# Beam Stresses and Deflections¶

Problem Description:
• A standard 30 inch WF beam, with a cross-sectional area $$A$$, is supported as shown below and loaded on the overhangs by a uniformly distributed load $$w$$. Determine the maximum bending stress, $$\sigma_max$$, in the middle portion of the beam and the deflection, $$\delta$$, at the middle of the beam.

Reference:
1. Timoshenko, Strength of Material, Part I, Elementary Theory and

Problems, 3rd Edition, D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York, NY, 1955, pg. 98, problem 4.

Analysis Type(s):
• Static Analysis ANTYPE=0

Element Type(s):
• 3-D 2 Node Beam (BEAM188)

Material Properties
• $$E = 30 \cdot 10^6 psi$$

Geometric Properties:
• $$a = 120 in$$

• $$l = 240 in$$

• $$h = 30 in$$

• $$A = 50.65 in^2$$

• $$I_z = 7892 in^4$$

• $$w = (10000/12) lb/in$$

Analytical Equations:
• $$M$$ is the bending moment for the middle portion of the beam: $$M = 10000 \cdot 10 \cdot 60 = 6 \cdot 10^6 lb \cdot in$$

• Determination of the maximum stress in the middle portion of the beam is: $$\sigma_max = \frac{M h}{2 I_z}$$

• The deflection, $$\delta$$, at the middle of the beam can be defined by the formulas of the transversally loaded beam: $$\delta = 0.182 in$$

# sphinx_gallery_thumbnail_path = '_static/vm2_setup.png'


## Start MAPDL¶

from ansys.mapdl.core import launch_mapdl

# Start mapdl and clear it.
mapdl = launch_mapdl()
mapdl.clear()

# Enter verification example mode and the pre-processing routine.
mapdl.verify()
mapdl.prep7()


Out:

'*****ANSYS VERIFICATION RUN ONLY*****\n     DO NOT USE RESULTS FOR PRODUCTION\n\n          ***** ANSYS ANALYSIS DEFINITION (PREP7) *****'


## Define Element Type¶

Set up the element type (a beam-type).

# Type of analysis: Static.
mapdl.antype("STATIC")

# Element type: BEAM188.
mapdl.et(1, "BEAM188")

# Special Features are defined by keyoptions of beam element:

# KEYOPT(3)
# Shape functions along the length:
# Cubic
mapdl.keyopt(1, 3, 3)  # Cubic shape function

# KEYOPT(9)
# Output control for values extrapolated to the element
# and section nodes:
# Same as KEYOPT(9) = 1 plus stresses and strains at all section nodes
_ = mapdl.keyopt(1, 9, 3)


## Define Material¶

Set up the material.

mapdl.mp("EX", 1, 30E6)
mapdl.mp("PRXY", 1, 0.3)
print(mapdl.mplist())


Out:

MATERIAL NUMBER        1

TEMP        EX
0.3000000E+08

TEMP        PRXY
0.3000000


## Define Section¶

Set up the cross-section properties for a beam element.

w_f = 1.048394965
w_w = 0.6856481
sec_num = 1
mapdl.sectype(sec_num, "BEAM", "I", "ISection")
mapdl.secdata(15, 15, 28 + (2 * w_f), w_f, w_f, w_w)


Out:

'SECTION ID NUMBER IS:            1\n   BEAM SECTION TYPE IS:     I Section       \n   BEAM SECTION NAME IS:     ISection\n   COMPUTED BEAM SECTION DATA SUMMARY:\n    Area                 =  50.650    \n    Iyy                  =  7892.0    \n    Iyz                  = 0.76051E-12\n    Izz                  =  590.47    \n    Warping Constant     = 0.12403E+06\n    Torsion Constant     =  14.962    \n    Centroid Y           = 0.10702E-14\n    Centroid Z           =  15.048    \n    Shear Center Y       =-0.96799E-12\n    Shear Center Z       =  15.048    \n    Shear Correction-xy  = 0.54626    \n    Shear Correction-yz  = 0.20960E-12\n    Shear Correction-xz  = 0.38629    \n                 \n    Beam Section is offset to CENTROID of cross section'


## Define Geometry¶

Set up the nodes and elements. Create nodes then create elements between nodes.

