2/24/2020

Timoshenko Beam Element

 2/24/2020

First-Order Shear Theory

• In Euler-Bernoulli Beam Theory (EBT), the assumption is that deflection occurs
due to bending only, and that plane-sections remain plane after bending, and
they also remain perpendicular to the neutral axis. Thus, the angle of rotation
due to bending is simply the slope of the deflected shape {also de to
bending}.
• In reality, especially for thick beams, the shear deformations can be significant.
• There are many theories that try to account for shear deformation in beams
(in 1D elements). The simplest of them is the First-Order-Shear-Deformation
Theory, also commonly known as Timoshenko Beam Theory (TBT).
• In TBT, deflection occurs due to both shear and bending, and that plane-
sections remain plane, but they are no longer perpendicular to the neutral
axis.
• TBT assume that the total angle of rotation is the sum of rotation due to
shear and due to bending. Also, TBT assume the shear angle to be constant
over the cross-section ( Hence called First-Order)
 2/24/2020

Shape Functions for Timoshenko Beam Element

• Let’s consider a two-noded beam element, with 2 DOF per node (‫ ݓ‬and ߠ௕ )
• Let the total deformation be decomposed into bending + shear.
‫ݓ = ்ݓ‬௕ + ‫ݓ‬௦ , Take derivative: ߠ் = ߠ௕ + ߠ௦
• Timoshenko assumed constant shear strain over the cross-section, hence ߠ௦ = the
shear angle = ߛ௫௬ = ߛ௢
• Let the total deflected shape be described by a cubic polynomial over the element
length.
ܽଵ
ܽ
‫ܽ = ்ݓ‬ଵ + ܽଶ ‫ ݔ‬+ ܽଷ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ + ܽସ ‫ ݔ‬ଷ = 1 ‫ ݔ ݔ‬ଶ ‫ ݔ‬ଷ ܽଶ = ‫܆‬. ‫܉‬
ଷ
ܽସ
• In order to have a constant shear angle, then
݀‫்ݓ‬
ߠ௕ = ߠ் − ߠ௦ = − ߛ௢ = ܽଶ + 2ܽଷ ‫ ݔ‬+ 3ܽସ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ − ߛ௢
݀‫ݔ‬
 2/24/2020

Shape Functions for Timoshenko Beam Element

• But we know that
೏ಾ ೏ ೏ഇ್
௏ ିாூ ିாூ
ߛ௢ ≅ = ೏ೣ
= ೏ೣ ೏ೣ
= 6ܽସ
ீ஺ೞ ீ஺ೞ ீ஺ೞ ீ஺ೞ
• Therefore, the bending angle becomes:
‫ܫܧ‬
ߠ௕ = ܽଶ + 2ܽଷ ‫ ݔ‬+ 3ܽସ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ + 6ܽସ
‫ܣܩ‬௦
And the deflected shape is interpolated as: ‫ܽ = ்ݓ‬ଵ + ܽଶ ‫ ݔ‬+ ܽଷ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ + ܽସ ‫ ݔ‬ଷ
• In order to keep the distinction between shear angle and bending angle,
we will use these two shape functions.
• Applying the conditions: ‫( ்ݓ‬0)=‫ݓ‬ଵ , ߠ௕ (0)=ߠଵ , ‫( ்ݓ‬L)=‫ݓ‬ଶ , ߠ௕ (L)=ߠଶ and
rewriting both ‫ ்ݓ‬and ߠ௕ as a function of the nodal DOF, we obtain the
following:
 2/24/2020

Shape Functions for Timoshenko Beam Element

 2/24/2020

Shape Functions for Timoshenko Beam Element

• Having obtained the matrix that connects the coefficients a = [ܽଵ ܽଶ ܽଷ ܽସ ]T
with the DOF d = [‫ݓ‬ଵ ,ߠଵ , ‫ݓ‬ଶ , ߠଶ ]T , as d = Xo.a. we can write the shape
functions for both the total displacement and the bending angle as:
‫ିܗ ܆ ܟ ܆ = ்ݓ‬૚ ‫ ܌ ܟۼ = ܌‬and ߠ௕ = ‫ ܆‬ఏ ‫ିܗ ܆‬૚ ‫ۼ = ܌‬ఏ ‫܌‬
• The resulting shape functions Nw and ‫ۼ‬ఏ are:
 2/24/2020

