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Beam Deflection Calculator
Python-based beam bending/deflection tool using numerical methods (trapezoidal integration, LU solve) with plotted shear/moment/deflection.
Software Analysis Mechanical
Result
Generates shear/moment/deflection plots for arbitrary loading cases and supports, validated against hand calcs and known cases.
Overview
This project is a beam bending/deflection calculator that takes user-defined loads and supports and outputs key plots (shear, moment, slope, deflection).
What it does
- Accepts point loads, distributed loads, and moments
- Supports common boundary conditions
- Computes shear and moment
- Integrates to slope and deflection
- Plots results
Numerical Methods
- Trapezoidal integration for cumulative relationships
- Linear system solve (LU decomposition) for constants / boundary conditions
Validation
Validated against:
- Simple cantilever cases
- Simply supported benchmark cases
- Hand calculations for sanity checks
Next Improvements
- Better UI for defining load cases
- Export reports (PDF)
- Add stress and safety factor estimates