ENEQ623-22X (C) General non-calendar-based 2022

Finite Element Analysis

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 18 April 2022
End Date: Sunday, 17 July 2022
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 1 May 2022
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 26 June 2022

Description

Strong, weak, Galerkin, and matrix forms of differential equations; accuracy and characteristics of finite element solutions; isoparametric elements; 1d, 2d, and 3d linear elasticity problems; dynamic analysis of structures with lumped and distributed mass; introduction to nonlinear analysis.

The finite element method is a numerical method ubiquitously employed to solve boundary value problems arising in a wide range of fields, e.g. structural mechanics, heat flow, advection-diffusion, and electromagnetics problems.

This course covers the mathematical underpinnings of the finite element method, and its application to solve structural mechanics and heat flow problems. Although emphasis is on the linear static analysis of continuum and framed structures, dynamic analysis is introduced towards the end.

This course caters to Structural, Geotechnical, Mechanical, and Fire engineers. It is designed to enable students to conduct robust analyses using commercial software packages, and to confidently interpret the results.

Learning Outcomes

1. Develop the finite element formulation for 1d, 2d, and 3d boundary value problems.
2. Design smooth, continuous, and convergent finite element meshes to discretise the problem domain.
3. Apply the finite element method to compute approximate solutions for structural mechanics and heat flow problems using efficient numerical solution algorithms.
4. Apply the finite element method to analyse linear models of continuum and framed structures under external static and dynamic loads.
5. Apply the finite element method to compute the modal frequencies and dynamic mode shapes of a structural model.
6. Interpret the accuracy of the analysis results in light of the factors like the conditioning of the system, the order of numerical integration employed, the quality of the mesh, and the influence of mesh refinement.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Globally aware

Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of Department or the Programme Director

Timetable Note

ENEQ623 will have online lectures with weekly in-person discussion sessions and final in-person project presentations and exams.

Course Coordinator

Reagan Chandramohan

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Assignments 30%
Project 30%
Exam 40%


Assignments

• You can expect about 80% of your learning to occur while working on the assignments; hence, you are strongly encouraged to begin working on them early, and to ask plenty of questions during the weekly discussion sessions.
• You are advised to diligently review all the relevant lectures before attempting the assignments, in order to get the most out of them.
• You must work on the assignments and the project individually. While you are permitted to discuss assignment problems with other students, you are not permitted to copy their work. The solutions you submit should reflect your own understanding of the problem, organisation of the calculations, and interpretation of the results.

• Assignment solutions must be submitted as a single PDF file on Learn; hardcopies will not be accepted. Handwritten solutions must be scanned using a scanner. If a scanner is not available, the CamScanner app may be used to edit and combine photographs into a single PDF file. It is your responsibility to make sure your solutions are legible.

• Since this is a professional engineering course, it is expected that the submitted assignment
solutions are neat and well organised. Marks will not be awarded for incoherent, untidy, or illegible submissions.
• Assignment problems will be marked on a scale of 0 to 3 based on the following criteria:

◦ Completeness: Have reasonable attempts been made to solve all parts of the problem?
◦ Concept: Does the solution reflect an understanding of the underlying concepts?
◦ Execution: Have all the intermediate steps, formulations, and calculations been presented in a neat and orderly manner?

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Hughes, Thomas J. R; The finite element method : linear static and dynamic finite element analysis ; Dover Publications, 2000.

The following reference textbooks are recommended for supplemental reading:

• Fish, J., & Belytschko, T. (2007). A First Course in Finite Elements. Chichester, England:
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Free digital copy available from UC Library website)
• Bathe, K.-J. (2014). Finite element procedures (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey,
USA: Prentice Hall. (Free digital copy available from MIT)

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,133.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Civil and Natural Resources Engineering .

All ENEQ623 Occurrences

  • ENEQ623-22X (C) General non-calendar-based 2022