Introduction to finite

element analysis
Beam Elements
Concentrated and distributed loading
 Outline
• Week 2 • Week 7
Stiffness matrices Beam elements
Spring Elements Beams (concentrated
Bar Elements and distributed loading)
Lab lab

• Week 5 • Week 9
Bar elements in 2D 3D case study 1 (lab)
Shape functions 3D case study 2 (lab)
Trusses lab
Beam Elements
• Also called flexure elements
• They basically have the assumptions of beam theory which are
 The beam is loaded only in the y-direction
Deflections of the beam are small in comparison to the characteristic
dimensions of the beam
The material of the beam is linearly elastic, isotropic, and homogeneous. The
beam is prismatic and the cross section has an axis of symmetry in the plane
of bending

Example of prismatic beams that

satisfy the assumptions.
Beam Elements
• In FEA, 3 more assumptions might be added
The element is of length L and has two nodes, one at each end
The element is connected to other elements only at the nodes
Element loading occurs only at the nodes

• The beam node displacements in this case involve the transverse displacement (v)
and slope (θ). The positive sense of these is given below
Stiffness matrix
• The overall FEA model is given as
Stiffness matrix
• Where the stiffness matrix is

The symbols are the usual from strength of materials course

Distributed loading
• When you have a distributed loaded as shown (a), an equivalent
system of forces and moments can be used as shown in (b).

(b)
(a)