EG413: Computer Aided

Engineering
G. Mustoe
J. VanLaanen

Lecture 12
• Review of Mechanics of Materials for
Beams
• ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis

1
 Review of Beam Mechanics of Materials
For a beam fixed at one end and subject to an axial load
PL
Maximum Deflection: δx =
y EA

Fixed
End

x
z L P

Review of Beam Mechanics of Materials

For a beam fixed at one end and subject to an end load
y − PL3
Maximum Deflection: ymax = 3EI z
− PL2
Fixed Slope at End: θ=
2 EI z
End Equation of Elastic
Curve: y=
P
( x 3 − 3Lx 2 )
6 EI z
z L x Beam Elastic
P Loading
P
Curve
y y
L

ymax
x x

2
 Review: Beams, Mechanics of Materials
Cantilever beam subject to an end moment about z-axis
− ML2
y Maximum Deflection: δy =
2 EI z
− ML
Slope at End: θ=
Fixed EI z
End Equation of Elastic
Curve: −M
z y= (x2 )
2 EI z
M
Beam Elastic
L x Loading Curve
y y
L

M ymax

x x

Review: Beams, Mechanics of Materials

For a beam fixed at one end and subject to a distributed
load y − wL 4

Maximum Deflection: δ = y
8 EI z
− wL3
Slope at End: θ=
Fixed w –force/length 6 EI z
End Equation of Elastic
Curve: y = − w ( x 4 − 4 Lx 3 + 6 L2 x 2 )
24 EI z

z Beam Elastic
L x Loading Curve
y w y
L

ymax

x x

3
 ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis
As we said yesterday, in ALGOR, the surface
number of your beam defines the beam
orientation.
Local 1 axis
Global y axis 2

Global x axis
Positive local axis 1 direction is defined along the beam from
the lowest node to the highest node.

ALGOR Local 1,2, and 3 Axis

Axis 2 is defined by the location of the ‘k’
point (determined by beam surface number)

k 1e14 in +y
Local 1 axis
Global y axis 2

Local 2 Axis
1

Global x axis

4
 ALGOR Local 1,2, and 3 Axis
Local axis 3 is defined by the right hand rule
using local axis 1 and 2.

k 1e14 in +y
Local 1 axis
Global y axis 2

Local 2 Axis
1

Global x axis
Local 3 Axis is positive out of the page

ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis

Understanding beam local axis’s is critical
because beam orientation must be
understood in order to input all needed
material properties.

5
 ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis
For the problem below, identify the local 1, 2, and 3 axes
(assume geometry is on surface 1) and state what material
properties must be input into ALGOR.
y

Fixed y
P
End

z h
z L x
b
Cross Section

ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis

Solution: Beam will bend around 3 axis so I3 and S3
and cross sectional area must be input.
bh 3
I3 =
A = b*h 12
2
I3
S3 =
( h / 2) 2
Fixed
End P

3 h
3 L 1
b
Cross Section

6
 ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis
How does the problem change if the applied
load is parallel to the z axis?
y

Fixed y
End
Pz
z h
z L x
b
Cross Section

ALGOR Local 1, 2, and 3 Axis

The local axis definitions remain the same, but bending is
now around the 2 axis and I2 and S2 must be entered.
hb 3
I2 =
A = b*h 12
2
I2
S2 =
(b / 2) 2
Fixed
End
Pz
3 h
3 L 1
b
Cross Section

7
 Beam Theory Review
As we learned during the last lecture period:
A beam element subject to moments (M) and/or shear (v) and/or axial
forces at either node and will deform into a cubic shape.
uy(x)

uy(x) is the transverse displacement along the length of the

member and can be expressed as:

u y ( x ) = a0 + a1 * x + a2 * x 2 + a3 * x 3

Beam Theory Review

Taking the cubic displacement function and
integrating yields interesting results u1y u2y

M1 θ1 M2 θ2
F1x
F2x u2x
u1x
F1y F2y

u y ( x) = a0 + a1 x + a2 x 2 + a3 x 3 , General solution
du y
= a1 + 2a2 x + 3a3 x 2 = θ , θ − Slope of the line
dx
d 2u y M
= 2a2 + 6a3 x = , M − Moment
dx EI
d 3u y V
= 6a3 = , V − Shear force
dx 3 EI
d 4u y
EI = 0, Transverse Displacement , u y ( x)
dx 4

8
 Sign Conventions
IMPORTANT: Before we go on, we must understand the
difference in sign conventions used in Mechanics of
Materials and Finite Element analysis for moments and
shear forces.
node 1 node 2 node 1 node 2
M’1 M’2 M1 M2

V1 V2 F1y F2y

Mechanics of Materials Beam Finite element

Positive Values Positive Values
Using the above sign conventions, we obtain:
V1 = − F1 y = V2 = F2 y

Comic Relief
Fuzzy Math

A woman holding a baby walks into a drug store and asks if

she can use the store's baby scale.

"Sorry, ma'am," says the storekeeper. "Our baby scale is

broken. But we can figure the baby's weight if we weigh
mother and baby together on the adult scale, and then weigh
the mother alone, and subtract the mother’s weight."

"Oh, that won't work," says the woman.

"Why not?" asks the man.

"Well," she says, "I'm not the mother - I'm the aunt."

9
 Potential Test Questions
1. a) What are the minimum number of beam
elements required to obtain the exact solution to
the beam structure shown below?
F2
F1 F3

b) Explain your answer

Potential Test Questions

2. In the cantilever problem shown, the end load of F=1000 N is applied in the –y direction.
Given that height and width of the x-section are 4 in. and 2 in. respectively, compute the
required sectional properties and define the local axes (1,2,3) appropriately. Note, sketch
the local axes on the figure.
y y

x z 600

3. The maximum worst stress is 810 MPa, in a structure comprised of solid circular x-
section members of radius r = 1cm. Note, this maximum worst stress is comprised of a
bending and axial component of 800 MPa and 10 MPa respectively. If the yield stress of
the structural material is 100 MPa, estimate the modified radius rmod that will give a
safety factor of approximately 1.0.
Hint: A = πr 2 , I = πr 4 / 4

10
 Potential Test Questions
4. If the bending stress is constant along the length of a beam
element what is the variation of the transverse
displacement along the length of a beam element? Answer
with a simple equation or graph.

5. Does the worst stress in a beam element as defined in

ALGOR depend on the transverse shear stress? Explain
your answer with an equation and/or a simple sketch.

11