Shear Lag Analysis due to Flexure of Prismatic Beams with Arbitrary Cross-Sections by FEM

This paper presents the use of a finite element method (FEM) to analyze shear lag effect due flexure beams with an arbitrary cross-section and homogeneous elastic material. Beams are constrained by most common types supports, such as fixed, pinned, roller. The transverse, concentrated, or distributed loads act on through center cross-section. presented FEM transforms 3D analysis phenomenon into separated 2D cross-sectional 1D beam modeling. characteristics firstly derived from FEM, which uses 9-node isoparametric element. Then, linear element, is developed compute deflection, rotation angle, bending warping parameter, stress resultants. Finally, field obtained local 2D-cross section. A MATLAB program executed validate numerical method. validation examples have proven efficiency reliability for analyzing flexure, problem in structural design.