ME 4021: Applied Engineering Mathematics

Assignment on Finite Element Method

1. The composite wall consists of three material layers as shown in figure. The outer wall
temperature is 20 C. The inner wall is being heated by a constant heat flux of 2000 W/m2 .
Determine the temperature at the outer wall and the material junctions of the wall using
FEM. The thermal conductivities of the layers are given as k1 = 20 W/m C, k2 = 30
W/m C and k3 = 50 W/m C.

2. Two trolleys are connected by the arrangement of springs shown in figure.

(a) Determine the complete set of equilibrium equations for the system in the form
[K]{U } = {F }.
(b) If k = 50 lb./in., F1 = 20 lb., and F2 = 15 lb., compute the displacement of each
trolley and the force in each spring.

3. Figure below depicts an assembly of two bar elements made of different materials.

(a) Determine displacement, element strains, stresses and the reaction force using
i. linear bar element
ii. quadratic bar element
iii. Mechanics of materials approach
(b) Plot displacement obtained in three different ways in the same graph and compare.
Do the same for element strains and stresses.

1
4. Solve the following boundary value problem using finite element method:
2
d y
2 + 24x = 0


dx

0
0
y (0) = 1, y (1) = 2

(a) Derive the general element stiffness matrix equation using Galerkins weighted resid-
ual approach.
(b) Obtain the solution considering the following cases:
i. One-element model
ii. Two-element model
Plot the two element solution with the true solution in the same graph and compare.
(c) Construct the reduced global stiffness matrix equation for four element model.