Shape Functions generation,

requirements
 Basic Concept of the Finite Element Method

Any continuous solution field such as stress, displacement, temperature, pressure,

etc. can be approximated by a discrete model composed of a set of piecewise
continuous functions defined over a finite number of subdomains.

One-Dimensional Temperature Distribution

T T

Approximate Piecewise
Exact Analytical Solution Linear Solution

x x

- 2
 Basic Concept of the Finite Element Method
T

Discretization Concepts Exact Temperature Distribution, T(x)

Finite Element Discretization

Linear Interpolation Model Quadratic Interpolation Model
T1 (Four Elements) T (Two Elements)
1
T2
T2 T2
T3 T3 T3
T4 T4 T3
T4 T5
T5

T T
T1 T1
T2 T2
T3 T3
T4 T5 T4 T5

x x
Piecewise Linear Approximation Piecewise Quadratic Approximation
Temperature Continuous but with Temperature and Temperature Gradients
Discontinuous Temperature Gradients Continuous
- 3
 Basic Concept of the Finite Element Method
Common Approximation Schemes
One-Dimensional Examples
Polynomial Approximation
Most often polynomials are used to construct approximation functions for each
element. Depending on the order of approximation, different numbers of element
parameters are needed to construct the appropriate function.

Linear Quadratic Cubic

Special Approximation
For some cases (e.g. infinite elements, crack or other singular elements) the approximation
function is chosen to have special properties as determined from theoretical considerations

- 4
 Requirements for Shape Functions

Requirements for shape functions are motivated by convergence: as the mesh is

refined the FEM solution should approach the analytical solution of the
mathematical model.
1. The requirement for compatibility: The interpolation has to be such that field
of displacements is :
1. continual and derivable inside the element
2. continual across the element border

The finite elements that satisfy this property are called conforming, or compatible.
(The use of elements that violate this property, nonconforming or incompatible
elements is however common)

2. The requirement for completeness: The interpolation has to be able to represent:

1. the rigid body displacement
2. constant strain state

- 5
 Requirements for Shape Functions
Requirement for Compatibility:
The shape functions should provide displacement continuity between elements.
Physically this insure that no material gaps appear as the elements deform. As the
mesh is refined, such gaps would multiply and may absorb or release spurious
energy.

Compatibility violation by using different types of elements.

a) Discretization and load; b) Deformed shape (left gap, right overlapping)
- 6
 Requirements for Shape Functions

Requirement for Completeness: The interpolation has to be able to represent:

1. The rigid body displacement
2. Constant strain state

Rigid body translation Rigid body rotation Deformation

a) Deformation of cantilever beam. b) Rigid body displacement and

deformation of hatched element
- 7
 Requirements for Shape Functions

If the stiffness integrands involve derivatives of order m, then requirements for

shape functions can be formulated as follows:

1. The requirement for compatibility: The shape functions must be C(m-1)

continuous between elements, and Cm piecewise differentiable inside each
element.

2. The requirement for completeness: The element shape functions must represent
exactly all polynomial terms of order m in the Cartesian coordinates. A set of
shape functions that satisfies this condition is called m-complete.

- 8
 Requirements for Shape Functions

Differential operator Du for different types of physical or mechanical problems

- 9
 Requirements for Shape Functions

PROPERTIES OF THE SHAPE FUNCTIONS

1. Kronecker delta property: The shape function at any node has a value of 1 at
that node and a value of zero at ALL other nodes.

2. Compatibility: The displacement approximation is continuous across element

boundaries

3. Completeness
Rigid body mode
Constant strain states

Compatibility + Completeness Convergence

Ensure that the solution gets better as more elements are introduced
and, in the limit, approaches the exact answer.

- 10
 Lagrange Interpolation Functions

Lagrangian Shape Functions:

Can perform this for any number of points at any designated
locations.

0 1 k 1 k 1 m m
i .
k 0 k 1 k k 1 k k 1 k m
L ( m)


i 0 k i
k

ik
No -k term! Lagrange
polynomial
of order m
at node k

- 11
 Lagrange Interpolation Functions

1 , i j
Ni ( j )
0 , i j

1
N1 (1 )
2
1
N 2 (1 )
2
(1) 1 1 (2)

1
N1 (1 )
2
N 2 (1 )(1 )

1
(2) (3)
N 3 (1 )
(1) 2

- 12
 Lagrange Interpolation Functions

9 1 1
N1 (1 )( )( )
16 3 3
27 1
N2 (1 )(1 )( )
16 3
27 1
N3 (1 )(1 )( )
16 3
(1) (2) (3) (4) 9 1 1
N 4 ( )( )(1 )
16 3 3

- 13
 Lagrange Interpolation Functions

Lagrangian Shape Functions:

Uses a procedure that automatically satisfies the Kronecker
delta property for shape functions.
Consider 1D example of 6 points; want function = 1 at 3 0.3 and
function = 0 at other designated points:
0 1;
1 .75;
2 .2;
3 .3;
4 .6;
5 1.

