Slender Plane Beams. Euler-Bernoulli Theory

Abstract

This chapter studies the bending of slender plane beams using the classical Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and the FEM. Many readers will ask themselves why we are applying the FEM to a simple structural problem that can be solved by standard Strength of Materials techniques [Ti2]. The answer is that the study of beam elements is of great interest as it allows us to introduce concepts which will be applied for the formulation of thin plate and shell elements in the subsequent chapters.