Timoshenko Beam Element

• Now we can write the energy equation for the beam element from both bending
and shear deformations.
• Remember from pure bending, we had
௅ ௗ ௗమ
۹ ‫܍‬,‫= ܊‬ ‫׬‬଴ ۰‫ܫܧ ܂܊‬ ۰‫ ݔ݀ ܊‬, ۰‫= ܊‬
ௗ௫
‫ۼ‬ఏ =
ௗ௫ మ
‫ۼ‬௪ ‫܌‬
• For shear, we have ܷ௘,௦௛௘௔௥ = ‫݀ ߛ݀߬ ׬ ׬‬vol
ଵ ଵ
• ‫ = ߛ݀ߛܩ ׬ = ߛ݀߬ ׬‬Gߛ ଶ = ߛ ் ‫ ߛܩ‬Here ߛ is the shear angle that varies
ଶ ଶ
along the beam (but constant over the cross-section), it is described by the
ௗ௪
relation ߛ = ߠ௦ = ߠ் − ߠ௕ or equivalently ߛ = ೅ − ߠ௕
ௗ௫
ௗ ௗ‫ܟۼ‬
• Thus we have ߛ = {‫ ܌} ܟۼ‬− ‫ۼ‬ఏ ‫= ܌‬ − ‫ۼ‬ఏ ‫ = ܌‬۰࢙ ‫܌‬
ௗ௫ ௗ௫
ଵ ଵ ଵ ࢀ
• ‫= ߛܩ ் ߛ = ߛ݀߬ ׬‬ ۰࢙ ‫܌‬ ࢀ
‫ ܩ‬۰࢙ ‫= ܌‬ ࢊ ۰࢙ ࢀ ‫ܩ‬۰࢙ ‫܌‬
ଶ ଶ ଶ
 2/24/2020

Timoshenko Beam Element

• Integrating the strain energy density over the volume gives
ଵ
ܷ௘,௦௛௘௔௥ = ‫݀ ߛ݀߬ ׬ ׬‬vol = ܷ௘ = ‫ ݔ݀ܣ݀ ߛ݀߬ ׬ ׬ ׬‬. = ࢊࢀ ‫ ׬‬۰࢙ ࢀ ‫ܣܩ‬௦ ۰࢙ ࢊ࢞ ‫܌‬
ଶ
From which we can easily recognize the stiffness matrix contribution due to
shear:
௅ ௗ‫ܟۼ‬
۹ ‫܍‬,࢙ࢎ = ‫׬‬଴ ۰࢙‫ܣܩ ܂‬௦ ۰‫ ݔ݀ ܛ‬with ۰‫= ܛ‬ − ‫ۼ‬ఏ = the shear strain matrix
ௗ௫
Doing the calculations in MAPLE, we get the total stiffness matrix as:
௅ ௅
۹ ‫ = ܍‬۹ ‫܍‬,‫ ܊‬+ ۹ ‫܍‬,࢙ࢎ = න ۰‫ܫܧ ܂܊‬ ۰‫ ݔ݀ ܊‬+ න ۰࢙‫ܣܩ ܂‬௦ ۰‫ݔ݀ ܛ‬
଴ ଴
 2/24/2020

Timoshenko Beam Element

 2/24/2020

Equivalent Nodal Force for Timoshenko Beam Elem

• Interestingly, the equivalent nodal load vector will depend on the shear deformation as well.
• For Timoshenko beam element, the equivalent nodal force can be calculated as usual : ۴‫= ܍‬
‫ ݔ݀)ݔ(ݍ ݔ ܂ ۼ ׬‬+ ۴ , where F is the externally applied nodal forces, and Fe is the equivalent
nodal force. q(x) is the function describing the distributed load over the beam.
• Evaluating Fe for TB-element with constant load (q(x)=qo), we have:
 2/24/2020

Equivalent Nodal Force for Timoshenko Beam Elem

• Recall that for Euler-Bernoulli Beam Element, the equivalent nodal

force for a uniformly distributed load over a 2-noded beam
element was independent of either flexural or shear rigidities:
ଵ ଵ ଶ ଵ ିଵ
ࡲࢋ = [ ‫ݍ‬௢ ‫ܮ‬ ‫ݍ‬௢ ‫ݍ ܮ‬௢ ‫ܮ‬ ‫ݍ‬௢ ‫ܮ‬ଶ ]T
ଶ ଵଶ ଶ ଵଶ
• It is easy to verify that Fe from both elements converge as the
shear rigidity (GA) increases to infinity ( i.e. when shear
deformations become negligible).