Model Exchange

[SM 3.5a] 3D Euler Beam Properties Calculations

Ivar KJELBERG, CSEM sa
Email:

3D Euler Beam based FEM models calculate quickly and are very usefull for design otimisation and conctual design phases.

In COMSOL, as most FEM codes, 3D Euler Beams require the input of quite some beam properties data to calculate correctly. But in fact all of them can be solved by COMSOL once the geometry section is correctly sketched in a 2D geometry. In particular "J" the "Torsional Constant", or often called St. Venenat Torsion Constant, can be quite tricky to assess and is often confused wrongly with the polar moment.

Please note that "warping" effects are not explicitely considered herein.

A general procedure and a few COMSOL model examples are given for full and hollow beam sections, on how to use COMSOL to calculate these theoretical torsion constant values.

The pdf presentation is closing with a summary slide, mentioning a few possible improvements for COMSOL to sped up the use of 3D Beam model set-up.

I wish you a pleasant reading,
and pls do not hesitate to report back any errors or possible improvements

Other Entries by This Contributor

• [AC/DC V3.5a] Maxwell Stress Tensor "pitfall" example
• Zernike Polynomial extraction of deformed optical surface
• [SM v3.5a] Rotation constraints in structural module. With complements

User Comments

Login to comment on this entry.