THE ELASTIC

BEAM MODEL

Mechanics of materials: beams / bars

Bar: body with an extension considerable larger in one of the three directions
it has a well-defined axis and a perpendicular cross section
! different from the bar support in Statics!

Model of elastic beam: a series of (differential) beam elements

Beam element: rigid panels with (distributed) elastic connection
z

differential
length: dz

dz
Basic assumptions:
planar cross sections
small displacements (deformations)
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The principle of planar cross sections

If an (undeformed) planar cross section undergoes deformation, it remains
planar, and
Rather
planar and rigid cross sections:
congruent with its initial shape.
no transverse contraction ( = 0).
Simplification: it is accepted for
all kinds of deformations

Basic kinds of deformation:

stretching

bending

N
M

V
V
T

shearing

twisting
3/12

The principle of small displacements

l cos l

l
l sin
l

l
cos 1

sin

tan

Taylor series of trigonometrical functions:

f (x) = x
f (x) 1
x

x
x2 x4
cos x1
2! 4!

x3 x5
sin x x
3! 5!

l tan
l
l

f (x) = x
x

2 x3
tan x x

15 4/12

State variables of a beam element

STATICAL
(internal forces, stresses)
dz
R (Vx , Vy , N)
R
(2shear, 1normal)

KINEMATICAL
(deformations, strains)
de (du , dv , dw)
dz
= (dex , dey , dez)
de

W (Mx , My , T)

d (dx , dy , dz)

6 components
Vx
x
z

z
y

(2bending, 1twisting)

x
y Vy

(3 relative displacements)

6 components
dv

N
z

x
y

du

dy
x

z
y

Mx

x
y My

(3 relative rotations)

T
z

x
y

z
y

x
dx

dw
dz

z
y

5/12

State variables of a beam element

STATICAL
(internal forces, stresses)
internal forces (N, V, M, T) are absolute, their
increments (dN, dV, dM, dT) are relative.

V+dV
M+dM
N+dN

KINEMATICAL
(deformations, strains)
relative displ.: difference of two absolute ones

r (z)
w (z)

Def.: AB = A B

N (z)
M (z)
V (z)

AB

dz

this

BA
A
B

displacements: at each point of the beam element;

rotations: for the whole beam element

S
y x
P

dwP = yP dx

z
yP

dx/2

dz

dwP/2

displacements
rotations

compared to this

A C = 0
B

A B
C
absolute
relative
ex , ey , ez ex , ey , ez
u , v , w or u, v, w
x , y , z x ,y ,z

differential increments (dex = du etc.) are still relative

6/12

specific forces
over a SURFACE (A)

State variables of a beam element

STATICAL
(internal forces, stresses)
r (z)
w (z)
pz(x,y,z)

pz+dpz
dz

zx

yz?
xz?

z
zy
pz(z , zx , zy),
pz
stress vector:
assigned to a
- point and a
- plane

KINEMATICAL
(deformations, strains)
dz

xz

= 0

yz

zx zy

specific deformations
over the LENGTH (z)

specific displacements (z , zx , zy )
for each material point,
specific rotations (x , y , z )
only for the whole beam element!

x
dA

zt OK, tz??

zx
(dz is drawn larger
for practical reasons

elementary stripe)

rigid
panels
=

zy

dz

dz(z ,zx ,zy),

strain vector:
assigned to a
and a
xz -- point
plane

0 yz

zx zy z

7/12

Equations of the beam element

STATICAL or EQUILIBRIUM set

KINEMATICAL or GEOMETRICAL set

FORCES
(INTERNAL FORCES)

STATICAL
or
EQUILIBRIUM
equations

(e.g. N)

differentiation

integration

DEFORMATIONS

(e.g. u)

differentiation

KINEMATICAL
or
integration GEOMETRICAL
equations

(e.g. )

(e.g. )

STRESSES

STRAINS

material constants: E, G ( = 0)
MATERIAL or PHYSICAL
equations

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Equations of the beam element

STATICAL / EQUILIBRIUM equations

KINEMATICAL / GEOMETRICAL equations

(Vx, Vy, N, Mx, My, T ) = ([zx],[zy],[z])

dz
dv

Fix: Vx = zx (x,y) dA
(A)

Fiy: Vy = zy (x,y) dA
(A)

Fiz: N =z (x,y) dA
(A)

Mix: Mx =z (x,y)y dA
(A)

Miy: My =z (x,y)x dA
(A)

Miz: T = (zx (x,y)y +

(A)
zy (x,y)x) dA

N
z

T M x Vx
y
x
My x
z
zx
Vy zy dA
y
E.g.:
z dA = dFz
xdFz = dMy

zy

zx =
shear strain

zy =

dw
z
dx
x
dz

normal
strain
specific
bending
(curvature)
specific
twisting

z =
x =
y =
z =

du
dz
dv
dz
dw
dz
dx
dz
dy
dz
dz
dz
9/12

Equations of the beam element

STATICAL / EQUILIBRIUM equations

Vx=zx (x,y) dA

Mx=z (x,y)y dA

Vy=zy (x,y) dA

My=z (x,y)x dA

N = z (x,y) dA

T =(zx (x,y)y +
(A)
zy (x,y)x) dA

(A)

(A)

(A)

(A)

(A)

in its general form:

1
z= z x y
E
y =... ,
x =...

KINEMATICAL / GEOMETRICAL equations

du
zx =
dz
dv
zy =
dz
dw
z =
dz

MATERIAL or PHYSICAL
equations
linear elastic material:
Hooke's law

z = E z x = y =0
zx =G zx
xy =0
zy =G zy

dx
x =
dz
dy
y =
dz
dz
z =
dz

rigid panels ( = 0):

z
z=
and
E
x = y = xy =0

10/12

Simple loading
Centric tension or compression: only N

N z = const. z = const. w = ez
Simple shear: only V (important: no bending about the axis perpendicular to V)

e.g. Vy zy = const.

zy = const. ?

Twisting: only T

T zx (x,y), zy (x,y)

zx (x,y), zy (x,y); zy = const. z

Bending: only M

e.g. Mx z (x,y)

z (x,y); x = const.

Combined loading
Eccentric tension or compression: N and M

N, Mx , My z (x,y)

z (x,y)

w, x , y

Beam shear (with bending): V and a perpendicular M (different formula for )

e.g. Vy , (Mx) zy (x,y), (z (x,y))

zy (x,y), (z (x,y))

v = ey , (x)
11/12

Criteria:
10. Formulate the principle of planar (rigid) cross sections.
11. The assumption of small displacements. Give a justification of the use of this principle in civil
engineering problems.
12. The concept of a bar (beam); the differential beam element. Linear elastic material model for the
beam element.
13. List all possible (internal) forces and stresses applied to a beam element.
14. List all possible (relative) deformations and strains (specific deformations) applicable to a beam
element.
15. Definition of equilibrium, geometrical and material equations of a beam element. Explain what
kind of mechanical variables are related by each of these types.
16. Internal forces acting on a beam element; clasification of simple and combined loading. What kind
of stresses arise from different loading cases?

Other exam questions:

54. Explain the concept of differential beam element. List all nonzero entries in the matrix of the stress
tensor and give explanation. What is the meaning of statical equations of a beam element?
55. List all possible deformations of a beam element and show how the strains (specific deformations)
are derived from them. List all nonzero entries in the matrix of the strain tensor and give
explanation. What is the meaning of geometrical equations of a beam element?
12/12