Finite Element Analysis

Level 6, Semester 1&2

2022-2023

Abdallah Accary (M.Sc., M.Res., PhD)

Ass. Professor
a.accary@bub.bh
Office 610A

FE Analysis 1
 Week22
Example - 2DOF Date 22/02/2022

Calculation of natural frequencies:

m1 x1 + (k1 + k2 ) x1 − k2 x2 = 0
K1
m2 x2 + (k2 + k3 )x2 − k2 x1 = 0
M1
x1 x1 = A1 sin (t +  )
K2
x2 = A2 sin (t +  )

M2
x2 Leading to the following solution:
K3

There are two real roots say ω 1 and ω 2

FE Analysis 2
 Example - 2DOF
Consider the special case when all the stiffnesses are equal
and all the masses are equal,

i.e. k1 = k2 = k3 = K say, and m1 = m2 = M say, then:

 4 −    2 + 3K 2
4K
 2
=0
M  M
Providing the two roots:

FUNDAMENTAL
FREQUENCY
(Lowest Frequency)

FE Analysis 3
 Example - 2DOF

The solution is of the form:

1st mode

x1 = A11 sin (1t + 1 ) For mass 1

x2 = A21 sin (1t + 1 ) For mass 2

2nd mode
x1 = A12 sin (2t + 2 ) For mass 1
x2 = A22 sin (2t + 2 ) For mass 2

Note: The 1st subscript refers to the DOF, the 2nd subscript refers to the mode

FE Analysis 4
 Example - 2DOF

Mode shapes:

The amplitudes of motion Aij of the ‘ith’ DOF in the ‘jth’ mode
have no quantifiable displacement (as this is free vibration)
however the amplitudes can be normalised relatively using
a number of schemes, i.e:

A1 j = 1  mi Aij = 1  i ij = 1
m A 2

i i

Usually the first normalising criteria is adopted in hand

calculations. For the 2DOF example, the first mode is ‘in
phase’ and the second mode is ‘out of phase’
FE Analysis 5
 Example - 2DOF

In phase and out of phase demonstration

FE Analysis 6
 Example - 2DOF
Orthogonality
The modes of vibration of a structure can normally be
considered to be independent of each other. Such
modes are referred to as either orthogonal modes or
normal modes.
m A i in Aim = 0
i
Where m = mode 1, n = mode 2, and i = DOF

If this condition applies, then the inertia forces derived from

one mode does not do any work on the other mode and
hence confirms that the modes can be considered to be
independent. This also applies to MDOF systems
FE Analysis 7
 Example - 2DOF Sway Frame

x2 C D
M2 = 5000 kg

K2 = 5 kN/mm
x1
B M1 = 5000 kg E

K 1= 5 kN/mm

A F

FE Analysis 8
 Example - 2DOF Sway Frame
Following some lengthy mathematics (shown in the supplemental notes),
from the standard general solution procedures it can be shown that the
quartic equation for ω is:

4 − 3000 2 +106 = 0

 2 = 2618 or 382

So ω = 51.2 or 19.5 rads/sec


Hence f = f = 3.1 Hz and 8.15Hz
2

FE Analysis 9
 Example - 2DOF Sway Frame
Mode shapes
During the solution for ω it can be shown that the amplitudes
of the masses are related as follows:

1000 −  2
A1 j = A2 j
1000

Inserting the previously calculated values of ω provides the

mode shape relationship. Normalising to the first DOF in each
case gives:
A11 = 1.0, A21 = 1.62 for mode 1
A12 = 1.0 A22 = -0.62 for mode 2
FE Analysis 10
 Example - 2DOF Sway Frame
Mode 1 Mode 2

C D x2 1.62 0.62
M2

B E x1 1.0 1.0
M1

A F

FE Analysis 11
 Example – MDOF
In Matrix form
mn xn

mi+1 xi+1
k i+1
mi xi
B D
ki
mi-1 xi-1
A C

k i-1 mi-2 xi-2

kj is the combined bending stiffness of AB & CD

FE Analysis 12
 Example – MDOF

In matrix form without damping MX + KX = 0

The solution is of the form X = Asin (t +  )

where A is the amplitude of vibration matrix.

