Basis functions

Shape functions, also known as basis functions, interpolation polynomials and so on. Typically unknown field variable is interpolated from element nodal values using continuous functions. That is,

math

Standard Lagrange shape functions are implemented.

Linear shape functions:

• Seg2 (2-node segment)
• Tri3 (3-node triangle)
• Quad4 (4-node quadrangle)
• Tet4 (4-node tetrahedron)
• Pyr5 (5-node pyramid)
• Wedge6 (6-node wedge)
• Hex8 (8-node hexahedra)

Quadratic and biquadratic shape functions:

• Seg3
• Tri6, Tri7
• Quad8, Quad9
• Tet10
• Wedge15
• Hex20, Hex27

NURBS shape functions:

• NSeg
• NSurf
• NSolid

Creating new basis is done simply by calling that constructor, without any arguments:

julia> Seg2()
ERROR: UndefVarError: Seg2 not defined

julia> Tri3()
ERROR: UndefVarError: Tri3 not defined

julia> Quad4()
ERROR: UndefVarError: Quad4 not defined

The dimensions of basis functions can be determined by size and length. In JuliaFEM, we have a convention that arrays grow on right according to number of nodes and down according to the spatial index. So if we have a row vector $\boldsymbol N$ and a column vector $\boldsymbol u$, interpolation goes $u = \boldsymbol N \boldsymbol u$:

julia> N = [1 2 3] # evaluated basis functions
1×3 Array{Int64,2}:
 1  2  3

julia> u = [1, 2, 3] # field value at discrete points
3-element Array{Int64,1}:
 1
 2
 3

julia> N*u
1-element Array{Int64,1}:
 14

For example, Quad4 is defined in two dimensions and it has 4 nodes, so

julia> B = Quad4()
ERROR: UndefVarError: Quad4 not defined

julia> size(B)
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

julia> length(B)
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

Evaluating basis functions and they partial derivatives with respect to some $\xi$ is done efficiently using eval_basis! and eval_dbasis!. For these commands one needs to allocate array outside of the hot loops to get speed.

julia> N = zeros(1, length(B))
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

julia> dN = zeros(size(B)...)
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

julia> xi = (0.0, 0.0)
(0.0, 0.0)

julia> eval_basis!(B, N, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined

julia> eval_dbasis!(B, dN, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_dbasis! not defined

For Langrange interpolation polynomials, by definition, on each node shape function corresponding to that node gets value of 1 and the rest is zero. Node ordering follows the same defined in e.g. in ABAQUS and in many other FEM softwares. The actual shape of domain can be inspected using command get_reference_element_coordinates:

julia> get_reference_element_coordinates(Quad4)
ERROR: UndefVarError: get_reference_element_coordinates not defined

for xi in get_reference_element_coordinates(Quad4)
    eval_basis!(B, N, xi)
    println("$N at $xi")
end

Mathematics

Without knowing anything about the shape of the real domain (after all, basis is usually defined on dimensionless, reference domain), eval_dbasis! is calculating gradient with respect to dimensionless coordinates $\xi_i$, i.e.

Usually this is not wanted, but instead gradient of basis functions is calculated with respect to natural coordinates $X_i$,

Without going into the mathematical details, to transform partial derivatives from reference element to natural coordinates, inverse of Jacobian matrix is needed.

julia> X = ([0.0, 0.0], [1.0, 0.0], [1.0, 1.0], [0.0, 1.0])
([0.0, 0.0], [1.0, 0.0], [1.0, 1.0], [0.0, 1.0])

julia> xi = (0.0, 0.0)
(0.0, 0.0)

julia> J = jacobian(B, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: jacobian not defined

julia> inv(J) * dN
ERROR: UndefVarError: J not defined

Or directly, using grad:

julia> dNdX = grad(B, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: grad not defined

If interpolation domain is a manifold, i.e. space having lower dimension than the actual space (read: surface in 3d), Jacobian is not square and inverse cannot be taken.

julia> X2 = ([0.0,0.0,0.0], [1.0, 0.0,1.0], [1.0,1.0,1.0], [0.0,1.0,0.0])
([0.0, 0.0, 0.0], [1.0, 0.0, 1.0], [1.0, 1.0, 1.0], [0.0, 1.0, 0.0])

julia> xi = (0.0, 0.0)
(0.0, 0.0)

julia> J = jacobian(B, X2, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: jacobian not defined

One can use Jacobian to calculate surface integral:

julia> 4*norm(cross(J[1,:], J[2,:])), sqrt(2) # area of manifold
ERROR: UndefVarError: J not defined

