Finite Difference

 Most of the materials were taken from

‘Structural Analysis: A Unified Classical and
Matrix Approach’, by A Ghali and AM Neville,
Finite Difference 2nd Ed., Chapman & Hall Ltd., 1978, Chapter
17.
Mechanics of Materials
Lecturer: Dr Djwantoro Hardjito
Civil Engineering Department
Petra Christian University, Surabaya

Why numerical method? Types of numerical solutions

 Closed form solution can be very complex  Finite Element Method

 Numerical solution  in most cases simpler  Finite Strip Method
 forms large matrix equations  easy to  Finite Difference Method
solve using computer

Finite Difference Method Representation of Derivatives by Finite

 Replacing the derivatives of a function by Differences
difference expressions of the functions at the λ λ λ λ
λ/2 λ/2
nodes. X
 Weakness  FD coefficients of the equations i-2 i-1i-1/2 i i+1/2
i+1 i+2
applied at nodes on or close to the boundary yi-2 yi-1 yi Yi+1 Yi+2
have to be modified.
 Strength  the number of simultaneous
Y=f(x)
equations required (for a comparable degree
of accuracy) is generally only ½ or 1/3 of the
number of equations needed by the finiote Y
element method.

1
 1. The first derivative (or slope) of the curve at Xi-0.5 3. The third derivative
 dy  d3y  1  d 2 y  d 2 y  
  yi  yi 1 
1
 3   2    2  
 dx   dx  i  0.5    dx  i 1  dx  i 
  i 0.5 
 dy  d3y 
  yi 1  yi 
1
 3  yi 1  3 yi  3 yi 1  yi  2 
1
 dx   3
i  0.5   dx  i  0.5 
2. The second derivative at i 4. The fourth derivative
 d y  1   dy 
2
 dy    d 4 y  1  d 3 y  d3y  
 2         4    3   3 
 dx i     i  0.5  dx  i 0.5 
dx  dx  i    dx  i  0.5  dx  i 0.5 
d 2 y  d 4 y 
 4   4  yi  2  4 yi 1  6 y i 4 yi 1  yi  2 
1
 2   2  yi 1  2 yi  y i 1 
1
 dx  i   dx  i 

λ λ λ λ
i-2 i-1 i i+1/2
i+1 i+2 Bending Moments vs Loads
 dy  1 q1
 dx   -1 +1 q2 q3
i  0.5 
d 2 y  1 +1 -2 +1 0 1 2 3 4
 2  2 a a a a Nodes= chosen points
 dx  i  = points of division
L
d y 
3
1
 3  3 -1 +3 -3 +1 d 2M
 dx  i  0.5   q
d 4 y  1
-4 +6 -4 +1
dx 2
 4  4 +1
 dx  i  When applied at a general point i:
 dy  1
 dx   2 -1 +1 M i 1 
 
1  2 1 M   qi 2
i

d y 
3
1
 3  3 -1 +2 -2 +1
 dx  i 2 M 
Finite difference pattern of coefficients, using central differences  i 1 

Bending Moments vs Loads Example:

q1 q3 1.0 1.0 M0 = M 4 = 0
q2 0.5
With q
known, 0 a 1 a 2 3 4 a = L/4
0 1 2 3 4 a a
a a a a M1, M2
and M3 L=4a
L
 2 1 0  M1 
can be
M0 = M 4 = 0 obtained 0.5
 1 2  1 M   a 2 1.0 
 2 
For the three interior points (nodes)
  
 2 1 0  M1   q1   0  1 2   M 3  1.0 
 1 2  1 M   a 2 q 
  2   2 We obtain:

 0  1 2   M 3 
M1=0.0703L2; M2=0.1094L2; M3=0.08595L2
 q3  Exact solution:
M1=0.0677L2; M2=0.1042L2; M3=0.0833L2

2
 Displacement vs Loads Displacement vs Loads
d2  d2y 
d 2 y   EI q
dx 2  dx 2 
If M is known  y can be
EI  2    M determined
 dx  In Finite Difference form

Mi  
EI i
 yi 1  2 yi  yi 1 
a2
d y  4
If q is known  y can be
EI  4   q d2  d2y  d 2M 
EI 2     2    2 M i 1  2M i  M i 1 
determined  internal 1
 dx  actions can be found 2 
dx  dx   dx  a

 yi  2   yi  2 
y  y 
 i 1   i 1 
E
I i 1  2I i 1  I i  I i 1  4 I i  I i 1   2I i  I i 1  I i 1  y   qi E
I i 1  2I i 1  I i  I i 1  4 I i  I i 1   2I i  I i 1  I i 1  y   Qi
a4   a3  
 yi 1   yi 1 
 yi  2   yi  2 
Because calculation is carried out on nodal points, the
results will be more accurate if the uniformly distributed For I constant
load (UDL) qi is ‘transferred’ to be a point load Qi.
 yi  2 
 yi  2  y 
y   i 1 
 i 1 
E
I  4I 6I  4I I . y   Qi
E
I i 1  2I i 1  I i  I i 1  4 I i  I i 1   2I i  I i 1  I i 1  y   Qi
a3  
a3    yi 1 
 yi 1   yi  2 
 yi  2 

Boundary Conditions Displacement & Internal Actions/Reactions

Shear force in between nodal points I and i+1
1. Simple support

M i 1  M i 
yi-1 = 0 yi-2 1
Mi-1 = 0 yi Vi 0.5 
a
2. Fixed end
yi-1 = 0 Qi
[dy/dx]i-1 = 0
Vi
3. Free End
Mi+1 = -Q.a Ri

Note: - refers to compression in the bottom fiber

3
 Displacement & Internal FD equations relating beam deflection to applied load (for I
constant) Coefficients of deflection in EI/λ3 Right
Actions/Reactions (I constant) Position of nodal i
Yi-2 Yi-1 Yi* Yi+1 Yi+2
hand
side
1. Reactions at an intemediate support i
EI
 yi 2  4 yi 1  6 yi  4 yi 1  yi  2   Ri  Qi A 1 -4 6 -4 1 = Qi
a3
2. Reactions at a hinge end B Hinged - - 5 -4 1 = Qi
EI
 yi  2 yi 1  yi  2   Ri  Qi
a3 C Fixed - - 7 -4 1 = Qi
3. Reactions at a fixed support
Free
EI
 3 yi  4 yi 1  yi  2   Ri  Qi
D end - - 1 -2 1 = Qi

a3 Free
E end - -2 5 -4 1 = Qi

FD equations relating beam deflection to reaction

Coefficient of the deflection in
Right
When I is variable, or in EI / 3 when I
Tiype of supports hand
constant
side
Yi-2 Yi-1 Yi* Yi+1 Yi+2

I Variable - Ii-1 2(Ii-1+Ii) -(Ii-1+4Ii+Ii+1) 2(Ii+Ii+1) -Ii+1 = (Ri-Qi)

A

I constant Intermediate support -1 4 -6 4 -1 = (Ri-Qi)

I variable - - - Ii+1 2Ii+1 -Ii+1 = (Ri-Qi)

B
I constant - - -1 2 -1 = (Ri-Qi)
Hinged end

Fixed –
I variable - - -(2Ii+Ii+1) 2(Ii+Ii+1) -Ii+1 = (Ri-Qi)
end
moment
C Mi
I constant - - -3 4 -1 = (Ri-Qi)
Rotation at i is prevented