Compurm & Strucrures Vol 60. No 6. pp 971-980.

1996
CopyrIght c 1996 Elsewer Science Ltd
Pergamon Pnnted m Great Bntam All nghts reserved
PII: soo45-7949(96)ooo53-3 0045.7949/96 %I 5 00 + 0 00

FREE VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF BEAMS ON ELASTIC

FOUNDATION
D. Thambiratnamt and Y. Zhuge
School of Civil Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane,
Queensland 400 I, Australia

(Recerved 8 March 1995)

Abstract-A simple finite element method is developed and applied to treat the free vibration analysts
of beams supported on elastic foundations. The entire analysis is programmed to run on a
microcomputer and with few elements modelling the beam, gives quick and reliable results. Numerical
examples pertaining to the free vibration of beams in some special situations are considered, such as a
stepped beam on an elastic foundation, beam on a stepped elastic foundation and a continuous beam on
an elastic foundation. Present results compare very well with those obtained from existing solutions,
wherever possible. Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

NOTATIONS 1. INTRODUCTION

a a vector of undetermined coefficients in displace- Dynamic analysis is an important part of structural

ment function
investigation and the results of free vibration analysis
A vector of polynomials in displacement function
B second derivative A are useful in this context. A knowledge of the natural
C connectivity matrix for element ij frequencies of vibration and associated mode shapes
C” damping matrix is also useful in vibration isolation problems, and
D EI, Young’s modulus of the beam in general as indicators of anticipated dynamic
E Young’s modulus of the beam
response. Hence free vibration analysis forms an
Kl-‘wl
G) the thickness of the beam important aspect in the total investigation of a
I second moment of area structure or a structural system.
k,, k, element stiffness matrices due to bending and Free vibration analysis of beams has been exten-
foundation modulus, respectively
sively investigated by many researchers including
k, foundation modulus
k element stiffness matrix Blevins [l] and Timoshenko et al. [2]. Blevins has
K structure stiffness matrix presented detailed information on the frequencies of
I element length vibration and associated mode shapes for practical
element mass matrix use. Special cases have also been treated by methods
ZI structure mass matrix
the bending moment developed particularly for such cases. These include
MB
P(f) vector of forcing functions a finite element method, with non-integer polynomial
P mass density shape functions, to solve the vibration of stepped
9 vector of nodal displacements beams [3], an “exact solution” for the vibration of a
Y mass per unit length
T
stepped beam with two different cross-sections [4] and
kinetic energy
&I, G potential energy due to bending and foundation vibration of clamped-clamped uniform beams with
modulus, respectively an intermediate elastic support [5]. Free vibration
ratio of stepped length to the total length of beam analysis of beams on elastic foundation, or Winkler
(Example 2), or ratio of supported length to the foundation, has been studied in Refs [l, 2 and 6-Q
total length of beam (Example 3)
lateral displacement Lai et al. [6] used a finite element method, based on
volume of element the exact solution of the shape functions governing
mode shapes vector the end deflction the end deflection of the beam, for
frequency studying the free vibration analysis of uniform beams
circular frequency = 2nf
l/W2
on uniform elastic foundations. However, available
eigenvalue solutions for special cases where the beam and/or the
dimensionless frequency = L4,/‘m foundation properties vary along the beam length are
dimensionless frequency = L~J= limited. Free vibration of a stepped beam on an
elastic foundation has been investigated by Wang [7],
t Author to whom all correspondence should be while Kukla [S] studied the free vibration of a beam
addressed. supported on a stepped (variable) elastic foundation.
972 D. Thambiratnam and Y. Zhuge

.-~-.-~-.-~_~_._ _ -X
f
hi “( i j V,
1 t T hi

Fig. 1. Beam on elastic foundation element.