# Define nodes
for node_num in range(1, 6):
mapdl.n(node_num, (node_num - 1) * 120, 0, 0)

# Define one node for the orientation of the beam cross-section.
orient_node = mapdl.n(6, 60, 1)

# Print the list of the created nodes.
print(mapdl.nlist())


Out:

1   0.0000        0.0000        0.0000          0.00     0.00     0.00
2   120.00        0.0000        0.0000          0.00     0.00     0.00
3   240.00        0.0000        0.0000          0.00     0.00     0.00
4   360.00        0.0000        0.0000          0.00     0.00     0.00
5   480.00        0.0000        0.0000          0.00     0.00     0.00
6   60.000        1.0000        0.0000          0.00     0.00     0.00


Define elements

for elem_num in range(1, 5):
mapdl.e(elem_num, elem_num + 1, orient_node)

# Print the list of the created elements.
print(mapdl.elist())

# Display elements with their nodes numbers.
mapdl.eplot(show_node_numbering=True, line_width=5, cpos="xy", font_size=40)


Out:

LIST ALL SELECTED ELEMENTS.  (LIST NODES)
1   1   1   1   0   1      1     2     6
2   1   1   1   0   1      2     3     6
3   1   1   1   0   1      3     4     6
4   1   1   1   0   1      4     5     6
/opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.8.12/x64/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pyvista/core/dataset.py:1401: PyvistaDeprecationWarning: Use of point_arrays is deprecated. Use point_data instead.
warnings.warn(
/opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.8.12/x64/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pyvista/core/dataset.py:1541: PyvistaDeprecationWarning: Use of cell_arrays is deprecated. Use cell_data instead.
warnings.warn(

[(240.0, 0.0, 927.2887932375056),
(240.0, 0.0, 0.0),
(0.0, 1.0, 0.0)]


## Define Boundary Conditions¶

Application of boundary conditions (BC).

# BC for the beams seats
mapdl.d(2, "UX", lab2="UY")
mapdl.d(4, "UY")

# BC for all nodes of the beam
mapdl.nsel("S", "LOC", "Y", 0)
mapdl.d("ALL", "UZ")
mapdl.d("ALL", "ROTX")
mapdl.d("ALL", "ROTY")
mapdl.nsel("ALL")


Out:

'ALL SELECT   FOR ITEM=NODE COMPONENT=    \n  IN RANGE         1 TO          6 STEP          1\n\n          6  NODES (OF          6  DEFINED) SELECTED BY NSEL  COMMAND.'


Apply a distributed force of $$w = (10000/12) lb/in$$ in the y-direction.

# Parametrization of the distributed load.
w = 10000 / 12

# Application of the surface load to the beam element.
mapdl.sfbeam(1, 1, "PRES", w)
mapdl.sfbeam(4, 1, "PRES", w)
mapdl.finish()


Out:

'***** ROUTINE COMPLETED *****  CP =         0.000'


## Solve¶

Enter solution mode and solve the system. Print the solver output.

mapdl.run("/SOLU")
out = mapdl.solve()
mapdl.finish()
print(out)


Out:

*****  ANSYS SOLVE    COMMAND  *****

*** NOTE ***                            CP =       0.000   TIME= 00:00:00
There is no title defined for this analysis.

*** SELECTION OF ELEMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR APPLICABLE ELEMENTS ***
---GIVE SUGGESTIONS ONLY---

ELEMENT TYPE         1 IS BEAM188 . KEYOPT(1)=1 IS SUGGESTED FOR NON-CIRCULAR CROSS
SECTIONS AND KEYOPT(3)=2 IS ALWAYS SUGGESTED.

ELEMENT TYPE         1 IS BEAM188 . KEYOPT(15) IS ALREADY SET AS SUGGESTED.

*****ANSYS VERIFICATION RUN ONLY*****
DO NOT USE RESULTS FOR PRODUCTION

S O L U T I O N   O P T I O N S

PROBLEM DIMENSIONALITY. . . . . . . . . . . . .3-D
DEGREES OF FREEDOM. . . . . . UX   UY   UZ   ROTX ROTY ROTZ
ANALYSIS TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .STATIC (STEADY-STATE)
GLOBALLY ASSEMBLED MATRIX . . . . . . . . . . .SYMMETRIC

*** NOTE ***                            CP =       0.000   TIME= 00:00:00
Present time 0 is less than or equal to the previous time.  Time will
default to 1.

