Beam theory

Vladimir Fedorov
Learning objectives

After this lecture you will be able to:

• Define boundary conditions and loads on beams;

• Calculate reactions and internal forces;
• Explain the basics of classical beam theory, beam
deformations and stresses.
10 MW wind turbine blade

Flap-wise bending loads

on blade in normal operation
Equilibrium
𝑷𝑖
𝑴𝑗

𝒓𝑖
𝑂
𝑁𝐹

•Forces: 𝑷𝑖 = 0
𝑖=1

𝑁𝑀 𝑁𝐹

•Moments, pt. 𝑂: 𝑴𝒋 + 𝒓 𝑖 × 𝑷𝒊 = 0
𝑗=1 𝑖=1
 Supports
Displacements: Forces:
•Sliding simple support:
𝑤𝑦 = 0 𝑅𝑦 ≠ 0
𝑅𝑦 𝑤𝑥 ≠ 0, 𝜃 ≠ 0 𝑅𝑥 = 𝑀 = 0
•Simple support:
𝑌 𝑅𝑥 𝑤𝑥 = 0, 𝑤𝑦 = 0 𝑅𝑥 ≠ 0, 𝑅𝑦 ≠ 0
𝑋 𝑅𝑦 𝜃≠0 𝑀=0
•Clamped support:
𝑀
𝑅𝑥 𝑤𝑥 = 0, 𝑤𝑦 = 0 𝑅𝑥 ≠ 0, 𝑅𝑦 ≠ 0
𝑅𝑦 𝜃=0 𝑀≠0
 Reaction forces 𝑌
𝑑 𝑋
𝐹
𝑅𝐴𝑥 𝐴 𝐵

𝑙
𝑅𝐴𝑦
From equilibrium equations: 𝑅𝐵𝑦

𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝑅𝐴𝑥 = 0

𝑝𝑡. 𝐴: 𝑀=0 −𝐹𝑑 + 𝑅𝐵𝑦 𝑙 = 0 𝑅𝐵𝑦 = 𝐹𝑑/𝑙

𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝑅𝐴𝑦 + 𝑅𝐵𝑦 − 𝐹 = 0 𝑅𝐴𝑦 = 𝐹 − 𝑅𝐵𝑦 = 𝐹(1 − 𝑑/𝑙)

Internal forces
𝑌
𝑑 𝑋 𝑑 𝐹 𝑀(𝑥)
𝐹
𝑅𝐴𝑥 𝐴 𝐵 𝑅𝐴𝑥 𝐴
𝑁(𝑥)
𝑥 𝑄(𝑥)
𝑅𝐴𝑦 𝑙 𝑅𝐴𝑦
𝑅𝐵𝑦

Equilibrium of the cut (forces):

𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝑅𝐴𝑥 + 𝑁 𝑥 = 0 𝑁 𝑥 = −𝑅𝐴𝑥 = 0

𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝑅𝐴𝑦 − 𝐹 − 𝑄 𝑥 = 0 𝑄 𝑥 = 𝐹 − 𝑅𝐴𝑦 = 𝐹𝑑/𝑙

Internal forces
𝑌
𝑑 𝑋 𝑑 𝐹 𝑀(𝑥)
𝐹
𝑅𝐴𝑥 𝐴 𝐵 𝑅𝐴𝑥 𝐴
𝑁(𝑥)
𝑥 𝑄(𝑥)
𝑅𝐴𝑦 𝑙 𝑅𝐴𝑦
𝑅𝐵𝑦

Equilibrium of the cut (moments):

𝑝𝑡. 𝐴: 𝑀=0 −𝐹𝑑 − 𝑄 𝑥 ∙ 𝒙 + 𝑀 𝑥 = 0

𝑀 𝑥 = 𝐹𝑑 + 𝑄 𝑥 ∙ 𝒙 = 𝐹𝑑(1 + 𝒙/𝑙)
Euler-Bernoulli beam theory
Straight beam:

∆𝑠 ∆𝑠

𝑅
∆𝜃 ∆𝜃
𝑀 𝑀
Curved beam:
∆𝑠 ∆𝑠
 Strains and stresses in the beam
1 Δ𝜃
Beam curvature: 𝜅= =
𝑅 Δ𝑠
Δ𝑠∗ −Δ𝑠 𝑅+𝑧 Δ𝜃−𝑅Δ𝜃
𝑅 ∆𝜃 Strains: 𝜀= = = 𝜅𝑧
Δ𝑠 Δ𝑠

∆𝑠 Stresses: 𝜎 = 𝐸𝜀 = 𝐸𝜅𝑧
𝑧
𝑧
Bending moment:
𝑍 𝑀= 𝜎𝑧𝑑𝐴 = 𝜅 𝐸𝑧 2 𝑑𝐴 =
𝐴 𝐴

=𝜅𝐸 𝐴
𝑧 2 𝑑𝐴 = 𝜅𝐸𝐼
𝐼
Beam deformations
For small bending displacements, 𝑤:
𝑑𝑤(𝑥)
• Beam rotation: 𝜃(𝑥) = −
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝜃 𝑥 𝑑 2 𝑤(𝑥)
• Beam curvature: 𝜅 𝑥 = = −
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑 2 𝑤(𝑥)
• Bending moment: 𝑀(𝑥) = 𝐸𝐼𝜅(𝑥) = −𝐸𝐼
𝑑𝑥 2
𝑋 𝑀(𝑥)
• Beam deflection: 𝑤 𝑋 =− 0 𝐸𝐼
𝑑𝑥
Summary
In this lecture you have learnt:

•Wind turbine blades can be treated as beams

•How to calculate reactions and internal beam loads
•How to calculate beam strains and stresses
•How to calculate beam bending deformations