On the Development of a Modified Timoshenko Beam Element for the Bending Analysis of Functionally Graded Beams

Abstract

This study examines the static bending behavior of functionally graded beams using a newly developed modified Timoshenko beam element. The mixed finite element formulation and Timoshenko beam theory serve as the foundation for the formulation of the proposed beam element. There are two nodes and two degrees of freedom in each node of the new beam element. The suggested element is free of shear locking, without the need for reduced or selective integrations, because of the mixed finite element formulation. Comparative results demonstrate high accuracy in computations, even with both regular and irregular meshes, as well as coarse and fine discretization. Because of its rapid convergence rate, the proposed element is an excellent tool for analyzing beam structures with complex geometries and load conditions. Several examples are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and high convergence of the proposed beam element. Additionally, the effects of various parameters, such as the power-law index and thickness-to-length ratio, on the bending behavior of functionally graded beams are investigated. The findings highlight the robustness and versatility of the developed beam element, which makes it a useful contribution to research into the computational mechanics of beam structures.