University of Utah

ME EN 6510/5510
Introduction to Finite Elements
Fall 2005

Beam Elements
snip (from ANSYS Manual)

4.3 BEAM3 2-D Elastic Beam

BEAM3 is a uniaxial element with tension, compression, and bending capabilities. The element has three degrees of freedom at each
node: translations in the nodal x and y directions and rotation about the nodal z-axis. See Section 14.3 of the ANSYS Theory Reference
for more details about this element. Other 2-D beam elements are the plastic beam (BEAM23) and the tapered unsymmetric beam
(BEAM54).

Figure 4.3-1 BEAM3 2-D Elastic Beam

4.3.1

Table 4.3-1 BEAM3 Input Summary

Element Name BEAM3
Nodes I, J
Degrees of Freedom UX, UY, ROTZ
Real Constants AREA, IZZ, HEIGHT, SHEARZ, ISTRN, ADDMAS
Material Properties EX, ALPX, DENS, GXY, DAMP

4.3.3 Assumptions and Restrictions

The beam element can have any cross-sectional shape for which the moment of inertia can be computed. However, the stresses are
determined as if the distance from the neutral axis to the extreme fiber is one-half of the height. The element height is used only in the
bending and thermal stress calculations. The applied thermal gradient is assumed linear across the height and along the length. The
beam element must lie in an X-Y plane and must not have a zero length or area. The moment of inertia may be zero if large
deflections are not used.

end of snip
Beam Elements - A simple cantilever beam problem with 2 different materials and section properties will be analyzed, and an
alternative way to generate nodes and elements will be used (keypoints and lines).

100
Section 1
Section 2

(15,0)
(5,0)
(0,0)
Area=0.5
Area=0.75 Moment of
Moment of Inertia=0.0417
Inertia=0.0625 Height=1.0
Y Height=2.0 E = 30e6
E =10e6

Analysis: A 1D analysis of the above problem with line elements will be performed.

This lab shows both the menu paths for using the ANSYS graphical user interface (GUI) as well as the code for direct input (see
ALTERNATIVE TO GUI METHOD).

GUI METHOD

Step 1: Define Keypoint Locations

PreprocessoràModelingàCreateàKeypointsàIn Active CSà(window) define keypoint 1 with label and XYZ coordinates (0,0,0),
hit Apply and repeat for keypoints 2 at (5,0,0) and 3 at (15,0,0)àwhen finished, select OK to exit window.

Step 2: Define Lines (underlying geometry for beam element mesh)

The following commands must be typed directly into the command input window:

L,1,2,5 creates a line between keypoints 1 and 2 having 5 divisions (which will mean 5 elements).
L,2,3,10 creates a line between keypoints 2 and 3 having 10 divisions (which will mean 10 elements).

Step 3: Select Element Type

PreprocessoràElement TypeàAdd/Edit/Deleteà(window) Add…à(window) highlight Beam, 2D elastic (beam3)àOKàCLOSE.

Step 4: Define Material Property No. 1 and No. 2

PreprocessoràMaterial PropertiesàMaterial Modelsà(window) double click Structural/Linear/Elastic/Isotropicà(window) input
modulus and Poisson’s ratio for Section 1àOKà(back to Material Model window) select menu item (at top) MaterialàNew
Modelà(window) enter material ID (default 2), then OKàdouble click Structural/Linear/Elastic/Isotropicà(window) input modulus
and Poisson’s ratio for Section 2àOKà(close Material Model window).

Step 5: Define Physical Property Set 1 and Set 2

PreprocessoràRealConstantsàAdd/Edit/Delete à(window) Add…à(window with element Type Beam3 highlighted)
OKà(window) input properties for Section 1, then select OKà(back to original window) Add…à (back to window with element
Type Beam3 highlighted) OKà(window—notice set ID is now No. 2) input properties for Section 2, then select OKàCLOSE.

