Static analysis of short beams

Abstract

The finite element method has been used to obtain elastic stress data for simply-supported short beams with uniformly distributed loading and short built-in beams subjected to shear displacement (referred to as ‘sinking beams’). Length-to-depth ratios in the range 0.5–2.0 have been considered. In the case of the simply-supported beam, some results are compared with published data, while additional information on section warping and stress contours is presented. Similar results are presented for the sinking beam, for which alternative solutions are not currently published. Predictions are compared with estimates using simple theory for slender beams and modified theories which include transverse shear effects. It is apparent that these estimates can be significantly in error when length-to-depth ratios are less than 2.0.