Estimating the stresses on a Simply Supported

Beam loaded with a Transverse Sinusoidal loading

using Airy Stress function
Submitted By- Guided By-
Ankit Deshmukh (H20191410593P) Dr. J.S.Rathore
Prajesh Pandey (H20191410595P)
BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus
Problem Statement

This project deals with the estimating the stress in a simply supported beam
which is linear isotropic loaded with a transverse sinusoidal load using Airy stress
function. We then calculate the stress tensor and then go on to calculate
the principal stresses, maximum shear stress and the strain components and the
displacement.

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Simply Supported beam

A beam is a structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting

bending. For a simply supported beam, the structure is supported at each end which are
free to rotate and have no resistance to moment, and the load is distributed in some way
along its length. The figure shows the typical shape of a simply supported beam without
any force. The simply supported beam has on one side a hinged support and on the other
side a roller support. If the load was vertical and there is no moment then both supports
produce only vertical forces, however in the general case the hinged support can produce
vertical and horizontal forces.

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Airy Stress function

This function can be used as a scalar potential to find the stress/strain tensor, it satisfies
the equilibrium in the absence of body forces, but it should be noted that it can only be
used for two-dimensional problems ex. plane stress/ plane strain, for the case of the airy
stress function the governing equation for the condition of equilibrium when the body
forces are constant or absent is :

The stress state is then given by:

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Load Analysis

The load structure will be discussed in this section . It is assumed that the load applied to
the top surface is downward distributed loading of trapezoidal distribution with intensity
say F1 N/m at left end and F2 N/m at right end, which is assumed to be 0.7F1 N/m. The
below figure shows the load applied.

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Boundary Conditions

1. The conditions at the upper and the lower edges of the beam are the strong form of
the boundary conditions which states the conditions at every point over a domain that a
solution must satisfy. They are given as:

2. The conditions at the ends, x=0 and x=L are the weak form of the boundary conditions
which states the condition, the solution must satisfy in an integral sense, but since our
model is not symmetric, we should define each condition alone:

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Methodology

1. Determination of the strong and weak form of the Boundary conditions.

2. Developing the general form of the Airy function Φ.
Because the vertical normal stress has a sinusoidal variation in x along y = c, an
appropriate trial solution from the general case is

3. Solving the Airy function Φ and boundary conditions and determining its coefficients.
4. Determining the Stress Field.

5. We then proceed to calculate the localized principal stress and the maximum shear
stress at every point:

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

 Methodology

6. The strain will then be calculated according to the generalized Hooke's and then we will
solve for the principal strains and maximum shear strain.

7.Then a calculation of the displacements in the x and y directions for any point will be
determined as shown:

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Analysis of result

1. Compare the solutions obtained through Finite Element Method using MATLAB and
ANSYS 2019.
2. Obtain the analytical solution through MATLAB and compare it with by-hand
calculations.

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

References

1. Theory of elasticity, Martin H. Sadd,second edition.

2. https://nptel.ac.in/content/storage2/courses/105106049/lecnotes/mainch8.html

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956