CEE 501

Basic Frame Example

Supplemental Handout

3D to 2D
In the special case of planar analysis, there are various simplifications that arise in regards to
the fundamental quantities used for frame modeling:

uj
j
s

Length = L
Area = A
Moment of Inertia = I

i
ui

Young's Modulus = E

Geometry

Kinematics

n n

Stiffness

u u = u i + vj

s s

t
k

I I ss
tt

nI I t s I s
tt

tt

t 1

I I

fu

mu

tt

tt

AE
L

nn+

6EI
2

4EI
L
2EI
L

Example:

q0

L
L

EI = const
u

1 1

2 u2

Member geometry:

fu

+k

a
mu

fu

+k

k
k

b
fu

b
mu

b
mu

k
k

Ta
mu

+k

Tb

mu

+k
Tb

k
k

mu

fu

mu

mu
b

c
fu
c

mu

Tb
Tc
k
k
u 2
mu
mu

b
c
k
+k
2
m
m
k

mu

+k

Tb

fu

12 EI
3

ss

Members a & c:

n = j

n = i

Member b:

s = j

s = i
Stiffness tensors

+k

fu

a
mu

AE
=

b
fu

+k

AE
j j +

12 EI

6EI
6EI
=
i+

2
2
L a
L

b
mu

6EI
j

2
L

b
fu

b
mu

12 EI
=

3
L

6EI
=
j 0
2
L b

k m + k m

bT
mu

c
fu

AE
j j

6EI
=

2
L

+k

b
mu

4EI
=

fu

mu

AE

12 EI

12 EI

6EI

2
L

12 EI
+

6EI
=

2
L
c

k m + k m

AE

4EI
+

L
b

AE
=

i i

12EI
+

6EI

AE

6EI

ii

12EI
+

AE

j j +
L
b

6EI
6EI
i
j

2
2
L
L
b

4EI
4EI
=
+

L
L c

12 EI
+

3
L

6EI

2
L

AE

i i

12EI
+

AE

12 EI
+

3

b
L

Stiffness
AE

12 EI
+

AE

L
0

4EI
+

AE

0
6EI

2
L

12EI
+

6EI

2
L

4EI

AE

12 EI

L
6EI

2
L

6EI

2
L
2EI

L
b

12 EI

AE

6EI

2
L

L c

12 EI
+

6EI

2
L

4 EI

4EI
+

Loads:

{fint }

q 0 [ N] dx

{f int }

{f

int

w 0 Lb

w 0 Lb

w L

12
0

w L
0

12

w0 Lb

12
=
0

w0 Lb

2
w L
0
b

12

{F } = {Fint } + {Fext }

w L
0

s) L

(q 0

12

s) L

q L

q 0 = w 0 j

(q 0

i
=

u j

q L

12

Displaced Shape:
Nodes:

P2 = P2 + ( scale factor )u 2

P
= P3 + ( scale factor )u 3
3
Members:

P( x) = Pi + nx + ( scale factor ){[ N( x )]{u} + sv0 ( x)}

The following tensor-based combined axial/bending shape functions are useful for extracting
information of interest (this is a bit of a kludge, but it works):

[N( x) ] =

3x
l

2x
3

s s +

12 x
6
[N (x )] =

ss
3
2
l
l

l x
l

n n

6x
4
2
s
l
l

2x

12 x
l

x
l

6
s s
2
l

3x
l

2x
l

x
nn
s s +

6x
2
2
s
l
l

2
l

For a member with a constant load (such as member b):

v ( x) =
0

q x

24 EI

(l

Member Forces & Moments:

M( x) = EI s u

(x )

= EIs {[N ( x )]{u} + sv0

( x)}
s u
12x

= EI

6
2

6x

2
l

12 x
l

6
2

6x
2
l

2 i

EIv
( x)

0
l s u j

V ( x ) = EI[ s u (
x )]
0

s ui
= EI

12
l

12
l

6
l

f =

AE
l

(u

s u

x)
+ EIv0(
j

) n

Using member load and orientation info for moments, e.g.:

( x) = EI

12 x
l

2
6x

u +
2
2
2

l
l

la
a
a
6

12x
6x
12 x
6
4
6
b
v2 +
2 +

+
M ( x) = EI
2
3
3
2
2

l
l
l
l
l
l
b

b
b
b

6x

12 x
6
2
c
u +

M ( x ) = EI
+

3
3

2
3
2

lc
lc
lc
lc

Plotting M:
PM ( x ) = Pi + nx + ( moment scale ) M ( x)

Numbers:
E = 29,000 ksi
2

A = 10 in

I = 250 in
L = 15 ft

q 0 = 1.0 k/ft
P = 10 k

6x
2
v3 +

l
l

b
b

q0
3 +

12

( 6lb x lb

6x

Moments & displaced shape:

<x,y> = <0.482, -0.007> in

25 k'

1.00 k/ft
10.0 k

45 k'

20 k'

37 k'

49 k'

Shears and axial loads:

3.2 k

1.00 k/ft

11.8 k

10.0 k

3.7 k

3.7 k
-3.2 k

-11.8 k
6.3 k