These solutions are tedious and each solution was cal examples are treated in the next section and the
developed to solve a particular case. Free vibration of results compared, wherever possible, with those from
continuous beams on elastic foundation is either existing solutions. The present results agree very well
difficult or impossible to solve analytically. with those from available analytical and numerical
Though the theory of beams on elastic foundation solutions. The paper is concluded in Section 4 with
(BEF) has been in existence for decades, until recent relevant comments.
times it has not been fully linked to the finite element
method to make it amenable to a simple computer
2. METHOD
solution. Analytical solutions are available in the
literature to treat certain problems of beams on 2.1. Element st$ness matrix
elastic foundation. In Ref. [9], Hetenyi solved several
Consider an element ij of length L of a beam on an
problems of beams on elastic foundation subjected to
elastic foundation as shown in Fig. 1, having a
static loads and elaborated on the application of the
uniform width b and a linearly varying thickness
concept of BEF to analyse several other problems.
h(x). It will be a simple matter to consider an element
Timoshenko et al. [2] analytically treated the free
having a linearly varying width if the need arises.
vibration of beams on elastic foundations. All these
Neglecting axial deformations, this beam on an elas-
analytical solutions are quite tedious and therefore
tic foundation element has 2 d.f. per node, a lateral
difficult for practitioners to readily apply them.
translation and a rotation about an axis normal to
Moreover, when there are variations in the beam or
the plane of the paper, and thus possesses a total of
foundation properties along the length of the beam or
4 d.f. The (4 x 4) stiffness matrix k of the element is
when there are intermediate supports, the problems
obtained by adding the (4 x 4) stiffness matrices k,
become very dificult or impossible to solve.
and k, pertaining to the ususal beam bending and
In this paper, a simple finite element method is
foundation modulus, respectively. Since there are
developed and applied to treat the free vibration
four end deflections (or degrees of freedom), a cubic
analysis of beams on elastic foundation. The entire
variation in displacement is assumed in the form
analysis has been programmed to run on a microcom-
puter and with few elements modelling the beam,
v=Aa, (1)
gives quick and reliable results. Results show that
modelling the foundation as discrete springs does not
where A = (1, x, x2, x3) and aT = a,, a2, a3, ad). The 4
reduce the accuracy of the solution. The technique
d.f. corresponding to the displacements v,, v, and the
can be applied to several special cases, including the
rotations v2, v, at the longitudinal nodes are given by
ones mentioned above. In Section 2, the theory is
briefly discussed and the analysis developed. Numeri-
q=Ca, (2)

where qT = (v, , v2, vj, v4) and C is the connectivity

matrix for the element u between x = 0 and x = L
(Fig. 1).
From eqns (1) and (2)

v=AC-’ q. (3)

Fig. 2. Simply-supported uniform beam on elastic foun- If E is the Young’s modulus and I = bh(~)~/l2 is the
dation. second moment of area of the cross-section about an
 Free vibration analysis of beams 913

Table I. Frequencies of vibration of simple beam on elastic foundation

Proposed method Lai et al. [6]

Frequency Six element Eight element Ten element Six element Eight element Ten element Analytical
(I-W model model model model model model solution
.A 32.9035 32.9033 32.9033 32.9161 32.9073 32.9049 32.9032
fr 56.8462 56.8241 56.8193 56.8783 56.8343 56.8220 56.8135
A 112.317 112.041 111.961 112.385 112.064 111.973 112.908

axis normal to the plane of the paper, the bending

moment M, in the element is given by
v, = ;q’(C-‘)‘{
j-;ATkfAd,)C-I,, (10)

M~=D$=DBC-‘q, (4) Using Lagrange’s equations, the (4 x 4) stiffness

matrix kF pertaining to the foundation modulus is
given by
where D = El(x) and B = d*A/dx* = (0,0,2,6x).
The potential energy U, due to bending is
kF = (C-‘)Tik,C-‘, (11)

(5) where

J0 W)
which upon using eqns (3) and (4) becomes kF = ’ ATk,A dx.

(i,=iqT(C-i)T{J~BTDBdl~-lq. (6)
The above expression can also be evaluated explicitly,
and finally the complete stiffness matrix for the
Upon using Lagrange’s equations, the (4 x 4) element is
element stiffness matrix k. is obtained from the
potential energy of the element as
k=k,+k,. (13)
ke = (C-‘)$,C-‘, (7)

(8)
2.2. Element mass matrix

LB =
J0 ’ BTDB dx. For dynamic or free vibration analysis, it is also
necessary to derive the element mass matrix. The
element mass matrix is a matrix of equivalent nodal
The above expression can be evaluated explicitly. If masses that dynamically represent the actual dis-
the element has linearly varying thickness, this can be tributed mass of the element. In this investigation, the
taken into consideration by using the appropriate mass matrix is derived by considering the kinetic
expression for I. energy due to lateral velocity only, while neglecting
Potential energy U, due to the foundation modulus the contribution due to axial velocity, as it was found
is given by that the earlier modes of vibration of the beam were
not influenced by axial effects. This is consistent with
v, = ;
J’
0
v Tkfv dx,
the derivation of the stiffness matrix where axial
effects were ignored.

where kr is tbc stiffness of the foundation. Using eqn Table 2. Frequencies of vibration of a stepped beam on an
(3) in eqn (9) will yield elastic foundation
Wang [71 Proposed method