Step 6: Mesh Lines

Mesh Line 1 First (matches current material type and real type)
PreprocessoràMeshingàLines àPicked Linesà(window asking you to select line) pick line 1àOK.
Change Current Material and Physical Property Sets
PreprocessoràModelingàCreateàElementsàElement Attributesà(window) change Real Constant Set No. to 2, and Material No.
to 2, then select OK. (Notice now in the bottom field that mat=2 and real=2).

Mesh Line 2
PreprocessoràMeshingàLines àPicked Linesà(window asking you to select line) pick line 2àOK.

(Hint: you can use the ListàElementsàAttributes and Real Constants command in the menu bar to verify that you have 15 total beam
elements--5 with Material No. 1 and Real Constant No. 1, and 10 with Material No. 2 and Real Constant No. 2.)

Step 7: Apply Boundary Conditions

PreprocessoràLoadsàDefine LoadsàApplyàStructuralàDisplacementàOn Nodesà(window) pick node 1, then select
OKà(window) highlight ALL DOF; make sure it shows Apply As: Constant Value; enter value as 0, select OK.

Step 9: Apply Loads

PreprocessoràLoadsàDefine LoadsàApplyàStructuralàForce/MomentàOn Nodesà(window) pick node 7 (at end of beam),
then select OKà(window) choose Fy direction and enter -100à OK.

Step 10: Solve

SolutionàSolveàCurrent LSà(asks you to review summary info) select OKàANSYS will begin solving the problem and will post a
message “Solution is done!” when it has finished. Close message windows and go to next step.

Step 11: View Results

Plot Deformation: General PostprocàPlot ResultsàContour PlotàNodal Solutionà(window) highlight DOF solution and
Translation Uy; pick button Def + undeformed; select OK.

List Nodal Displacements: General PostprocàList Resultsà Nodal Solutionà(window) highlight DOF solution and Uy; select OK.
(This can also be done by simply typing prdisp in the command input window.) You should get the following:

NODE Ux Uy ROTZ
1 0.0 0.0 0.0
2 0.0 -0.26667E-01 -0.10000E-01
3 0.0 -0.11733E-02 -0.23200E-02
4 0.0 -0.45867E-02 -0.44800E-02
5 0.0 -0.10080E-01 -0.64800E-02
6 0.0 -0.17493E-01 -0.83200E-02
7 0.0 -0.15331 -0.13997E-01
8 0.0 -0.37053E-01 -0.10759E-01
9 0.0 -0.48159E-01 -0.11439E-01
10 0.0 -0.59904E-01 -0.12038E-01
11 0.0 -0.72209E-01 -0.12558E-01
12 0.0 -0.84993E-01 -0.12998E-01
13 0.0 -0.98177E-01 -0.13357E-01
14 0.0 -0.11168 -0.13637E-01
15 0.0 -0.12542 -0.13837E-01
16 0.0 -0.13933 -0.13957E-01

Plot and Print Tensile and Compressive Stresses at the Top and Bottom of Beam: This needs to be done using the command input
window. Type the following in the window:

etable,sigtop,ls,2 ! enter the element stresses on the top into a user defined table ‘sigtop’*
etable,sigbot,ls,3 ! enter the element stresses on the bottom into a user defined table ‘sigbot’*
pletab,sigtop ! plots the stress values in the ‘sigtop’ table
pletab,sigbot ! plots the stress values in the ‘sigbot’ table
pretab,sigtop ! prints the stress values in the ‘sigtop’ table
pretab,sigbot ! prints the stress values in the ‘sigbot’ table

*Q: How do we know which end of the beam element(s) are being used to build the stress tables sigtop and sigbot when we use
the etable command? Although not terribly important for this lab, you may have a situation where it is not intuitive which side of the
beam element is experiencing the maximum moment, and therefore the maximum stress. You need to understand how to access
element output at both nodes. Open the ANSYS Help menu and type “beam3” in the index search. This will pull up literature
describing everything you want to know about the beam3 element, including how it calculates stress, what element output is
accessible in the etable command, etc. Hopefully what you’ll realize is that the ls,2 and ls,3 commands give the top stress and bottom
stress at node i (the first node defining the element). If you needed these stresses at the other side of the beam element (node j), then
you would have to use
etable,sigtopnodej,ls,7
etable,sigbotnodej,ls,8
pretab,sigtopnodej !or pletab,sigtopnodej if you want to show contour plot.
pretab,sigtop !or pletab,sigbotnodej if you want to show contour plot.

