User Guide and Examples for Matlab Script beam_3D.

By Tom Irvine

March 8, 2010

______________________________________________________________________________

Y u8

u2 u11 X
u5 u7

u10

u9
u12

u1
u4 u6 u3

Figure 1. Three-dimension Beam Element, Degrees-of-freedom

1
Example: Cantilever Beam with End Mass

Consider an aluminum beam with solid circular cross section.

Properties

L Length 12 inch
D Diameter 1 inch
A Area 0.7854 in^2
Iyy area MOI 0.04909 in^4
Izz area MOI 0.04909 in ^4
E elastic modulus 1e+07 lbf/in^2
ρ̂ mass/volume 0.1 lbm/in^3 0.000259 lbf sec^2/in^4
ρ mass/length 0.07854 lbm/in 0.00020338 lbf sec^2/in^2
ρL
Beam mass
0.942 lbm 0.0024402 lbf sec^2/in
without end mas
Poisson Ratio 0.3
M end mass 0.5 lbm 0.0012952 lbf sec^2/in

Hand Calculation

The natural frequency from Reference 1 is

1 3EI
fn ≈ (1)
2π (0.2235ρL + m )L3

1 3 (1e + 07 lbf / in ^ 2) (0.04909 in ^ 4)

fn ≈ (2)
2π (0.2235(0.00244 lbf sec^2 / in ) + (0.001295 lbf sec^2/in) )(12 in )3

fn ≈ 108 .4 Hz (3)

2
FEA Model via Matlab script beam_3D.m

Use 6 equally spaced elements, with 7 nodes total.

The node array is:

na= [ 0 0 0; 2 0 0; 4 0 0; 6 0 0; 8 0 0; 10 0 0; 12 0 0 ]

The element array is

ea = [1 2; 2 3; 3 4; 4 5; 5 6; 6 7]

The finite element output is

beam_3D.m, ver 1.2, March 4, 2010

by Tom Irvine

This script calculates the natural frequencies of a system of beams.

via the finite element method.

Select units
1=English 2=metric
1

mass(lbm), stiffness(lbf/in), length(in), mass density(lbm/in^3)

The nodal coordinates must have three columns: X, Y & Z (inches)

Select the nodal coordinate input method

Select data input method

1=external ASCII file
2=file preloaded into Matlab
3=Excel file
2
Enter the node matrix name: na

Node Table
Number X Y X
1 0 0 0
2 2 0 0
3 4 0 0
4 6 0 0
5 8 0 0
6 10 0 0
7 12 0 0

The element file must have two columns: node1 node2 (integers)
Select the element input method

3
Select data input method
1=external ASCII file
2=file preloaded into Matlab
3=Excel file
2
Enter the element matrix name: ea

Element Table
Number N1 N2 Length
1 1 2 2
2 2 3 2
3 3 4 2
4 4 5 2
5 5 6 2
6 6 7 2

Assume uniform material

Enter material:
1=aluminum 2=steel 3=other 1

Assume uniform cross-section geometry

Axis convention for a rectangular beam is:

X is length. Y=width. Z=thickness

Enter the cross-section:

1=rectangle 2=solid cylinder 3=other 2

Enter the diameter (inch) 1

Add point mass?

i=yes 2=no
1

Enter number of point masses

1
Enter node number
7
Enter mass (lbm)0.5

Apply Translation Constraints?

1=yes 2=no
1

Enter node number to apply constraint 1

Select dofs to constrain

1=TX
2=TY
3=TZ
4=TX & TY
5=TX & TZ
6=TY & TZ
7=TX,TY,TZ
7

4
 Apply another translational constraint?
1=yes 2=no
2

Apply Rotational Constraints?

1=yes 2=no
1

Enter node number to apply constraint 1

Select dofs to constrain

1=RX
2=RY
3=RZ
4=RX & RY
5=RX & RZ
6=RY & RZ
7=RX,RY,RZ
7

Apply another rotational constraint?

1=yes 2=no
2

Apply mass condensation?

1=yes 2=no
1

Enter number of degrees-of-freedom

to retain in reduced model
10

Natural Frequencies
No. f(Hz)
1. 107.27
2. 107.27
3. 914.09
4. 917.51
5. 2803.6
6. 2824
7. 3086.8
8. 6105.3
9. 8514.3
10. 12038

Recall that the hand calculation fundamental frequency was

fn ≈ 108 .4 Hz (4)

Thus the two methods produce nearly the same fundamental frequency.

5
References

1. T. Irvine, Bending Frequencies of Beams, Rods, and Pipes, Revision K, Vibrationdata,

2004.
2. T. Irvine, Table of Spring Stiffness, Rev B, Vibrationdata, 1999.
3. R. Blevins, Formulas for Natural Frequency and Mode Shapes, R, Krieger, Malabar,
Florida, 1979.

