Chapter 8

Analysis of 3D frames

8.1 Introduction

The analysis of three dimensional frames is quite similar to the analysis of 2D

frames. In the two-node 3D frame finite element we now consider in each node
three displacements and three rotations with respect to the three global cartesian
axes.

8.2 Stiffness matrix and vector of equivalent nodal forces

In the local coordinate system, the stiffness matrix is given by

⎡ EA ⎤
0 0 0 0 0 − EA 0 0 0 0 0
L L
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 12EIz 6EIz 12EIz 6EIz ⎥
⎢ 0 0 0 0 − 0 0 0 ⎥
⎢ L3 L2 L3 L2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 12EIy 6EIy 12EIy 6EIy ⎥
⎢ − − − ⎥
⎢ 0 0 0 0 0 0 ⎥
⎢ L3 L2 L3 L2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ GJ − GJ ⎥
⎢ L
0 0 0 0 0
L
0 0 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 4EIy 6EIy 2EIy ⎥
⎢ 0 0 0 0 0 ⎥
⎢ L L2 L ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 4EIz 6EIz 2EIz ⎥
⎢ 0 − 0 0 0 ⎥
e ⎢ L L2 L ⎥
K = ⎢
⎢
⎢
⎥
⎥
⎥
(8.1)
⎢ EA 0 0 0 0 0 ⎥
⎢ L ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 12EIz −6EIz ⎥
⎢ 0 0 0 ⎥
⎢ L3 L 2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 12EIy 6EIy ⎥
⎢ 0 0 ⎥
⎢ L3 L2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ GJ ⎥
⎢ L
0 0 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ 4EIy ⎥
⎢ 0 ⎥
⎢ L ⎥
⎣ ⎦
4EIz
sim.
L

A.J.M. Ferreira, MATLAB Codes for Finite Element Analysis: 103

Solids and Structures, Solid Mechanics and Its Applications 157,


c Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009
104 8 Analysis of 3D frames

After transformation to the global axes, the stiffness matrix in global coordinates
is obtained as
K = RT K
R
where the rotation matrix R is defined as
⎡ ⎤
r0 00
⎢0 r 0 0⎥
R=⎢ ⎣0 0
⎥ (8.2)
r 0⎦
00 0r

being ⎡ ⎤
CXx CY x CZx
r = ⎣ CXy CY y CZy ⎦ (8.3)
CXz CY z CZz
and
CXx = cosθXx
where angles θXx , θY x , and θZx , are measured from global axes X, Y , and Z,
with respect to the local axis x, respectively. The two-node 3D frame element has
six degrees of freedom per node. Given the nodal displacements, it is possible to
calculate the reactions at the supports by

F = KU (8.4)

where K and U are the structure stiffness matrix and the vector of nodal displace-
ment, respectively. The element forces are also evaluated by axes transformation as

fe = ke RUe (8.5)

8.3 First 3D frame example

The first 3D frame example is illustrated in figure 8.1. We consider E = 210

GPa, G = 84 GPa, A = 2 × 10−2 m2 , Iy = 10 × 10−5 m4 , Iz = 20 × 10−5 m4 ,
J = 5 × 10−5 m4 .
Code problem12.m solves this problem, and calls function formStiffness3D
frame.m, that computes the stiffness matrix of the 3D frame element.

%................................................................

% MATLAB codes for Finite Element Analysis

% problem12.m
% antonio ferreira 2008