Substituting in the solution to the equation of motion gives:

(K -M  ) A = 0
2

So as A is indeterminate, then det K-M  2 = 0

FE Analysis 13
 Example – MDOF
Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors:

k11 − m11 2 k12 − m12 2 ........

k 21 − m21 2 k22 − m22 2 ........
Hence: =0
k31 − m31 2
k32 − m32  2
........
........ ........ ........

This gives positive real roots for

The values of ω 2 are known as EIGENVALUES (i.e.

providing frequencies)

The values of A corresponding to a particular ω i2 are known

as the EIGENVECTORS for that mode (i.e. mode shapes)
FE Analysis 14
 Simplified Formulae
So Natural Frequencies can be calculated via analytical
means or with simplified formulae for assumed structural
systems.

Use R.D.Blevins

FE Analysis 15
 Simplified Formulae
2DOF example revisited – determine suitable formula from Blevins

12EI
In the problem of the sway frame k=
FE Analysis
L3 16
 Simplified Formulae
The frequency formulae are modified:

The stiffness is 5kN/mm in each storey, and the mass is 5000kg

yielding the frequencies we had before:

f1 = 3.11Hz f2 = 8.14Hz

Mode shapes: Note – use

consistent units:
1+ 5
Mode 1 11 = 1 21 = = 1.618 Force = N
2
Length = m
Mode 2 12 = 1 22 =
1− 5
= −0.618 Mass = kg
2
FE Analysis Time = sec 17
Formulas For Natural Frequency and Mode Shape

For some typical structures such as beams and plates, the equation of
motion can be solved without the need for discretization of mass and
stiffness (closed form solution). We have in effect an infinite degree of
freedom system.

In this case recurrence formulae are used. Here is a cantilever as an

example:

Calculate the fundamental flexural frequency

FE Analysis 18
Formulas For Natural Frequency and Mode Shape

FE Analysis 19
 Formulas For Natural Frequency and Mode Shape
• Two storeys, 1st floor of mass 30000kg, and 2nd floor (roof level) 15000kg. The ground
floor elevation is 3.75m and the elevation from first floor to roof level is 3.2m
• The steel columns in each storey have a total second moment of area of 120000 cm4 the
Young’s modulus of steel ma by taken as 200kN/mm4

Note – use
consistent units:
Force = N
Length = m
Mass = kg
Time = sec

Calculate the fundamental flexural frequency

FE Analysis 20
 Formulas For Natural Frequency and Mode Shape
• Use Blevins book

FE Analysis 21
 Importance of Modes: Effective/Participating Mass
We can see from the mode shapes of the previous examples that the fundamental
mode appears to show movement of all of the degrees of freedom in one direction (in
phase), whereas the higher modes demonstrate movement in opposite directions (out
of phase).

If we now think of inertia effects when we mobilise these modes, we can visualise a
certain amount of mass which is ‘captured’ within the vibrational movement of a
mode. This is called EFFECTIVE or PARTICIPATING mass.

The more mass captured in a mode, the more inertia effects (i.e. accelerations and
forces) it is likely to present if it is excited by an earthquake. So, the fundamental
mode for typical structures tends to mobilise the most Participating mass.

If the participating mass is summed over all the modes of vibration, then the whole
structure mass will be obtained

FE Analysis 22
 Effective/Participating Mass
The derivation and use of the following parameters is
given in more detail in a supplementary sheet (multimodal
response spectrum analysis) . So we can define the
following:

Earthquake excitation Factor Li =  m jij

j

Modal Mass M i =  m jij2

j
Where i = mode and j = DOF
Participating Mass = L2i/Mi
FE Analysis 23
 Effective/Participating Mass
Returning to the 2 DOF example:

FE Analysis 24
 Modal Analysis using Finite Elements

All of the major FE codes implement Modal Analysis.

Typical input will be section properties to provide the stiffness K and the Masses ‘M’, model
geometry, and boundary conditions.

Solution is typically carried out using Block Lancoz eigen value extraction.

Note that no forces are applied – they are meaningless in a modal analysis as it is a free
vibration analysis. Also note that any displacements reported are also meaningless!!

Output will be natural frequencies, mode shapes at each frequency, and the participating mass
in the three translational cartesian directions and the three rotational axes.

A typical ANSYS model is shown

FE Analysis 25
Modeling a Frame System on ANSYS: building
sway 2 stories

FE Analysis 26
Modeling a Frame System on ANSYS: building
sway 2 stories

FE Analysis 27
FE Analysis 28