6
 APPENDIX A

Example: Fixed-Free, Rod

Consider an aluminum rod with solid circular cross section. Determine the torsional
fundamental frequency. All translational degrees-of-freedom are fixed. The rotational degrees-
of-freedom at the fixed boundary are also fixed, obviously.

Properties

L Length 12 inch
D Diameter 2 inch
A Area 3.142 in^2
J Polar Area MOI 1.571 in^4
Jm Polar Mass MOI 0.004883 lbf sec^2/in
E elastic modulus 1e+07 lbf/in^2
G shear modulus 3.76e+06 lbf/in^2
ρ̂ mass/volume 0.1 lbm/in^3 0.000259 lbf sec^2/in^4
ρ mass/length 0.3142 lbm/in 0.000814 lbf sec^2/in^2

Hand Calculation

The natural frequency from References 2 and 3 is

GJ
kr = (A-1)
L

k r = (3.76e + 06 lbf/in^2)(1.571 in^4) / (12 in ) (A-2)

k r = 4.9210e+05 lbf/in (A-3)

1  π  kr
fn =   (A-4)
2π  2  J m

1  π  4.9210e + 05 lbf/in
fn =   (A-5)
2π  2  0.004883 lbf sec^2/in

7
 fn = 2510 Hz (A-6)

Matlab Analysis

Use 4 equally spaced elements, with 5 nodes total.

The node array is:

nne =

[0 0 0;
3 0 0;
6 0 0;
9 0 0;
12 0 0]

The element array is

elem =

[1 2;
2 3;
3 4;
4 5]

Matlab output excerpts:

beam_3D.m, ver 2.1, March 5, 2010

by Tom Irvine

This script calculates the natural frequencies of a system of beams.

Natural Frequencies
No. f(Hz)
1. 2552.9
2. 8053.4
3. 14629
4. 21155

The Matlab fundamental frequency is 2% higher than the hand calculation value.

8
 APPENDIX B

Tuning Fork, 440 Hz, A Note

A tuning fork is constructed from 0.125-inch diameter steel. There are no constraints.

Grids

[0 0 0;
0 0.25 0;
0 0.5 0;
0 0.75 0;
-0.23097 1.15433 0;
-0.17678 1.07322 0;
-0.0957 1.01903 0;
0 1 0;
0.095671 1.01903 0;
0.17678 1.07322 0;
0.23097 1.15433 0;
-0.25 1.25 0;
-0.25 1.45417 0;
-0.25 1.65833 0;
-0.25 1.8625 0;
-0.25 2.06667 0;
-0.25 2.27083 0;
-0.25 2.475 0;
-0.25 2.67917 0;
-0.25 2.88333 0;
-0.25 3.0875 0;
-0.25 3.29167 0;
-0.25 3.49583 0;
-0.25 3.6914 0;
0.25 1.25 0;
0.25 1.45417 0;
0.25 1.65833 0;
0.25 1.8625 0;
0.25 2.06667 0;
0.25 2.27083 0;
0.25 2.475 0;
0.25 2.67917 0;
0.25 2.88333 0;
0.25 3.0875 0;
0.25 3.29167 0;
0.25 3.49583 0;
0.25 3.6914 0]

9
Elements

[1 2;
2 3;
3 4;
4 8;
12 5;
5 6;
6 7;
7 8;
8 9;
9 10;
10 11;
11 25;
12 13;
13 14;
14 15;
15 16;
16 17;
17 18;
18 19;
19 20;
20 21;
21 22;
22 23;
23 24;
25 26;
26 27;
27 28;
28 29;
29 30;
30 31;
31 32;
32 33;
33 34;
34 35;
35 36;
36 37]

10
>> beam_3D

beam_3D.m, ver 2.2, March 8, 2010

by Tom Irvine

This script calculates the natural frequencies of a system of beams.

Natural Frequencies
No. f(Hz)
1. 0
2. 0
3. 0
4. 0.001158
5. 0.0017086
6. 0.0032686
7. 440
8. 694.42
9. 1598.7
10. 1735.4
11. 2804.5
12. 3821
13. 4163.3
14. 4220.5
15. 5778
16. 7859.9

11
 Mode 7 fn= 440 Hz

0
Z

-1
4

3.5

2.5

1.5

Y 0.5 3
1 2
0 -1 0
-3 -2
X

Figure B-1.

Mode 8 fn= 694.4 Hz

0.5

0
Z

-0.5

-1
4

1
1.5 2
Y 0.5 1
-0.5 0
0 -1
-2 -1.5
X

Figure B-2.

12
 Mode 9 fn= 1599 Hz

0
Z

-1
4

3.5

2.5

1.5

2 2.5
Y 0.5 1.5
0.5 1
-0.5 0
0 -1.5 -1
-2.5 -2
X

Figure B-3.

13