HANDLING TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT PROPERTIES AND BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN STOCHASTIC FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Abstract

This paper describes the application of the stochastic finite element method (SFEM) to problems in which the properties and boundary conditions are temperature dependent. It is shown that, in contrast to systems with constant but uncertain properties, the equations are nonlinear. A method is given mat linearizes the equations. Several examples are given to demonstrate when higher order estimates of the variances are needed. The problems are also solved using stratified sampling, and it is shown that for equal accuracy, the SFEM involves approximately 1 / 20th the computational effort.

Notes

Address correspondence to Professor Ashley F. Emery, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352600, Seattle, WA 98195-2600, USA.