Using the method of generalized coordinates to determine the shape function for the basic truss finite element....

[prusso630]

In the attached example a two node finite element is exemplified in what is called the method of generalized co-ordinates. Forces in one direction are talked about.

So in terms of what is provided with symfem toolkit is there a pre-defined type of element that I should be using to encompass the usage of the spoken of truss element? So just off the cuff so to speak I tried to use create_element to create an internval of the Hermite type however the difficulty I ran into is that for that particular type of element I was not able to create it for degrees 0,1,2 or 4 that I had tried...

So far a previous discussion I was able to ascertain that there is a way once the element is created to get a polynomial basis with element.get_polynomial_basis(). So in terms of what get_polynomial_basis() does is that the same thing as the alpha talked about which is said to be called the vector of constants?

Here the author is making use of a "little a" matrix that is said to be called the polynomial matrix. Is it possible to create a mock up with symfem that can extract for me to look at matrix 'a', as well as the polynomial vector of constants as this particular problem is mocked up?

The reason why I ask is that a and alpha are used to create a shape function N which will later be important. Is it possible that symfem already has the N shape function cooked up that I can retrieve it from the element in question in that same fashion of formulation?

Sorry the author thats Josep Birnic' a popular title Kindle...

[prusso630]

So far from what I gather it some_element.get_polynomial_basis() is a polynomial that corresponds to a polynomial called P(n). P(n) gets more complex as the degree of the element improves. In terms of what Josep Birnic says the matrix little 'a' and the polynomial P(n) are linked to each other as in the values for 'a' can be drawn in from ~.get_polynomial_basis(). As far as the the alpha values what is going on with those is not fully clear to me yet.