NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF A CANTILEVER BEAM AND VALIDATION USING THEORETICAL
METHODS WITH APPLICATION TO UNIT DELIVERY
Abstract
This paper investigates the deflection and bending stress in a
cantilever beam of uniform rectangular cross section with a point load
using a 3D Finite Element (FE) model. The results are validated using
the Bernoulli-Euler’s elastic curve theory equations. The research aims
to study and analyse the static analysis of a rectangular beam
considered to be isotropic. During this analysis, the displacement is
assumed to be small, the material exhibits a linear stress strain
relationship i.e.: obeys Hooke’s law, there is no change of magnitude,
orientation or distribution of the load applied and the effect of
gravity are negligible hence with of the beam is not accounted for in
this analysis. The simulation is carried out in the Autodesk Inventor
stress analysis environment and validated using theoretical methods
after which the effects of point loads on structural integrity and
mechanical properties are studied.