture presents only a basic outline of the method
Attention is focused on the "displacement based" FE approach
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The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview
The FEM is a computational procedure that may be used to obtain an
approximate solution to a boundary value problem
What kind of problem?
Apply load obtain displacements
stiffness matrix
Apply head obtain flow
permeability matrix
Though we would like to know our solution at any coordinates in our
project, we will only calculate them in a certain amount of discrete points
(nodes) and estimate our solution anywhere else
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The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview
The FEM involves the following steps (1/2)
Elements discretization
This is the process of modeling the geometry of the problem under
investigation by an assemblage of small regions, termed finite
elements. These elements have nodes defined on the element
boundaries, or within the elements
Primary variable approximation
A primary variable must be selected (e.g., displacements) and rules
as how it should vary over a finite element established. This
variation is expressed in terms of nodal values
A polynomial form is assumed, where the order of the polynomial
depends on the number of nodes in the element
The higher the number of nodes (the order of the polynomial), the
more accurate are the results (the longer takes the computation!)
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The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview
The FEM involves the following steps (2/2)
Element equations
Derive element equations:
where is the element stiffness matrix, is the vector of nodal
displacements and is the vector of nodal forces
Global equations
Combine (assemble) element equations to form global equations
Boundary conditions
Formulate boundary conditions and modify global equations. Loads
affect P, while displacements affect U
Solve the global equations
to obtain the displacements at the nodes
Compute additional (secondary) variables
From nodal displacements secondary quantities (stresses, strain) are
evaluated
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The Finite Element Method: Introduction and overview
Apply load obtain displacements
stiffness matrix
Ku F
For soil we don’t have a direct relation between load and displacement,
we have a relation between stress and strain.
Displacements Strains Stresses Loads
Differentiate Material Integrate
model
Bu D F dV
Combine these steps: K BT DBdV
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Domain discretization
Footing
The first stage in any FE analysis width = B
is to generate a FE mesh
A mesh consists of elements
connected together at nodes
Node
We will calculate our solution in
the nodes, and use some sort of
mathematical equation to Gauss point
estimate the solution inside the
elements.
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Domain discretization
Examples: embankment
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Domain discretization
Examples: multi-anchored diaphragm wall
There is a whole zoo of different finite elements available!
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Element formulation
Displacement interpolation
Two-dimensional analysis of continua is generally based on the use of
either triangular or quadrilateral elements
The most used elements are based on an iso-parametric approach
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Element formulation
Displacement interpolation
Primary unknowns: values of the nodal displacements
Displacement within the element: expressed in terms of the nodal
values using polynomial interpolation
n
u( ) N i ( ) ui , N i shape function of node i
i 1
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Element formulation
Shape function of node i
Is a function that has value “1” in node i
and value “0” in all other n-1 nodes of the element
Shape functions for 3-node line element
1 1
N1 (1 ) , N 2 (1 )(1 ) , N 3 (1 )
2 2
Shape functions for 5-node line element
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Element formulation
Illustration for the six-noded triangular element
3 y quadratic interpolation
6
v
5
x u( x, y ) a0 a1 x a2 y a3 x 2 a4 xy a5 y 2
u v ( x, y ) b0 b1 x b2 y b3 x 2 b4 xy b5 y 2
1 2
4
12 coefficients, depending on the values of the
12 nodal displacements
u NU e
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Element formulation
Illustration for the six-noded triangular element
Strains may be derived within the element using the standard definitions
u
xx a1 2a3 x a4 y
x
ε Lu
v
yy b2 b4 x 2b5 y
y
u v
xy (b1 a2 ) (a4 2b3 ) x (2a5 b4 ) y
y x
ε BU e
ε Lu LNU e BU e
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Constitutive law
Constitutive relation (elasticity)
Elasticity: one-to-one relationship between stress and strain
in a FE context, stresses and strains are written in vector form
the stress-strain relationship is then expressed as: = D
linear isotropic elasticity in plane
material stiffness matrix
strain
1 v v 0
D
E v 1 v 0
(1 2v)(1 v) 1 2v
0 0
2
In this case the coefficients of the matrix are constants, which means
that (for linear kinematics) the resulting F.E. equations are linear
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Constitutive law
What happens with inelastic constitutive relations?
Advantage with elasticity: the coefficients of the matrix are constants,
the resulting F.E. equations are linear, hence the problem may be
solved by applying all of the external loads in a single calculation step
Soils usually do not behave elastically
D
with D depending on the current and past stress history
It is necessary to apply the external load in separate increments
and to adopt a suitable non-linear solution scheme
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Element stiffness matrix
Element stiffness matrix
Body forces and surface tractions applied to the element may be
generalized into a set of forces acting at the nodes (vector of nodal forces)
Nodal forces may be related P1x
to the nodal displacements by: 3 P1 y
K eUe Pe P2 x
6 5 P2 y
Ke element stiffness matrix P e
P1x 1
2
4
Ke B T DBdv P1y
P6 x
P
6y
recall D material stiffness matrix
B matrix relating nodal displacements to strains
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Element stiffness matrix
Gauss points
Ke
B T DBdv
To evaluate Ke, integration must be performed for each element
A numerical integration scheme must be employed (Gaussian integration)
Essentially, the integral of a function is replaced by a weighted sum
of the function evaluated at a number of integration points
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Global equations: assembly and solution
Global stiffness matrix (1)
The stiffness matrix for the complete mesh is evaluated by combining
the individual element stiffness matrixes (assembly)
This produces a square matrix K of dimension equal to the number of
degrees-of-freedom in the mesh
• in 2D number of d.o.f = 2 x number of nodes
• in 3D number of d.o.f = 3 x number of nodes
The global vector of nodal forces P is obtained in a similar way by
assembling the element nodal force vectors
The assembled stiffness matrix and force vector are related by:
KU P
where vector U contains the displacements at all the nodes in the mesh
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Global equations: assembly and solution
Global stiffness matrix (2)
If D is symmetric (elasticity), then Ke and hence K will be symmetric
The global stiffness matrix generally contains many terms that are zero
if the node numbering scheme is efficient then all of the non-zero
terms are clustered in a band along the leading diagonal
assembly
schemes for storage
solution
take into account its sym and
banded structure
number of dofs
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Global equations: assembly and solution
Solution of the global stiffness equations
Once the global stiffness equations have been established
(and the boundary conditions added), they mathematically
form a large system of symultaneous (algebraic) equations
KU P
These have to be solved to give values for the nodal displacements
It is advantageous to adopt special techniques to reduce
computation time (e.g. bandwidth and frontal techniques)
Detailed discussion of such techniques is beyond the scope of
this lecture
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Computation of secondary variables
Compute additional (secondary) values
Once the nodal displacements have been obtained from the inversion
of the matrix K
KU P
e
The complete displacement field can be obtained:
n
u ( x, y ) N i ( x, y ) ui , N i shape function of node i
i 1
Strains and stresses are computed at the Gauss points:
ε BU e
Δσ = DΔε
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Final remarks
Some practical issues:
1. A good finite element mesh is important. A poor mesh will give
a poor (inaccurate) solution.
2. Post processing – Stress are computed at Guass points only.
Contour plots of stresses involve further processing of the results.
3. Do the results make sense?
4. FEA can be very time consuming!
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