Beam Stress Components

Stress results for beams are calculated based on the beam's local coordinate system. You can view uniform axial stresses, torsional, bending and shear stresses in two orthogonal directions (dir 1 and dir 2), and the highest stresses on extreme fibers generated by combining axial and bending stresses.

Render beam profile (slower)
  • When selected, the software calculates stresses that vary within the plane of the cross-section. Stresses are calculated at both ends of each beam element, and also at points of the cross-section with varying distance from the beam's neutral axis. Select a stress component to plot.
  • When cleared, the software calculates the stress values at the extreme fibers of each beam end. It reports the stress value with the highest magnitude for each beam segment.

    Upper bound bending in DIR 1

    Highest magnitude of bending stress due to moment M1 (Bending Ms/Ss in the plot name, title, and legend).

    Upper bound bending in DIR 2

    Highest magnitude of bending stress due to moment M2 (Bending Mt/St in the plot name, title, and legend).

    Upper bound axial and bending

    Highest stresses at the extreme fibers of the cross-section. Combined uniform axial stress and the two bending stresses due to M1 and M2:

    P/ A + [(M1* I22 + M2 * I12) * y1 + ( M2 * I11 + M1 * I21) * y2)] / (I22 * I11 - I12^2)

    where I ij (I = j = 1 or 2) are the moments of inertia about the respective local orthogonal beam directions 1 and 2.

    Torsional

    Highest magnitude of torsional stress (shear stress due to torque).

    Shear in DIR 1

    Highest magnitude of shear stress due to shear force in local direction 1.

    Shear in DIR 2

    Highest magnitude of shear stress due to shear force in local direction 2.