Lower Bound of Vibration Modes Using the Node-Based Smoothed Finite Element Method (NS-FEM)

Abstract

The smoothed finite element method (S-FEM) has been recently developed as an effective solver for solid mechanics problems. This paper represents an effective approach to compute the lower bounds of vibration modes or eigenvalues of elasto-dynamic problems, by making use of the important softening effects of node-based S-FEM (NS-FEM). We first use NS-FEM, FEM and the analytic approach to compute the eigenvalues of transverse free vibration in strings and membranes. It is found that eigenvalues by NS-FEM are always smaller than those by FEM and the analytic method. However, NS-FEM produces spurious unphysical modes because of overly soft behavior. A technique is then proposed to remove them by analyzing their vibration shapes (eigenvectors). It is observed that spurious modes with excessively large wave numbers, which are unrelated to the physical deflection shapes but related to the discretization density, therefore can be easily removed. The final results of NS-FEM become the lower bound of eigenvalues and the accuracy can be improved via mesh refinement. And NS-FEM solutions (softer) are more reliable, because the large wave number component can be used as an indicator, which is available in FEM (stiffer), on the quality of the numerical solutions. The proposed NS-FEM procedure offers a viable and practical computational means to effectively compute the lower bounds of eigenvalues for solid mechanics problems.