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 the element
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 3 = 2-D elastic beam

BEAM 4 = 3-D elastic beam

BEAM 23 = 2-D plastic beam

BEAM 24 = 3-D thin-walled beam

BEAM 44 = 3-D elastic, tapered, unsymmetric beam

BEAM 54 = 2-D elastic, tapered, unsymmetric beam

BEAM 161 = Explicit 3-D beam

BEAM 188 = Linear finite strain beam

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 2 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
( )

,
_

+ +
1
1
]
1

,
_

< <

2
5 3 2
2
2
2 2
2
10
1
96
2 2
0
2
2
0
2
2
IGL
E bh
EI
L P
U U U
y
h
I
V
dV
G
U
L
x
Px
M
dx
EI
M
U
s b
xy
xz
V
xz xy
s
L
b

,
_

+ +

2
2 3 2
3
5
6
1
96
12
GL
Eh
EI
L P
U U U
bh
I
s b
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
M
F F
M
Determining Equivalent Loads

Goal is to ensure equivalent loads

produce same strain energy
2 4 2 3 1 2 1 1
) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( x N v x N x N v x N x v + + +
2 3
2
4
2
2
3
3
3
2 3
2
2
2
2
3
3
1
1 1
) (
3 2
) (
2 1
) (
1
3 2
) (
x
L
x
L
x N
x
L
x
L
x N
x x
L
x
L
x N
x
L
x
L
x N

+
+
+
( )

,
_

+ +

,
_

+ + +
+ + +
+ + +

2 2 1 1
0
4 2
0
3 2
0
2 1
0
1 1
0
2 4
0
2 3
0
1 2
0
1 1
0
2 4 2 3 1 2 1 1
0 0
12 2
1
12 2
1
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) (




L
v
L
v qL W
dx x N dx x N v dx x N dx x N v q W
dx x N q dx v x N q dx x N q dx v x N q W
dx x N v x N x N v x N q W
dx x v q qdx x v W
L L L L
L L L L
L
L L
Equivalent Loads (continued)
( ) ( )
2 1 2 1
+ + M v v F W
( ) ( )

,
_

+ + + +
2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1
12 2
1
12 2
1

L
v
L
v qL M v v F W
12
2
2
qL
M
qL
F

M
F F
M
Putting Two Elements Together
M
F F
M M
F F
M
M
F F F 2F
M
An Example

Consider a beam of length D divided into 4

elements

Distributed load is constant

For each element, L=D/4

192 12
8 2
2 2
qD qL
M
qD qL
F


qD/8
qD/4 qD/4
qD/8
qD/4
qD2/192 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)
EI
qL
v
8
4
max

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
3 m
2 m
Cross-
sections
6
cm
5
cm
( )
m v
I J I
R R I
xx
i o
5
max
4 4
10 59 . 2
2
4