Beam Elements

Jake Blanchard
Spring 2008

Beam Elements
These

are Line Elements, with

2 nodes
6 DOF per node (3 translations and 3
rotations)
Bending modes are included (along
with torsion, tension, and
compression)
(there also are 2-D beam elements
with 3 DOF/node 2 translations and
1 rotation)
More than 1 stress at each point on

Shape functions
Axial

displacement is linear in x
Transverse displacement is cubic in x
Coarse mesh is often OK
For example, transverse displacement in
problem pictured below is a cubic function
of x, so 1 element can give exact solution
F

Beam Elements in ANSYS

BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM

beam
BEAM
beam
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM

3 = 2-D elastic beam

4 = 3-D elastic beam
23 = 2-D plastic beam
24 = 3-D thin-walled beam
44 = 3-D elastic, tapered, unsymmetric
54 = 2-D elastic, tapered, unsymmetric
161 = Explicit 3-D beam
188 = Linear finite strain beam
189 = 3-D Quadratic finite strain beam

Real Constants
Area
IZZ,

IYY, IXX
TKZ, TKY (thickness)
Theta (orientation
about X)
ShearZ, ShearY
(accounts for shear
deflection important
for stubby beams)

Shear Deflection
Constants
shearZ=actual

area/effective area resisting shear

Geometr
y
ShearZ

6/5

10/9

12/5

Shear Stresses in Beams

For

long, thin beams, we can generally

ignore shear effects.
To see this for a particular beam, consider a
beam of length L which is pinned at both
ends and loaded by a force P at the center.
P

L/2

L/2

Accounting for Shear

Effects
M2
Ub
dx
2 EI
L
M

Px
2

U s
V

0 x

2
xy

xz2

2G

L
2

dV

xz 0
xy

2I

h 2

2
y
2

P 2 L3
bh 5 E
1

U Ub U s
2
96 EI
10 IGL

bh 3
I
12
P 2 L3
6 Eh 2
1

U Ub Us
2
96 EI
5GL
Key parameter is
height to length
ratio

Distributed Loads
We

can only apply loads to nodes in FE analyses

Hence, distributed loads must be converted to
equivalent nodal loads
With beams, this can be either force or moment
loads
q=force/unit length

F
M

F
M

Determining Equivalent
Loads
Goal

is to ensure equivalent loads produce

same strain energy

v ( x ) N 1 ( x )v1 N 2 ( x )1 N 3 ( x )v 2 N 4 ( x ) 2
2
3
N1 ( x) 3 x 3 2 x 2 1
L
L
1
2
N 2 ( x) 2 x 3 x 2 x
L
L
2
3
N 3 ( x) 3 x 3 2 x 2
L
L
1
1
N 4 ( x) 2 x 3 x 2
L
L

W v ( x ) qdx q v ( x ) dx
0

W q N 1 ( x )v1 N 2 ( x )1 N 3 ( x )v2 N 4 ( x ) 2 dx
0

W q N 1 ( x ) v1dx q N 2 ( x )1 dx q N 3 ( x )v 2 dx q N 4 ( x ) 2 dx

W q v1 N 1 ( x ) dx 1 N 2 ( x ) dx v 2 N 3 ( x ) dx 2 N 4 ( x ) dx
0
0
0
0

L
1
L
1
W qL v1 1 v 2 2
12
2
12
2

Equivalent Loads
(continued)
W F v1 v2 M 1 2
L
1
L
1
v1 1 v 2 2
12
2
12
2

W F v1 v 2 M 1 2 qL

qL
2
qL2
M
12
F

F
M

F
M

Putting Two Elements

Together
F

F
M

F
M

F
2F

F
M

An Example
Consider

a beam of length D divided into 4

elements
Distributed load is constant
For each element, L=D/4

qL qD
F

2
8
qL2 qD 2
M

12
192

qD/4

qD/8

qD2/192

qD/4

qD/4

qD/8

qD2/192

In-Class Problems
Consider

a cantilever beam
Cross-Section is 1 cm wide and 10 cm tall
E=100 GPa
Q=1000 N/m
1. D=3 m, model using surface load and 4 elements
2. D=3 m, directly apply nodal forces evenly
distributed use 4 elements
3. D=3 m, directly apply equivalent forces (loads
and moments) use 4 elements
4. D=20 cm (with and without ShearZ)
4

vmax

qL

8 EI

Notes
For

adding distributed load, use

Pressure/On Beams
To view stresses, go to List
Results/Element Results/Line
elements
ShearZ for rectangle is still 6/5
Be sure to fix all DOF at fixed end

Now Try a Frame

F (out of plane)=1 N

3m

4
I Ro Ri4
4
I xx J 2 I
vmax 2.59 10 5 m

2m

Crosssections
6
cm

5
cm