Gradient of e.g. displacement field or temperature field can be also evaluated, with the same grad function, by adding field u:

julia> u = ([0.0, 0.0], [1.0, -1.0], [2.0, 3.0], [0.0, 0.0])
([0.0, 0.0], [1.0, -1.0], [2.0, 3.0], [0.0, 0.0])

julia> T = (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0)
(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0)

julia> grad(B, u, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: grad not defined

julia> grad(B, T, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: grad not defined

One can interpolate fields using basis, i.e. calculate $u = \boldsymbol{N}\boldsymbol{u}$ as described before:

julia> interpolate(B, u, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: interpolate not defined

julia> interpolate(B, T, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: interpolate not defined

In "hot loops", it's absolutely necessary that no unnecessary memory allcations happen as it is reducing the performance dramatically from C speed. To avoid unnecessary memory allocations, a struct BasisInfo is introduced, containing workspace for calculations.

julia> bi = BasisInfo(Quad4)
ERROR: UndefVarError: BasisInfo not defined

julia> eval_basis!(bi, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined

julia> bi.J       # Jacobian
ERROR: UndefVarError: bi not defined

julia> bi.N       # shape functions
ERROR: UndefVarError: bi not defined

julia> bi.dN      # shape function derivatives, with respect to xi
ERROR: UndefVarError: bi not defined

julia> bi.detJ    # determinant of Jacobian
ERROR: UndefVarError: bi not defined

julia> bi.grad    # shape function derivatives, with respect to X
ERROR: UndefVarError: bi not defined

julia> bi.invJ    # inverse of Jacobian
ERROR: UndefVarError: bi not defined

Calculating gradient of some field u can be done memory efficiently using this BasisInfo structure:

julia> gradu = zeros(2, 2)
2×2 Array{Float64,2}:
 0.0  0.0
 0.0  0.0

julia> grad!(bi, gradu, u)
ERROR: UndefVarError: grad! not defined

Defining custom shape functions

Depending from the type of shape functions, they can be created more or less automatic way. An ultimate goal is to create all kind of shape functions just by defining the general principles and let computer handle the all boring things and create shape functions automatically using metaprogramming to get efficient code.

For Lagrange type interpolation, ones needs only to define polynomial and corner points for domain. For example, if domain is $[0,1]^2$, one can use create_basis, and give polynomial with degree matching to the number of point to interpolate.

julia> code = create_basis(
           :MyQuad,
           "My special domain",
           (
               (0.0, 0.0),
               (1.0, 0.0),
               (1.0, 1.0),
               (0.0, 1.0),
           ),
           "1 + u + v + u*v"
       );
ERROR: UndefVarError: create_basis not defined

julia> eval(code)
ERROR: UndefVarError: code not defined

What we have defined is a interpolation polynomial and "corner points". As a result, we have a new basis MyQuad, working just like expected. All Lagrange polynomials are done like this.

julia> B = MyQuad()
ERROR: UndefVarError: MyQuad not defined

julia> xi = (0.5, 0.5)
(0.5, 0.5)

julia> eval_basis!(B, N, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined

In this case, and considering domain, partial derivatives of shape functions are with respect to $X$, because interpolation polynomials are calculated against real domain and not "reference domain". That is, partial derivatives should match to what already calcualated.

julia> eval_dbasis!(B, dN, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_dbasis! not defined

Jacobian should be identity matrix:

julia> J = jacobian(B, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: jacobian not defined

And taking gradient with respect to $X$ should return also same result than before:

julia> u = ([0.0, 0.0], [1.0, -1.0], [2.0, 3.0], [0.0, 0.0])
([0.0, 0.0], [1.0, -1.0], [2.0, 3.0], [0.0, 0.0])

julia> grad(B, u, X, xi)
ERROR: UndefVarError: grad not defined

Shape functions can be defined manually and calculate partial derivatives automatically. For example, for pyramid elements typical ansatz approach is not applicable. Some other degenerated elements exists in fracture mechanics.

