Abstract
A finite element formulation for the large displacement analysis of three-dimensional solid beams is proposed. It is based on the degeneration approach: the governing equations for a general solid are directly discretized. The assumptions of the Timoshenko beam theory are implemented in the discretization process by devising a 9-node beam element and utilizing the penalty method. The shear stiffness is adjusted by introducing two shear correction factors into the constitutive equations. The formulation is quite simple and straightforward, mainly because rotations are excluded from nodal variables. Several example problems are solved to demonstrate the validity of the present formulation.
