BEAMS and SHAFTS
Module-3
Beam element
Beam is a structural member which is acted upon by a system of
external loads perpendicular to axis which causes bending that is
deformation of bar produced by perpendicular load as well as force
couples acting in a plane. Beams are the most common type of
structural component, particularly in Civil and Mechanical
Engineering. A beam is a bar-like structural member whose primary
function is to support transverse loading and carry it to the supports
A truss and a bar undergoes only axial deformation and it is
assumed that the entire cross section undergoes the same displacement,
but beam on other hand undergoes transverse deflection denoted by v.
Fig shows a beam subjected to system of forces and the deformation of
the neutral axis
We assume that cross section is doubly symmetric and bending take
place in a plane of symmetry. From the strength of materials we
observe the distribution of stress as shown.
Where M is bending moment and I is the moment of inertia.
According to the Euler Bernoulli theory. The entire c/s has the same
transverse deflection V as the neutral axis, sections originally
perpendicular to neutral axis remain plane even after bending
Deflections are small & we assume that rotation of each section
is the same as the slope of the deflection curve at that point (dv/dx).
Now we can call beam element as simple line segment representing the
neutral axis of the beam. To ensure the continuity of deformation at any
point, we have to ensure that V & dv/dx are continuous by taking 2 dof
@ each node V & (dv/dx). If no slope dof then we have only
transverse dof. A prescribed value of moment load can readily taken
into account with the rotational dof .
Potential energy approach
Strain energy in an element for a length dx is given by
But we know = M y / I substituting this in above equation we get.
But
Therefore strain energy for an element is given by
Now the potential energy for a beam element can be written as
Hermite shape functions:
1D linear beam element has two end nodes and at each node 2
dof which are denoted as Q2i-1 and Q2i at node i. Here Q2i-1 represents
transverse deflection where as Q2i is slope or rotation. Consider a beam
element has node 1 and 2 having dof as shown.
The shape functions of beam element are called as Hermite shape
functions as they contain both nodal value and nodal slope which is
satisfied by taking polynomial of cubic order
that must satisfy the following conditions
Applying these conditions determine values of constants as
Solving above 4 equations we have the values of constants
Therefore
Similarly we can derive
Following graph shows the variations of Hermite shape functions
Stiffness matrix:
Once the shape functions are derived we can write the equation
of the form
But
ie
Strain energy in the beam element we have
Therefore total strain energy in a beam is
Now taking the K component and integrating for limits -1 to +1 we get
Beam element forces with its equivalent loads
Uniformly distributed load
Point load on the element
Varying load
Bending moment and shear force
We know
Using these relations we have
Solution:
Let’s model the given system as 2 elements 3 nodes finite
element model each node having 2 dof. For each element determine
stiffness matrix.
Global stiffness matrix
Load vector because of UDL
Element 1 do not contain any UDL hence all the force term for
element 1 will be zero.
ie
For element 2 that has UDL its equivalent load and moment are
represented as
ie
Global load vector:
From KQ=F we write
At node 1 since its fixed both q1=q2=0
node 2 because of roller q3=0
node 3 again roller ie q5= 0
By elimination method the matrix reduces to 2 X 2 solving this we
have Q4= -2.679 X 10-4mm and Q6 = 4.464 X10-4mm
To determine the deflection at the middle of element 2 we can write the
displacement function as
= -0.089mm
Solution: Let’s model the given system as 3 elements 4 nodes finite
element model each node having 2 dof. For each element determine
stiffness matrix. Q1, Q2……Q8 be nodal displacements for the entire
system and F1……F8 be nodal forces.
Global stiffness matrix:
Load vector because of UDL:
For element 1 that is subjected to UDL we have load vector as
ie
Element 2 and 3 does not contain UDL hence
Global load vector:
And also we have external point load applied at node 3, it gets added to
F5 term with negative sign since it is acting downwards. Now F
becomes,
From KQ=F
At node 1 because of roller support
q1=0 Node 4 since fixed q7=q8=0
After applying elimination and solving the matrix we determine the
values of q2, q3, q4, q5 and q6.
