BEAM: A Finite Element Program for the Collapse Analysis of Vehicle Structures

Abstract

BEAM (Beam Element Analysis with Mechanisms) is a finite element program for the analysis of the collapse of vehicle structures. BEAM can quickly estimate the collapse load and plastic hinge locations in three-dimensional thin-walled frames that would collapse in bending. Such information can be combined with separate rigid-plastic modelling to enable the large-deflection design of vehicle frameworks so that their collapse in roll-over accidents, for instance, can be prevented. One advantage of BEAM is that it allows a user to define his own experimentally or analytically determined loads and moments as failure criteria. The theory and operation of BEAM are presented and its application to the modelling of a collapsing two-dimensional frame is described.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA285547

Entities

People

  • S. J. Cimpoeru

Organizations

  • Defence Science and Technology Group

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil Engineering
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Geometry
  • Materials
  • Mechanics
  • Modulus Of Elasticity
  • Structural Analysis
  • Structural Engineering
  • Structural Mechanics
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Structural Dynamics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.