FE Modification of the Rayleigh-

Ritz Method
In the Rayleigh-Ritz method

A single trial function is applied throughout the entire region

Trial functions of increasing complexity are required to model all but

the simplest problems

The FE approach

uses comparatively simple trial functions that are applied piece-wise

to parts of the region

These subsections of the region are then the finite elements

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Consider the problem of 1-D heat flow, the functional to be extremised is


  d 
2


     k    Q  x   dx  krr
W  dx  

where the integral over W corresponds to the length of the region and
Neumann boundary conditions are specified at one end, G,of the
region

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
The length over which the solution is required, is divided up into finite
elements

In each element the value of  is found at certain points called nodes

Two nodes will mark the extremities of the element

Other nodes may occur inside the element

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Let the unknown temperatures at the nodes of the element e be

 e   i  i1 ....  in 

T

 i 
 
 i 1 
 . 
 
e
 
 . 
 . 
 
i  n 
where n+1 is the number of nodes in each element.
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
The temperature at any other position in the element is represented in

terms of the nodal values {}e and shape functions associated with each
node

   Nb  b   N 
e

where Nb is the shape function associated with the node b and b=i ...
i+n and [N] is the corresponding row matrix.

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Let us write the trial function  over the entire region  in the form

   N   g

where the summation is over all the nodes in W.

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
g
The global shape functions Nhave

been used to take into account the

contribution from  to  over the entire region W

The global shape functions over much of W will be zero

g
For interior nodes of an element Nwill

be non-zero only within that
element

End nodes of an element will have non-zero values over the two elements
sharing the node.

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
For example :

g
N i  n is non-zero only in elements e and e+1.

g g g
N , N , .... N
i 1 i 2
will be non-zero only in
i  n 1
element e.
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Neglecting for the moment, consideration of the first and last elements of
the region

Write the Rayleigh-Ritz statement in which the nodal values are the
adjustable parameters.

Consider the nodes i...i+n belonging to element e

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
    
     0
 i  i element e1 element e 

    
     0: b  i  1..... i  n  1
  element e 
    
     0
 i  n  i  n element e element e 1
where for example element e stands for

  d  
2

 k  dx   Q x  dx over the element e

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Since


 e1
 i element is an expression involving {e-1


e
 i element
involves {e

and there is no relationship between {e-1 and {e ,both

expressions must be equal to zero
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Let us

focus on the terms containing an integral over the element e

Drop the superscript g on the shape functions

Suppose that the element extends from x=xe to x=xe+h

No loss in generality is incurred if we

Shift the origin to x=xe

Take the element to extend rather from 0 to h

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
The function can be written as,

     k  d k
e
2
e 
     N   Q x  N dx 
     0  2  dx   
where  = i ...i+n

Note that
 i 
     dN  e
x x
  N    ,
e 
dNi dNi 1
 dx dx

.....  .  

    dx  
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
Also, noting

            
2

   2    dN  e dN
    2  
   x   x     x    dx  dx

  dN  e
  
Since
x  dx 

    dN
Hence
 
   x  dx
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
So, differentiating under the integral sign, we have

   
h
 dN  e  dN  
  k
    
 dx 
 Q x  N dx  0
  0   dx  
Hence

h h

k 
dN   dN  e
   dx   Q x N dx
0
 dx   dx  0
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
This equation is one in the set of n+1 simultaneous equations obtained by
letting  run through the values i...i+n :

ki ,i ki ,i 1 . ki ,i n    i   Fi e 
.
    
 ki 1,i 1 . . ki 1,i n     
  . . .     
    
   . .    
    
     ki n ,i n   i n   Fi e n 
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
where h

Fe   Q x N dx
 N   N 
t
0
and kb  k      dx
0
 x    x  b
In the end elements, where Neumann boundary conditions may have to be
considered, there is an additional term

where Nr is the value of N on the boundary G


 k r r   k r N ,r
 
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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
If there are two 2-noded elements, labelled m and n, with nodes i, i+1 and
i+2, assembly of the element matrices is as before. Then

for the first element m

 kim,i kim,i 1   i   Fi m 
 m     m 
 ki 1,i ki 1,i 1  i 1   Fi 1 
m

and similarly for element n

 kin1,i 1 kin1,i  2  i 1   Fi n1 

 n     n 
 ki  2,i 1 ki  2,i  2  i  2   Fi  2 
n

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FE Modification of the Rayleigh-
Ritz Method
By combining these two matrix equations

 kim,i kim,i 1 0      Fm 
 m  i
  
i

 ki 1,i km
i 1,i 1  kin1,i 1  kin1,i  2  i 1    Fi m1  Fi n1 
     F n 
 0 kin 2,i 1 ki  2,i  2   i  2  
n
i2 
The global assembly matrix is built up in this way

The boundary conditions on the extreme elements are inserted

The set of equations is solved for the unknown values of 

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