ME 402

Introduction to FEA
Spring 2020
Lecture 10: Development of Beam Equations

Instructor : Asst. Prof. Dr. Samet AKAR

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Çankaya University
Beam Element-Stiffness Matrix

o A beam is a long, slender structural member generally

subjected to transverse loading that produces significant
bending effects as opposed to twisting or axial effects.
o Bending deformation is measured as:
o A transverse displacement
o A rotation.

o In developing the stiffness matrix we will assume that the beam

element is :
o Straight
o Has a constant cross-sectional area

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Beam Element

How many degrees of freedom do we have per

node?

At all nodes, the following sign conventions are used: L: Length of the element
x: axial local coordinate
1. Moments are positive in the counterclockwise direction.
y: transverse local coordinate
2. Rotations are positive in the counterclockwise direction. vi: local transverse nodal

3. Forces are positive in the positive y direction. displacements

ϕi :Nodal rotation
4. Displacements are positive in the positive y direction.
fiy: Local nodal forces
mi: bending moments

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Beam Stiffness Matrix
o We will use Euler-Bernoulli Beam Theory to derive the stiffness
matrix for the beam element (Considering Bending
Deformations Only)

The curvature of the beam (К) is related to the moment by

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Beam Stiffness Matrix

𝑑2 𝑣
𝑀 = 𝐸𝐼 2
𝑑𝑥
𝑑2𝑀
𝑤 𝑥 =−
𝑑𝑥 2

For constant EI and only nodal forces and moments

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Beam Stiffness Matrix
o Step 1: Select the Element Type

o Step 2: Select a Displacement Function

o Assume the transverse displacement variation through the element length
to be

o Express v as a function of the nodal degrees of freedom

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Beam Stiffness Matrix

In matrix form, we express

N1, N2, N3, and N4 are called the shape functions for a beam element. These cubic shape (or
interpolation) functions are known as Hermite cubic interpolation (or cubic spline) functions.

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Beam Stiffness Matrix
o Step 3: Define the Strain/Displacement and Stress/Strain
Relationships

From the deformed configuration of the beam, we

relate the axial displacement to the transverse
displacement by:

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o Step 4: Derive the Element Stiffness Matrix and Equations

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Example
o Obtain the Global stiffness matrix of the given beam

o Step 1: Discretize the model

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Solution
o Step 2: Determine Element Stiffness matrices

o Step 3: Assembly

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Solution
o Step 4: Apply boundary conditions

o Step 5: Solve for unknowns

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Example
Using the direct stiffness method, solve the problem of the propped
cantilever beam subjected to end load P. The beam is assumed to have
constant EI and length 2L. It is supported by a roller at mid-length and is
built in at the right end.

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Solution

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Example

o For the given beam, determine the nodal displacements and

rotations, global nodal forces, and element forces.

o Step 1: Discretization

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Solution

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Solution

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Example
o For the given beam-spring system determine the nodal
displacements and rotations and the global and element forces.

o Step 1: Discretization

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Solution

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Solution

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Solution

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Beam Stiffness Matrix Based on Timoshenko Beam Theory

o Euler-Bernoulli beam equation is based on the assumption

that the beam is long and slender; that is, the length, L, to
depth, h, dimension ratio of the beam is large. However, for
short, deep beams the transverse shear deformation can be
significant.

o A general rule for rectangular cross-section beams is that for a

length at least eight times the depth, the transverse shear
deflection is less than five percent of the bending deflection.

o The inclusion of the shear deformation in beam theory is

known as the Timoshenko beam theory (The shear
deformation beam theory)

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Timoshenko Beam Theory
negligible

Central assumption of
the E.B. Beam theory

When the bending much

more pronounced

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Timoshenko Beam Theory
The shear deformation (deformation due to the shear force V) is now included.

We assume that the linear deflection and angular deflection (slope) are small.

The relation between bending moment and bending deformation (curvature) is now

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Timoshenko Beam Theory
The relation between the shear force and shear deformation (rotation due to shear) (shear strain) is given by

To derive the stiffness matrix for the beam element including transverse shear deformation,
we assume the transverse displacement to be given by the cubic function

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Timoshenko Beam Theory
o we choose transverse shear strain consistent with the cubic
polynomial for v(x), such that

From Literature

Shear areas, As, vary with cross-section shapes. For instance, for a rectangular shape As is taken
as 0.83 times the cross section A, for a solid circular cross section it is taken as 0.9 times the
cross section.

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Timoshenko Beam Theory

In a manner similar to step 4 used to derive the stiffness matrix for the beam element without
shear deformation included, we have

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Timoshenko Beam Theory

g=0
Timoshenko Beam Theory Euler-Bernoulli Beam Theory
g represents the transverse shear term
To more easily see the effect of the shear correction factor, we define the nondimensional shear
correction term as

Most commercial computer programs,

will include the shear deformation by
having you input the shear area, As=ksA.

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Distributed Loading

o Beam members can support distributed loading as well as

concentrated nodal loading.

Fixed-fixed beam subjected to a

uniformly distributed load

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Work-Equivalence Method
o We can use the work-equivalence method to replace a distributed load by
a set of discrete loads.
o This method is based on the concept that the work of the distributed load
w(x) in going through the displacement field v(x) is equal to the work done
by nodal loads fiy and mi in going through nodal displacements vi and ϕi for
arbitrary nodal displacements

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Example of Load Replacement
Consider the uniformly loaded beam

for arbitrary nodal displacements, we let ϕ1 =1, ϕ2 =0,

v1 =0, and v2 =0 and then obtain

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Example of Load Replacement

We can conclude that, in general, for any given load function w(x), we can multiply by v(x)
and then integrate to obtain the concentrated nodal forces (and/or
moments) used to replace the distributed load.

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