A general finite element for beams or beam‐columns with or without an elastic foundation

Abstract A general finite element is derived for beams or beam‐columns with or without a continuous Winkler type elastic foundation. The need to discretize members into shorter elements for convergence towards an ‘exact’ solution is eliminated by employing in the derivation of the element exact shape functions obtained from the equation of the elastic line. Inter‐nodal values of deflections, bending moments and shear forces are obtained using the exact shape functions and trigonometric series. The effect of heavy compressive or tensile axial forces on bending stiffness is treated as a linear problem by considering the axial force as a constant parameter affecting the stiffness. FORTRAN subroutines to compute the stiffness matrix, equivalent nodal forces, deflected shape, bending moments and shear forces are provided and verified by an example.