How do you calculate elastic axis?

The elastic axis of a beam is calculated by determining the location along its length where the bending moment does not produce any angular rotation, essentially balancing the moments. This is done by using the formula ( x_{ea} = \frac{\sum (M_i \cdot x_i)}{\sum M_i} ), where ( M_i ) is the bending moment at each section and ( x_i ) is the distance from a reference point. The elastic axis typically lies closer to the side of the beam subjected to higher tensile forces. In practical applications, it can also be found through numerical methods or finite element analysis for complex beam shapes.