In earlier six posts, we had introduced two major methods Finite Element Method

and Finite Difference Method and about various special numerical procedures other
than finite element methods Method of Characteristics, Boundary Integral
Equation Method and Fast Fourier Transform. In sixth post we discussed about one
special topic simulation of embankment and excavation. In this post we will
discuss about FEM approach to dynamic loading problems which is relevant to
geotechnical engineering and numerical solution of these problems.

Dynamic Analysis in geotechnical engineering falls into three categories. The first is
the vibration of machine foundation on soil or rock. The input is often prescribed at
foundation level and usually consists of steady oscillation at known frequencies. The
second is the seismic analysis of a structure founded on a soil. The input motion is
prescribed simultaneously along the bedrock, although in some cases this is based

on desired motions at the surface or elsewhere. It may be based on earlier historical

earthquake loading. It consists of a relatively long history of accelerations with a
rich frequency content. The third type of loading may involve the propagation of
shock loading through a complex of soil and rock with a reinforced soil wall, tunnel,
embankment or other structures. The input usually consists of a relatively short
waveform, but the boundary points move separately, and the nonlinearity of the soil
behavior is an important parameter. It is very obvious that same software code will
not be able to cater to all three problems as their treatment will be different thus
separate softwares modules will have to be developed. Python language is very
versatile in this aspect and ABAQUS software is primarily based on this. Let us first
consider the simplest formulation for isotropic linear elastic material with no internal
dissipation of energy and then progress it to advanced problems.

Linearly Elastic Undamped Formulation

The equations of dynamic equilibrium for a linearly elastic, undamped continuous
body are

The right-hand sides of these equations include both the products of mass density
and the corresponding accelerations and arbitrary, time-independent forcing
functions (Px, Py, Pz).

Many techniques can be used to obtain finite element and finite difference
formulations from above equation. A very simple technique being an extension of
finite elements method is used. In this, the terms involving mass times acceleration
are replaced by equivalent body forces of opposite sense, called d Alembert forces:

where ux, uy and uz are the component of displacements in the x, y and z directions
respectively.
Then the equilibrium at a given instant of time must require satisfaction of the
principle of virtual work:

Where Ti is the prescribed traction over the surface S 1.

If the interpolation function

are the same for displacement, velocity and acceleration, we have:

where {u} = vector of displacements at point

{q} = vector of nodal displacements

[N] = matrix of interpolation function

And dots indicate differentiation with respect to time.
Substitution of these expressions into above equation together with usual algebraic
and variational operations leads to:

The first expression on the right-hand side describes the inertial part of the system.
It can be written in terms of the mass matrix [m] as {q} T[m]{q}. The mass matrix
for one element is

This is called the consistent mass matrix because its derivation is consistent with
that of the stiffness matrix. For example, a constant-strain triangle with constant
distribution of mass and with area A has a consistent mass matrix:

The form of [m] assumes that nodal displacements {q} are arranged with all the x
displacements first and all the y displacements following; there are no z
displacements for this elements.

An alternative approach is to assume that the mass is concentrated at the nodes,

leading to lumped mas matrix. The constant-strain triangle has a limped mass
matrix:

The lumped mass matrix is simpler to compute and assemble than the consistent
mass matrix, especially for complicated elements than the constant strain triangle,
and it often leads to much greater computational simplicity. The consistent mass
matrix follows from a very coherent and rigorous derivation and is more appealing
due to its mathematical elegance.
For one-dimensional cases, the lumped mass matrix underestimates the resonant
frequencies of the system and the consistent mass matrix overestimates them by
nearly the same amount. Therefore, the most satisfactory procedure from the point
of view of numerical accuracy is to use a mass matrix combining the lumped and
consistent formulation in equal and consistent formulations in equal or nearly equal
proportions. This is the most favored approach followed today.
The remaining terms on the right hand side of above equation represent the
contributions of externally applied loads. These loads can be combined in a nodal
load vector {Q}, giving a term {q} T{Q}.
Now the terms for all elements are added node by node in the usual manner of
assembling finite element global equations. If {r} is the global nodal displacement
vector, {R} the global nodal external load vector, [K] the summation of the element
[k] matrices, and [M] the summation of elemental [m] matrices, then

The vectors {r}, {r} and {R} are functions of time, but any instant the principles of
virtual work and equilibrium require that the variation vanish. Thus

This is the basic finite element formulation of the dynamic problem for linearly
elastic, undamped materials. The equation can be used directly for analysis of
problems with general dynamic loadings. In most earthquake loading problems,
loading does not consist of a set of prescribed body and surface forces {R} but of a
set of prescribed boundary accelerations.

In next post, we will discuss another special topic of FEM approach to case of
Dynamic Loading relevant in geotechnical engineering that is Earthquake
Loading.