Incremental Growth Analysis of a Cantilever Beam under Cyclic Thermal and Axial Loads

Ratcheting analysis for cantilever beams subjected to the thermomechanical loads is presented using the finite element method. The cantilever beam is constrained along the vertical direction, and plane stress conditions are assumed according to the bilinear isotropic hardening model. Two points are considered to obtain areas of ratcheting by using linear extrapolation. The results and output diagrams for ratcheting with elastic-perfect plastic behavior are illustrated. It was revealed that the beam behaves elastically after the first considerable plastic strain, which is seen in two shakedown regimes. The numerical results are verified with known and analytical results in the literature. The results indicate a strong correlation between the outcomes from the cyclic ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) model and Bree's analytical predictions. This consistency between the finite element analysis and the analytical solutions underscores the potential of finite element analysis as a powerful tool for addressing complex engineering challenges, offering a reliable and robust alternative to traditional analytical methods.