Other Questions: What other output can you get from the element? Moments? Torques? Maximum Combined Stress? If
the ANSYS software assumes the beam is rectangular, how does this affect stress output if you are trying to model circular
beams like tubes?

ALTERNATIVE TO GUI METHOD:

ANSYS Input file Comments
/title, your_ title
/prep7
k,1,0,0 ! sets a keypoint at (0,0)
k,2,5,0 ! sets a keypoint at (5,0)
k,3,15,0 ! sets a keypoint at (15,0)
l,1,2,5 ! creates a line with 5 divisions from keypoints 1 to 2
! you can remove lines with “ldel”
l,2,3,10 ! line with 10 divisions from point 2 to 3
et,1,3 ! sets element type 1 to beam3, the 2d beam element in ANSYS
mp,ex,1,10e6 ! sets modulus of mtl 1
mp,prxy,1,0.3 ! sets poissons ratio of mtl 1
mp,ex,2,30e6 ! sets modulus of mtl 2
mp,prxy,2,0.3 !sets poissons ratio of mtl 2
r,1,0.75,0.0625,2.0 ! defines property set 1 for the beam element (A,I,height)
r,2,0.5,0.0417,1.0 ! defines property set 2 for the beam element (A,I,height)
mat,1 ! sets material to 1, not needed as it defaults to 1
real,1 ! sets the property set to 1 (this is the default)
lmesh,1 ! creates a mesh of elements on line1 (undo with lclear)
mat,2 ! sets current material to 2
real,2 ! sets element properties to set 2
lmesh,2 ! creates a mesh of elements on line 2
d,1,all,0 ! constrains displacements at node 1 to zero
f,7,fy,-100. ! applies a force of 100 units in the (–ve) Y direction at node 7

Once ANSYS is up and running, move your cursor within the direct command input window and type the following.

/prep7 ! Puts ANSYS into the preprocessor module

/show, x11 ! directs output to the screen
/input,filename.dat ! Filename.dat is the name of your input file
! All of the commands in the input file will be
! executed. Remember 8 chars max for filename, 3 for extension.

The following commands are then used to examine your model to see that it is correct and what you want.
nlist ! gives a list of the nodes. Note the numbering and locations.
elist ! lists the elements
eplot ! plots the elements

If the model is not correct, go to the editor and fix the input file, and re-enter it as above. Remember to clear out the old one
before attempting to read in the new one. If correct, proceed as follows.

finish exits prep7

/solu ! enters the solution phase

solve ! runs the solution
finish ! exits the solution phase

Now enter the postprocessor and examine the results:

/post1 ! enter the postprocessing phase
pldisp,1 ! plot displacements over original geometry
etable,sigtop,ls,2 ! enter the element stresses on the top into a user defined table ‘sigtop’
etable,sigbot,ls,3 ! enter the element stresses on the bottom into a user defined table ‘sigbot’
etable,smax,nmisc,1 ! make table ‘smax’ using maximum stress
etable,smin,nmisc,2 ! make table ‘smin’ using maximum stress
pletab, smax ! plots the stress values in the ‘smax’ table
pletab, smin ! plots the stress values in the ‘smin’ table
pletab, sigtop ! plots the stress values in the ‘sigtop’ table
pletab, sigbot ! plots the stress values in the ‘sigbot’ table
prdisp ! prints the displacements
finish ! exits post1, the postprocessor