Deteriorated Geometrical Stiffness for Higher Order Finite Elements with Application to Panel Flutter

Higher order elements were first design for linear problems where, in certain situations, they present advantages over the lower order elements. A method to efficiently extend their use to geometrical nonlinear problems as panel flutter and postbuckling behavior is presented. The chaotic and limit-cycle oscillations of an isotropic plate are obtained based on direct integration of the discretized equation of motion. The plate is modeled using the von Karman theory and the geometrical nonlinearities are separated in a nonlinear term of the first kind which manifests especially in the prebuckling and buckling regimes, and a nonlinear term of the second kind which is responsible for the postbuckling behavior. A fifth order, fully compatible element has been used to model thin plates while the inplane loads where introduced through a membrane element. The aerodynamics was modeled using the first order 'piston theory. The method introduces the concept of a deteriorated form of the second geometric matrix which is equivalent to neglecting higher order terms in the strain energy of the plate. This allows for a drastic reduction in the computational effort with no observable loss of accuracy. Well established results in the literature are used to validate the method.     

End Effects for Anti-Plane Shear Deformations of Periodically Laminated STrips with Imperfect Bonding

The axial decay of Saint-Venant end effects is investigated for anti-plane shear deformations of semi-infinite generally laminated anisotropic strips. Imperfect bonding conditions are imposed at the interfaces. The analytical approach, using a displacement field which decays exponentially in the axial direction, gives rise to a transcendental equation for the real eigenvalues. The decay rate for the stresses is given in terms of the smallest positive eigenvalue. Laminated strips with periodic layout are then considered. In the presence of imperfect bonding, the effective shear elastic moduli, computed through a homogenization method, depend on the total number of slipping interfaces in the laminate. Numerical examples confirm that the decay lengths computed with effective shear moduli represent the asymptotic values (for an increasing number of layers) for those of periodically laminated strips. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Simpler problems for elastic Cosserat surfaces

For elastic Cosserat surfaces, we discuss an attempt to characterize cases where the equations can be reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations.

---

Résumé Pour les surfaces élastiques de Cosserat, on decrira les different cas où les equations peuvent être rameneés a un system d'equations différentielles ordinaires.

     

Force-Free States, Relative Strain, and Soft Elasticity in Nematic Elastomers

The remarkable ability of nematic elastomers to exhibit large deformations under small applied forces is known as soft elasticity. The recently proposed neo-classical free-energy density for nematic elastomers, derived by molecular-statistical arguments, has been used to model soft elasticity. In particular, the neo-classical free-energy density allows for a continuous spectrum of equilibria, which implies that deformations may occur in the complete absence of force and energy cost. Here we study the notion of force-free states in the context of a continuum theory of nematic elastomers that allows for isotropy, uniaxiality, and biaxiality of the polymer microstructure. Within that theory, the neo-classical free-energy density is an example of a free-energy density function that depends on the deformation gradient only through a nonlinear strain measure associated with the deformation of the polymer microstructure relative to the macroscopic continuum. Among the force-free states for a nematic elastomer described by the neo-classical free energy density, there is, in particular, a continuous spectrum of states parameterized by a pair of tensors that allows for soft deformations. In these force-free states the polymer microstructure is material in the sense that it stretches and rotates with the macroscopic continuum. Limitations of and possible improvements upon the neo-classical model are also discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nonlinear response of a parametrically excited buckled beam

A nonlinear analysis of the response of a simply-supported buckled beam to a harmonic axial load is presented. The method of multiple scales is used to determine to second order the amplitude- and phase-modulation equations. Floquet theory is used to analyze the stability of periodic responses. The perturbation results are verified by integrating the governing equation using both digital and analog computers. For small excitation amplitudes, the analytical results are in good agreement with the numerical solutions. The large-amplitude responses are investigated by using a digital computer and are compared with those obtained via an analog-computer simulation. The complicated dynamic behaviors that were found include period-multiplying and period-demultiplying bifurcations, period-three and period-six motions, jump phenomena, and chaos. In some cases, multiple periodic attractors coexist, and a chaotic attractor coexists with a periodic attractor. Phase portraits, spectra of the responses, and a bifurcation set of the many solutions are presented.     

Analysis of periodic-quasiperiodic nonlinear systems via Lyapunov-Floquet transformation and normal forms

In this paper a general technique for the analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems with periodic-quasiperiodic coefficients is developed. For such systems the coefficients of the linear terms are periodic with frequency ω while the coefficients of the nonlinear terms contain frequencies that are incommensurate with ω. No restrictions are placed on the size of the periodic terms appearing in the linear part of system equation. Application of Lyapunov-Floquet transformation produces a dynamically equivalent system in which the linear part is time-invariant and the time varying coefficients of the nonlinear terms are quasiperiodic. Then a series of quasiperiodic near-identity transformations are applied to reduce the system equation to a normal form. In the process a quasiperiodic homological equation and the corresponding ‘solvability condition’ are obtained. Various resonance conditions are discussed and examples are included to show practical significance of the method. Results obtained from the quasiperiodic time-dependent normal form theory are compared with the numerical solutions. A close agreement is found.     

Plane elastic standing waves of finite amplitude

A plane standing wave solution is obtained for homogeneous, isotropic, incompressible nonlinearly elastic solids. The motion describes the nonlinear interaction of two oppositely propagating, circularly polarized waves. It is used to obtain exact steady state solutions for nonlinear vibrations of a plate and for reflection and transmission of finite amplitude, circularly polarized waves at a plane interface.     

Hydrodynamic instability in fluid layers with uniform volumetric energy sources

Linear and energy theory stability criteria are presented for fluid layers of infinite horizontal extent heated internally by a uniform volumetric energy source. The thermal coupling between the layer and its environment is modeled by a general mixed boundary condition in both the conduction state and the disturbance temperature. Rigid-rigid, free-free, free-rigid, and rigid-free boundaries are considered in the computations. For a fixed ratio of upper surface Biot number to that at the lower surface, decreasing the Biot number is strictly destabilizing for both linear and energy theory criteria. A region of possible subcritical instability is found; its size is strongly dependent on Biot number and becomes small for small values of lower surface Biot number and large Biot number ratio. For two rigid surfaces and an upper and lower surface Biot number of 47.5, mean energy transport measurementswithin the convecting layer indicate a critical Reyleigh number close to that predicted by linear theory. Subcritical instability is not observed when finite amplitude disturbances are introduced at a Rayleigh number between the critical values predicted by the linear theory and the energy theory.     

Nonlinear Analysis of Store-Induced Limit Cycle Oscillations

Flight tests of modern high-performance fighter aircraft reveal the presence of limit cycle oscillation (LCO) responses for aircraft with certain external store configurations. Conventional linear aeroelastic analysis predicts flutter for conditions well beyond the operational envelope, yet these store-induced LCO responses occur at flight conditions within the flight envelope. Several nonlinear sources may be present, including aerodynamic effects such as flow separation and shock-boundary layer interaction and structural effects such as stiffening, damping, and system kinematics. No complete theory has been forwarded to accurately explain the mechanisms responsible. This research examines a two degree-of-freedom aeroelastic system which possesses kinematic nonlinearities and a strong nonlinearity in pitch stiffness. Nonlinear analysis techniques are used to gain insight into the characteristics of the behavior of the system. Numerical simulation is used to verify and validate the analysis. It is found that when system damping is low, the system clearly exhibits nonlinear interaction between aeroelastic modes. It is also shown that although certain applied forcing conditions may appear negligible, these same forces produce large amplitude LCOs under specific realizable circumstances.