*** NOTE ***                            CP =       0.000   TIME= 00:00:00
The conditions for direct assembly have been met.  No .emat or .erot
files will be produced.

*** NOTE ***                            CP =       0.000   TIME= 00:00:00
Internal nodes from 7 to 14 are created.
8 internal nodes are used for quadratic and/or cubic options of
BEAM188, PIPE288, and/or SHELL208.

L O A D   S T E P   O P T I O N S

LOAD STEP NUMBER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1
TIME AT END OF THE LOAD STEP. . . . . . . . . .  1.0000
NUMBER OF SUBSTEPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1
STEP CHANGE BOUNDARY CONDITIONS . . . . . . . .    NO
PRINT OUTPUT CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . .NO PRINTOUT
DATABASE OUTPUT CONTROLS. . . . . . . . . . . .ALL DATA WRITTEN
FOR THE LAST SUBSTEP

*** NOTE ***                            CP =       0.000   TIME= 00:00:00
Predictor is ON by default for structural elements with rotational
degrees of freedom.  Use the PRED,OFF command to turn the predictor
OFF if it adversely affects the convergence.

Range of element maximum matrix coefficients in global coordinates
Maximum = 2.999405619E+10 at element 0.
Minimum = 2.999405619E+10 at element 0.

*** ELEMENT MATRIX FORMULATION TIMES
TYPE    NUMBER   ENAME      TOTAL CP  AVE CP

1         4  BEAM188       0.000   0.000000
Time at end of element matrix formulation CP = 0.

SPARSE MATRIX DIRECT SOLVER.
Number of equations =          60,    Maximum wavefront =      0
Memory available (MB) =    0.0    ,  Memory required (MB) =    0.0

Sparse solver maximum pivot= 0 at node 0 .
Sparse solver minimum pivot= 0 at node 0 .
Sparse solver minimum pivot in absolute value= 0 at node 0 .

*** ELEMENT RESULT CALCULATION TIMES
TYPE    NUMBER   ENAME      TOTAL CP  AVE CP

1         4  BEAM188       0.000   0.000000

TYPE    NUMBER   ENAME      TOTAL CP  AVE CP

1         4  BEAM188       0.000   0.000000
*** LOAD STEP     1   SUBSTEP     1  COMPLETED.    CUM ITER =      1
*** TIME =   1.00000         TIME INC =   1.00000      NEW TRIANG MATRIX


## Post-processing¶

Enter post-processing. To get the stress and deflection results from the middle node and cross-section of the beam we can use Mapdl.get_value.

# Enter the post-processing routine and select the first load step.
mapdl.post1()
mapdl.set(1)

# Get the maximum stress at the middle of the beam.
s_eqv_max = mapdl.get_value('secr', 2, 's', 'eqv', 'max')

# Get the deflection at the middle of the beam.
mid_node_uy = mapdl.get_value(entity='NODE', entnum=3, item1='u', it1num='y')


## Check Results¶

Now that we have the results we can compare the nodal displacement and stress experienced by middle node of the beam to the known stresses -11,400 psi and 0.182 inches of the deflection.

# Results obtained by hand-calculations.
stress_target = 11400.0
deflection_target = 0.182

# Calculate the deviation.
stress_ratio = s_eqv_max / stress_target
deflection_ratio = mid_node_uy / deflection_target

# Print output results.
output = f"""
----------------------------- VM3 RESULTS COMPARISON -----------------------------
|   TARGET   |   Mechanical APDL   |   RATIO   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stress{stress_target:18.3f} {s_eqv_max:16.3f} {stress_ratio:14.3f}
Deflection{deflection_target:14.3f} {mid_node_uy:16.3f} {deflection_ratio:14.3f}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"""
print(output)


Out:

----------------------------- VM3 RESULTS COMPARISON -----------------------------
|   TARGET   |   Mechanical APDL   |   RATIO   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stress         11400.000        11440.746          1.004
Deflection         0.182            0.182          1.003
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Total running time of the script: ( 0 minutes 0.530 seconds)

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