For example, C1-continuous Hermite shape functions ready to approximate Euler-Bernoulli beam equations can be defined as:

julia> code = create_basis(
           :C1Hermite,
           "C1-continuous Hermite shape functions",
           (
               (0.0,),
               (0.0,),
               (1.0,),
               (1.0,)
           ),
           (
               "2*u^3 - 3*u^2 + 1",
               "u^3 - 2*u^2 + u",
               "-2*u^3 + 3*u^2",
               "u^3 - u^2"
           )
       );
ERROR: UndefVarError: create_basis not defined

julia> eval(code)
ERROR: UndefVarError: code not defined

Again, we should have 1.0 in corresponding nodal point or it's derivative, according to that order we have $u(0), u'(0), u(1), u'(1)$, so

julia> B = C1Hermite()
ERROR: UndefVarError: C1Hermite not defined

julia> N = zeros(1, 4)
1×4 Array{Float64,2}:
 0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0

julia> dN = zeros(1, 4)
1×4 Array{Float64,2}:
 0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0

julia> eval_basis!(B, N, (0.0,))
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined

julia> eval_dbasis!(B, dN, (0.0,))
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_dbasis! not defined

julia> eval_basis!(B, N, (1.0,))
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined

julia> eval_dbasis!(B, dN, (1.0,))
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_dbasis! not defined

The last option is to build everything from scratch. For that, one must import and define following functions:

• Base.size
• Base.length
• FEMBase.getreferenceelement_coordinates
• FEMBase.eval_basis!
• FEMBase.eval_dbasis!

As an examples, a simple implementation of P-hierarchical 1d-basis would then be the following:

import Base: size, length
import FEMBase: get_reference_element_coordinates,
                eval_basis!, eval_dbasis!,
                AbstractBasis

type PSeg <: AbstractBasis
    order :: Int
end

function PSeg()
    return PSeg(1)
end

function length(basis::PSeg)
    return basis.order+1
end

function size(basis::PSeg)
    return (1, basis.order+1)
end

function get_reference_element_coordinates(basis::PSeg)
    return ((-1.0,), (1.0,))
end

nothing # hide

Next, define Legengre polynomials:

"""
    get_legendre_polynomial(n)

Return Legendgre polynomial of order `n` to inverval ξ ∈ [1, 1].

Implementation uses Bonnet's recursion formula. See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legendre_polynomials
"""
function get_legendre_polynomial(n)
    n == 0 && return xi -> 1.0
    n == 1 && return xi -> xi
    Pm1 = get_legendre_polynomial(n-1)
    Pm2 = get_legendre_polynomial(n-2)
    A(xi) = (2.0*n-1.0)*xi*Pm1(xi)
    B(xi) = (n-1.0)*Pm2(xi)
    return xi -> (A(xi)-B(xi))/n
end

"""
    get_legendre_polynomial_derivative(n)

Return derivative of Legendgre polynomial of order `n` to
inverval ξ ∈  [-1, 1]
"""
function get_legendre_polynomial_derivative(n)
    n == 0 && return xi -> 0.0
    n == 1 && return xi -> 1.0
    Pm1 = get_legendre_polynomial_derivative(n-1)
    Pm2 = get_legendre_polynomial_derivative(n-2)
    A(xi) = (2.0*(n-1.0)+1.0)*xi*Pm1(xi)
    B(xi) = (n+1.0-1.0)*Pm2(xi)
    return xi -> (A(xi)-B(xi))/(n-1.0)
end

And finally implement eval_basis! and eval_dbasis! functions:

function eval_basis!{T}(basis::PSeg, N::Matrix{T}, xi::Tuple{T})
    n = length(basis)
    t = xi[1]
    N[1] = 0.5*(1-t)
    N[2] = 0.5*(1+t)
    n < 3 && return N
    for i=3:n
        j = i-1
        P1 = get_legendre_polynomial(j)
        P2 = get_legendre_polynomial(j-2)
        N[i] = 1.0/sqrt(2.0*(2.0*j-1.0))*(P1(t)-P2(t))
    end
    return N
end

function eval_dbasis!{T}(basis::PSeg, dN::Matrix{T}, xi::Tuple{T})
    n = length(basis)
    t = xi[1]
    dN[1] = -0.5
    dN[2] = 0.5
    n < 3 && return N
    for i=3:n
        j = i-1
        P1 = get_legendre_polynomial_derivative(j)
        P2 = get_legendre_polynomial_derivative(j-2)
        dN[i] = 1.0/sqrt(2.0*(2.0*j-1.0))*(P1(t)-P2(t))
    end
    return dN
end

nothing # hide

Let's try it:

julia> B = PSeg()
ERROR: UndefVarError: PSeg not defined

julia> N = zeros(1, length(B))
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

julia> eval_basis!(B, N, (0.0,))
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined

julia> B.order = 2
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

julia> N = zeros(1, length(B))
ERROR: UndefVarError: B not defined

julia> eval_basis!(B, N, (0.0,))
ERROR: UndefVarError: eval_basis! not defined