E’, XW M-W A (Hz) fi@W

E’, 1
‘m 0’0 42.6517
__V i
1 I 0:1 42.3838 166.0034
169.8519 42.4020
42.6720 166.1052
169.9566
H1 *-&&,,A, Y 0.2 40.8063 152.2257 40.8256 152.3182
MA\‘/&\ \” OF 0.3 37.9155 143.6983 37.9333 143.7868
/’ 4 rp / 0.4 34.7788 143.3927 34.7950 143.4832

<_ Jk l
L
I
0.5
0.6
0.7
32.2173
30.4553
29.4174
142.5639
134.6785
124.1574
32.2322
30.4696
29.4314
142.6530
134.7616
124.2329
f -- _____~ --. L 0.8 28.9261 116.6921 28.9400 116.7631
Fig. 3. Simply-supported stepped beam on elastic 0.9 28.7695 113.6864 28.7835 113.7555
foundation. 1o 28.7506 113.3144 28.7646 113.3844
974 D. Thambiratnam and Y. Zhuge

The kinetic energy of the element shown in Fig. 1

1.00 -
is given by

P=; ‘(?)Tp dV\;, (14)

s0
0.50 -
where the lateral velocity j is given by the time
derivative of the displacement v in the eqn (3) and p
is the mass density.
Using eqn (3) in eqn (14) and further simplification
will yield 0.00
0 1 2 3 4 5
L(m)
r=fn)T(C-‘)T{~AT&+4dxjC-1~. (15)

1 , I
Using Lagrange’s equations on the kinetic energy
term above, the mass matrix m is given by I YOdl 2
A---L I

I I
m = (C-l)TEC-l, (16)
where 0

lii=p
I‘ATh(X)Adx.
0
(17)

-1 ti
1.00 0 1 2 3 4 5

I
L(m)
Fig. 5. Mode shapes of stepped beam on elastic foundation:
p = 0.5.

0.50
If the thickness of the beam is varying, this has to be
accounted for in h(x) in the above equation.

2.3. Equations of motion

0.00 I ’ I 1 I I I
The element stiffness and mass matrices are assem-
0 1 2 3 4 5 bled in the usual manner to obtain the structure
L(m) stiffness and mass matrices [K] and [Ml, respectively.
The equation of motion can be represented as

{P(t)>- Kl{q) - [G1{4) = bfl{G (18)

where {P(t)> is the vector of forcing functions,
[C,]
the damping matrix and {q), {Q} and {q} the vectors

0 1 2 3 4 5
L(m)
Fig. 4. Mode shapes of uniform beam on elastic foundation: Fig. 6. Cantilever beam partially-supported on elastic foun-
/I =o. dation.
 Free vibration analysis of beams 915

0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00

P
Fig. 7. Variation of fundamental frequency of cantilever beam with p.

of nodal displacements, velocities and accelerations, where I = l/w* and [r] is the identity matrix. Letting
respectively. the product [K]-‘[Ml = G and simplifying yields an
For free vibration of beams, {P(t)> = 0 and eigenvalue problem of the form
neglecting damping effects, eqn (18) after simplifying
yields determinant of {[G] - A[I]} = 0. (21)
wfl{~~+ Klb} = 0. (19)
The natural frequencies of vibration of the beam are
Substituting q = W sin ot into eqn (19) yields obtained by solving the above equation, while the
mode shapes are given by the values of the eigen-
(1 VI - vwPf1) {W> = 0, (20) vector {W} in eqn (20).

