FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS CONVERSION FACTORS FOR NATURAL VIBRATIONS OF BEAMS

The objective of this paper is to present results of a study designed to determine conversion factors to allow designers and analysts calculate natural frequencies of vibrating prismatic beams of arbitrary dimensions using simpler beam elements instead of expensive 3D solid elements. Prismatic beams subject to the most commonly encountered boundary conditions were modeled using beam elements and solid elements. The resulting natural frequencies were calculated and validated and the corresponding conversion factors were determined.