A curved beam with a square cross-section.

Case Description

A curved beam with a square cross-section is fixed at one end and subject to a point load at the free end.

Geometry

• a = 1 m
• b = 1 m
• Mean Bend Radius @ centerline of cross section (Rm) = 100 m
• Revolve Angle of Cross Section (θ ) = 45° (curved beam is one-eighth of a full 360° ring)

Study Type

• Nonlinear Static Stress

Mesh Parameters

• Mesh Type = Solid (Tetrahedral)
• Element Order = Parabolic
• Mesh Size = 350 mm, absolute

Material Properties

• Modulus of Elasticity = 10,000 MPa
• Shear Modulus = 5,000 MPa
• Poisson's ratio (v) = 0.0

Constraints

• Fully Fixed (X, Y, and Z) at bottom (–Y end)

Load

• Force = 3000 N in the Z direction applied to free end of curved beam

Comparison of Results

X, Y, and Z displacement components at the centroid of the free end (for the last calculation increment)

Displacement Component (m)	NAFEMS	Fusion	% Difference
X Direction	–25.04	-25.58	2.16%
Y Direction	–47.78	-47.65	–0.27 %
Z Direction	68.52	68.51	–0.015 %

Reference

NAFEMS Benchmark Test 3DNLG5