7
/ 0 Kukla
x Present
*
I K-1000

0.00 0.20 0.40 0.00 0.80 1.00

cc
Fig. 8. Variation of second frequency of cantilever beam with p.
976 D. Thambiratnam and Y. Zhuge
t L I L 1 L
Fig. 9. Continuous beam on elastic foundation.
3. NUMERICAL EXAMPLES AND DISCUSSION
Several numerical examples were treated and
wherever possible the results compared with those
from existing solutions. In all cases the two sets of
results were in good agreement. Results for some
representative problems are presented below in order
to illustrate the capability of the method and to
validate it.
3.1. Example 1: uniform beam on a uniform elastic
foundation
A simply-supported uniform beam of length
L = 6.10 m resting on a uniform elastic foundation,
as shown in Fig. 2, is considered. The beam has
Young’s modulus E = 2.483 x 10’ kPa, second mo-
ment of area I = 144 x lo4 cm2 and mass per unit
length y = 447 kgm-‘. The modulus of the foun-
dation kt = 50.5 kN cm-2. Using the technique devel-
oped in this paper, the first three frequencies of
vibration were obtained with six, eight and 10
elements modelling the beam. The results are shown
in Table 1 together with those from the analytical
solution from Refs [2,6], where an exact shape
function was used in the development of the element
properties. It can be seen that the present results
compare very well with the others and are closer in
agreement with those from the analytical solution of
Ref. [2]. From these results it can be seen that the
present method gives quick and accurate results with
110
Fig. 10. Variation of fundamental frequency of continuous beam with foundation modulus.
1 few elements modelling the beam and that modelhng
the foundation with discrete springs does not reduce
the accuracy in any way. It has also been shown that
by neglecting axial effects in the present solution, the
earlier modes of vibration are not affected. It is
therefore not necessary to complicate the solution by
including axial effects as done in Ref. [6] when the
beams on elastic foundation are horizontal.
3.2. Example 2: stepped beam on an elastic
foundation
A simply-supported beam of length L = 5.0 m
resting on an elastic foundation, as shown in
Fig. 3, is considered. The foundation modulus k,
was kept constant at 21677.5 Nme2 along the
length of the beam, but the beam thickness was
changed from H, = 0.10 m to Hz = 0. I5 m at a dis-
tance pL from the left support. Young’s modulus,
width and mass per unit area of the beam were
assumed as E = 6.5 x 10” N m-‘, b = 0.08 m and
p = 213.60 kgmm2, respectively. Using the proposed
technique with 10 elements, the lowest two frequen-
cies of vibration f, and fi were determined for various
values of the parameter p from 0 to 1.0.
Present results are shown in Table 2 together with
those from the analytical solution of Ref. [7]. It can
be seen that the two sets of results are in very good
agreement for all values of p. Frequencies of vi-
bration decrease with an increase in p, indicating that
the effective decrease in the stiffness of the beam is
more significant than the corresponding decrease in
the mass of the beam. For the particular beam treated
in this example when the thickness of the beam was
decreased by about 33% (from 0.15 to 0.10 m), the
frequencies of vibration cf, and f2) seems to have
decreased by nearly the same amount, i.e. 33%. The
x 1 span
fi 2 span
0 3 span
* 4 span
5000
k, W/m*)
 Free vibration analysis of beams 911

x 1 span
4 2 span
0 3 span
* 4 span

0 5000 10000
k ,W/m* 1
Fig. Il. Variation of second frequency of continuous beam with foundation modulus.

mode shapes corresponding to a uniform beam (with
p = 0.0) and a stepped beam with p = 0.50 are shown
in Figs 4 and 5. Changes in the mode shapes can be
observed when the beam is stepped. For the funda-
mental mode in the stepped beam, the peak amplitude
has shifted towards the left, while in the second mode
the thicker part of the beam vibrates with a larger
amplitude.
A special method was developed in Ref. [7j to treat
the stepped beam, but the proposed method with few
elements is applicable equally well to both uniform
and stepped beams on elastic foundations. The results
presented in Tables 1 and 2 confirm the validity of the
proposed method.
3.3. Example 3: beam supported on a stepped elastic
foundation
A cantilever beam of length L = 4.0 m, partially
supported on an elastic foundation, as shown in
Fig. 6, is considered. The stiffness and mass per
unit length of the beam are assumed to be
EZ = 4.08 x lo5 N mm2 and pA = 30.394 kg m-l, re-
snectivelv. Free vibration analysis of this beam has
been studied by Kukla [8] who divided the beam into