0 1 2 4 5 .
3
L(5)
3 0 3 1 3 2 3 4 3 5

- 14
 Shape Functions of Plane Elements

Classification of shape functions according to:

the element form:
triangular elements,
rectangular elements.
polynomial degree of the shape functions:
linear
quadratic
cubic

type of the shape functions
Lagrange shape functions
serendipity shape functions
- 15
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

Lagrangian Elements:
Order n element has (n+1)2 nodes arranged in square-
symmetric pattern requires internal nodes.

Shape functions are products of nth order polynomials in each

direction. (biquadratic, bicubic, )
Bilinear quad is a Lagrangian element of order n = 1.

- 16
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

Lagrange interpolation polynomial

in one direction :

An easy and systematic method of generating shape

functions of any order now can be achieved by
simple products of Lagrange polynomials in the
two coordinates :

- 17
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

The FourNode Bilinear Quadrilateral

- 18
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

The Quadrilateral Lagrangian elements: The Quadrilateral Lagrangian elements:

a) bilinear, b) biquadratic c) bicubic a) quadratic-linear, b) linear-cubic c)
quadratic-cubic, d) quartic-quadratic

- 19
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

Complete two-dimensional Lagrange

polynomials in the Pascal triangle

- 20
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

The FourNode Bilinear Quadrilateral

- 21
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

The FourNode Bilinear Quadrilateral

Check of compatibility

Assemblage of four bilinear

quadrilateral elements
Partial derivatives with respect to x
Change of N5 along the edge is linear
and y of the shape functions N5
and it is uniquely defined by two nodes
Derivative inside element exists, and on
the boundary has finite discontinuity
- 22
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

Check of completeness
A set of shape functions is complete for a continuum element if they can
represent exactly any linear displacement motions such as :
(1)
The nodal point displacements corresponding to this displacement field are :

(2)
The displacements (1) have to be obtained within the element when the element
nodal point displacements are given by (2).
In the isoparametric formulation we have the displacement interpolation :

Computation for the displacement ux:

- 23
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

Since in the isoparametric formulation the coordinates are interpolated in the

same way as the displacements, we can use :

to obtain :
(3)

The displacements defined in (3) are the same as those given (1), provided that
for any point in the element :

(4)

The relation (4) is the condition on the interpolation functions for the
completeness requirements to be satisfied.
- 24
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

The NineNode Biquadratic Quadrilateral

- 25
 Rectangular elements Lagrange family

The 16Node Bicubic Quadrilateral

- 26
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements

Serendipity elements are constructed with nodes only on the element

boundary

Serendipity quadrilateral elements: Two dimensional serendipity polynomials

a) bilinear , b) biquadratique, c) bicubic of quadrilateral elements in Pascal triangle

- 27
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements

Rectangles of boundary node (serendipity) family: (a) linear, (b) quadratic, (c) cubic, (d) quartic.

- 28
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements

Serendipity Biquadratic Shape functions

For mid-side nodes a
lagrangian interpolation of
quadratic x linear type suffices
to determine Ni at nodes 5 to
8. For corner nodes start with
bilinear lagragian family (step
1), and successive subtraction
(step 2, step 3) ensures zero
value at nodes 5, 8

- 29
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements

Serendipity Biquadratic Shape functions

- 30
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements
Serendipity Shape functions
In general serendipity shape functions can be obtained with the following
expression:

where functions N i (1, 1), N i (1,2 ), N i (1,1), N i ( 1,2 ) are

lagrangian interpolations along the corresponding boundary and values
N i ( 1, 1), N i (1, 1), N i (1,1), N i ( 1,1) have values 0 or 1 and
represent values of interpolation on corners

- 31
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements

Example: Find shape function of the node N3

- 32
 Rectangular elements Serendipity elements

Example: Find cubic serendipity shape function

27 1
N5 (1 2 )( )(1 )
32 3
27 1
N6 (1 )( )(1 )
2

32 3
1 2 1 2 1
N1 (1 )(1 ) N 5 N6 N 9 N12
4 3 3 3 3

1
Ni ( , ) (1 i )(1 i ) 9( 2 2 ) 10 , i 1, 2, 3, 4
32
9
Ni ( , ) (1 2 )(1 i )(1 9i ), i 5, 6 , 7 , 8
32
9
Ni ( , ) (1 i )(1 2 )(1 9i ), i 9, 10, 11, 12
32
- 33
Reference:
Zienkiewicz O.C. , Taylor R.L. , Zhu J.Z. : The Finite Element Method:
Its Basis and Fundamentals, 6. Edition, Elsevier ButterworthHeinemann,
2005.

- 34