Flexing a Beam: Can it Go to 50 Degrees?

[adsaw]

I'm looking to see if a flexible beam I am using right now can be flexed further, currently it goes to around 25 degrees and I want to see if I can bend it to around 50 degrees without permanent deformation. Looking to do a back of the envelope calc to check this, what equation should I use, and what material stress should I compare this to? The beam is attached to blocks at the top and bottom and these two blocks are connected by a cable that can be retracted to create a moment and bend the beam:

-------
| |
| block|
-------
| b | |
| ea| | <- cable
| m| |
--------
| |
| block |
--------

 

[Dr.D]

If the beam is rotated through 25 deg already, you are way passed the limits of linear elastic beam theory, which usually means hand calcs are out the window.

 

[minger]

If the beam is rotated through 25 deg already, you are way passed the limits of linear elastic beam theory, which usually means hand calcs are out the window.

agreed