Thin-walled T-section Tapered Cantilever

Beam

The Problem
A thin-walled T-section cantilevered beam is fixed at one end and is
subjected to a vertically downward point load of 368N at the free end.
The section is of uniform thickness of 2mm.
2

The Young's modulus value is 200kN/mm and Poissons ratio is 0.25

100mm

368N

100mm

2mm

100mm

100mm

1000mm
t=2mm
2mm

N.B. the dimensions represent only the free end and gets bigger towards the
fixed end. The web in middle of the beam 500mm from the free end is
150mm instead of 100mm
Finite Element Model
1
Work in units of N (force) and mm (length) and MPa
2

(=N/mm modulus/stress).
2

Use Plate/Shell QUAD8 element.

Take the global axes origin to be at the bottom left corner the fixed
end- (X,Y, Z).

Generate the nodes and element manually for three

elements model. UseTools>Subdivide for generation of
more elements.

Use QUAD8 elements as required

4@25
A
4@ 250mm

200mm
Y

X
Z

B
P
4@ 25mm

Finite Element Output

1
Vertical deflection (DY) along the line AB.
2

Bending stress (SZZ), in Global axes, along the line AB.

Bending stress (SZZ), in Global axes, along the line PQ.

Vertical shear stress (SYZ), in Global axes, along the line PQ.

Theory
1
Use the double integration method to find the vertical deflection
along the top surface (line AB).
2
Use the bending theory to find the bending stress along the top
surface (line AB).
3

Use the bending theory to find the bending stress along the web (line
PQ).

Use the bending theory to find the vertical shear stress distribution
along the web (line PQ).

ResultsDY-Vertical deflection (mm) along AB

Distance
from
fixed end

Theory

FE

150
300
450
600
750
900
1050
1200

ResultsSZZ (Global axes)-Bending stress (N/mm ) along AB

Distance
from
fixed end

150
300
450
600
750
900
1050
1200

Theory

FE

ResultsSZZ (Global axes) Bending stress (N/mm ) along PQ

Distance from
bottom(mm)

Theory

FE

0(P)

12.5
25
37.5
50
62.5
75
87.5
100(Q)

ResultsSYZ (Global axes)-Shear stress(N/mm ) along PQ

Distance from
bottom(mm)

0(P)

12.5
25
37.5
50
62.5
75
87.5
100(Q)

Theory

FE

Plot Graph
1
Plot on the same graph the span wise finite element vertical
deflectionvalues (along AB) superimposed on the theoretical
values.
2

Plot on the same graph the span wise the finite element bending
stress values (along AB) superimposed on the theoretical values.

Plot on the same graph the finite element bending stress values
(along PQ) superimposed on the theoretical values.

Plot on the same graph the finite element vertical shear stress
values (along PQ) superimposed on the theoretical values.

The experimental values I are shown below but does not have to be

same as
strand7.
Load (N)
0
18
28
38
48
58
68
88
108
128
148
168
188
208
228
248
268
288
308
328
348
368

theory and
Deflection (mm)
0
0.14

Stress@ Flange 1
0
0.9

0.22
0.3
0.38
0.47
0.55
0.73
0.89
1.06
1.24
1.42
1.64
1.84
2.07
2.32
2.65
3.05
3.39
3.8
4.19
4.58

1
1.4
1.5
1.7
1.8
2.2
2.5
2.8
3
3.4
3.7
3.9
4.3
4.6
4.9
5.2
5.3
5.6
6
6.4

Stress@Flange 2
0
0
0.4
0.2
0.6
0.6
1
1.2
1.3
1.7
1.9
2.2
2.7
3
3.2
3.6
4
4.4
4.7
5.2
5.5
5.9
6.3
6.7

0.2
0.1
-0.2
-0.3
-0.5
-0.8
-0.8
-1.1
-1.3
-1.6
-1.8
-2
-2.2
-2.6
-2.8
-3
-3.2
-3.4
-3.6
-4

Stress @Web