400 x
*”
1

300 -I

0 j I
0 5000 10000
k,WJ/m2)
Fig. 12. Variation of third frequency of continuous beam with foundation modulus.
978 D. Thambiratnam and Y. Zhuge
segments, obtained a transcendental equation for the
eigen frequencies of the beam and then solved it
numerically.
Variations of the two lowest dimensionless fre-
quencies pi = L4dpm, (i = 1,2), with the
dimensionless supported length m are shown in Figs 7
and 8. Present results obtained with 10 elements are
seen to compare very well with those from Ref. [8].
Calculations were performed for two different (and
rather extreme) values of the dimensionless foun-
dation modulus K = k,L4/EI. In general, frequencies
increase with p, the amount of support provided.
p = 0 gives the frequencies of free vibration of the
beam without elastic support and p = 1 those of a
beam fully supported on a uniform elastic foun-
dation. From Figs 7 and 8 it is also evident that the
influence of the partial support on the frequency
depends greatly on the value of the foundation
modulus K. The fundamental frequency at the larger
value of foundation modulus seems to be significantly
influenced by the amount of partial support provided
up to p = 0.60. At larger values of p, the frequencies
converge for both values of K.
The mode shapes corresponding to the two lowest
frequencies were plotted for different values of p to
observe the effects of partial support, if any, on the
vibrating shapes. However, the mode shapes re-
mained typical for those for a usual cantilever, indi-
1.00 -
I I
0.50 -
0.00
0 1 2 3 4 5
L(m)
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
-0.20
-0.40
.O.%O I e
0 1 2 3
L(m)
Fig. 13. First three mode shapes for single span beam on elastic foundation.
eating that the mode shapes were not significantly
affected by the partial support.
3.4. Example 4: continuous beam on elastic
foundation
A continuous beam resting on an elastic foun-
dation and having equal span lengths, as shown in
Fig. 9, is considered. To the authors’ knowledge, free
vibration analysis of such a beam has not been
treated analytically in the literature. The proposed
method was used to analyse beams with one, two,
three of four spans. The variations of the lowest three
frequencies of vibration with the foundation modulus
kf are shown in Figs 10-12. In general, all three
frequencies increase with the foundation modulus,
but the rate of increase is most significant with the
fundamental frequency, which is unaffected by the
number of spans. The higher frequencies can be seen
to decrease with the number of spans, with the
reduction becoming small beyond three spans. Fre-
quencies of vibration with the foundation modulus
(k,) set to zero were compared with those from a
standard structural analysis package program and
were found to be in excellent agreement.
Vibrating shapes corresponding to the first three
modes were plotted and were found to be similar to
those for a continuous beam without any elastic
foundation. These interesting shapes are shown in
I
i
0 1 2 3 4 5
L(m)
I 1
4 5
 Free vibration analysis of beams

1.20

mode 1

0.80

0.60 -li

2345670 9 10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 B 9 10
L(m) L(m)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
L(m)
Fig. 14. First three mode shapes for two span beam on elastic foundation.

mode 2

0.40 -

0.00 -

-0.50 - -0.40 -

.0.80 -
.l.OO -

-1.20
-1.50 1 1
I I 0 5 10 15
0 5 10 15 L(m)
L(m)

0 5 10 15
L(m)

Fig. 15. First three mode shapes for three span beam on elastic foundation.
980 D. Thambiratnam and Y. Zhuge
modr 1
1.00 -
0.50 -
0 10
L(m)
1.00 -
0.50 -
0.00
0 10
Fig. 16. First three mode shapes for four span beam on elastic foundation.
Figs 13-16 for beams with one, two, three and four
equal spans, respectively.
4. CONCLUSIONS
In this paper, a simple finite element method has
been developed and applied for the free vibration
analysis of beams on elastic foundation. The analysis
can handle beams and foundations whose properties
vary along the length of the beam. The entire analysis
has been programmed to run on a microcomputer
and, with a few elements modelling the beam, gives
fast and reliable results which agree well with those
from existing solutions, wherever possible. Numerical
examples are presented to validate and illustrate the
procedure. Some special cases pertaining to the free
vibration of stepped beams, beams on stepped foun-
dations and continuous beams are treated and the
present results are in excellent agreement with those
from analytical solutions developed specially for
these problems. Contrary to what is stated in the
literature, modelling the foundation by discrete
springs did not reduce the accuracy of the solution as
demonstrated in one of the examples in this paper.
The proposed technique is reliable, fast and easily
accessible to those who wish to investigate the free
20 0 10 20
L(m)
20
L(m)
vibration characteristics of beams on elastic foun-
dations. The analysis can be extended to treat dy-
namic loads and will find use in the earthquake
response of beams on elastic foundations.
REFERENCES
R. D. Blevins, Formulas for Natural Frequency and
Mode Shape. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York
(1979).
2. S. Timoshenko, D. H. Young and W. Weaver, Vibration
Problems in Engineering, 4th edn. Wiley, New York
(1974).
3. C. W. Bert and A. L. Newberry, Improved finite
element analysis of beam vibration. J. Sound Vibr. 105,
179-183 (1986).
4. S. K. Jang and C. W. Bert, Free vibration of stepped
beams: exact and numerical solutions. J. Sound Vibr.
130, 342-346 (1989).
5. C. Kameswara Rao, Frequency analysis of
clamped-clamped uniform beams with intermediate
elastic support. J. Sound Vibr. 133, 502-509 (1989).
6. Y. C. Lai, B. Y. Ting, W. S. Lee and W. R. Becker,
Dynamic response of beams on elastic foundation.
J. struct. Engng. ASCE 118, 853-858 (1992).
7. J. Wang, Vibration of stepped beams on elastic foun-
dations. J. Sound Vibr. 149, 315-322 (1991).
8. S. Kukla, Free vibration of stepped beams on elastic
foundations. J. Sound Vibr. 149, 259-265 (1991).
9. M. Hetenyi, Beams on Elastic Foundation. University of
Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI (1961).