Nonlinear flexural–torsional dynamic analysis of beams of variable doubly symmetric cross section—application to wind turbine towers

In this paper, a boundary element solution is developed for the nonlinear flexural–torsional dynamic analysis of beams of arbitrary doubly symmetric variable cross section, undergoing moderate large displacements, and twisting rotations under general boundary conditions, taking into account the effect of rotary and warping inertia. The beam is subjected to the combined action of arbitrarily distributed or concentrated transverse loading in both directions and to twisting and/or axial loading. Four boundary-value problems are formulated with respect to the transverse displacements, to the axial displacement, and to the angle of twist and solved using the Analog Equation Method, a Boundary Element Method (BEM) based technique. Application of the boundary element technique yields a system of nonlinear coupled Differential–Algebraic Equations (DAE) of motion, which is solved iteratively using the Petzold–Gear Backward Differentiation Formula (BDF), a linear multistep method for differential equations coupled with algebraic equations. Numerical examples of great practical interest including wind turbine towers are worked out, while the influence of the nonlinear effects to the response of beams of variable cross section is investigated.     

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of Timoshenko beams by BEM. Part I: Theory and numerical implementation

In this two-part contribution, a boundary element method is developed for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of beams of arbitrary doubly symmetric simply or multiply connected constant cross section, undergoing moderate large displacements and small deformations under general boundary conditions, taking into account the effects of shear deformation and rotary inertia. Part I is devoted to the theoretical developments and their numerical implementation and Part II discusses analytical and numerical results obtained from both analytical or numerical research efforts from the literature and the proposed method. The beam is subjected to the combined action of arbitrarily distributed or concentrated transverse loading and bending moments in both directions as well as to axial loading. To account for shear deformations, the concept of shear deformation coefficients is used. Five boundary value problems are formulated with respect to the transverse displacements, to the axial displacement and to two stress functions and solved using the Analog Equation Method, a BEM based method. Application of the boundary element technique yields a nonlinear coupled system of equations of motion. The solution of this system is accomplished iteratively by employing the average acceleration method in combination with the modified Newton–Raphson method. The evaluation of the shear deformation coefficients is accomplished from the aforementioned stress functions using only boundary integration. The proposed model takes into account the coupling effects of bending and shear deformations along the member, as well as the shear forces along the span induced by the applied axial loading.

     

Nonlinear analysis of shear deformable beam-columns partially supported on tensionless three-parameter foundation

In this paper, a boundary element method is developed for the nonlinear analysis of shear deformable beam-columns of arbitrary doubly symmetric simply or multiply connected constant cross-section, partially supported on tensionless three-parameter foundation, undergoing moderate large deflections under general boundary conditions. The beam-column is subjected to the combined action of arbitrarily distributed or concentrated transverse loading and bending moments in both directions as well as to axial loading. To account for shear deformations, the concept of shear deformation coefficients is used. Five boundary value problems are formulated with respect to the transverse displacements, to the axial displacement and to two stress functions and solved using the Analog Equation Method, a BEM-based method. Application of the boundary element technique yields a system of nonlinear equations from which the transverse and axial displacements are computed by an iterative process. The evaluation of the shear deformation coefficients is accomplished from the aforementioned stress functions using only boundary integration. The proposed model takes into account the coupling effects of bending and shear deformations along the member as well as the shear forces along the span induced by the applied axial loading. Numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the efficiency, wherever possible, the accuracy and the range of applications of the developed method.     

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of Timoshenko beams by BEM. Part II: applications and validation

In this two-part contribution, a boundary element method is developed for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of beams of arbitrary doubly symmetric simply or multiply connected constant cross section, undergoing moderate large displacements and small deformations under general boundary conditions, taking into account the effects of shear deformation and rotary inertia. In Part I the governing equations of the aforementioned problem have been derived, leading to the formulation of five boundary value problems with respect to the transverse displacements, to the axial displacement and to two stress functions. These problems are numerically solved using the Analog Equation Method, a BEM based method. In this Part II, numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the efficiency, the accuracy and the range of applications of the developed method. Thus, the results obtained from the proposed method are presented as compared with those from both analytical and numerical research efforts from the literature. More specifically, the shear deformation effect in nonlinear free vibration analysis, the influence of geometric nonlinearities in forced vibration analysis, the shear deformation effect in nonlinear forced vibration analysis, the nonlinear dynamic analysis of Timoshenko beams subjected to arbitrary axial and transverse in both directions loading, the free vibration analysis of Timoshenko beams with very flexible boundary conditions and the stability under axial loading (Mathieu problem) are presented and discussed through examples of practical interest.

     

Isogeometric analysis for the dynamic problem of curved structures including warping effects

Curved beam structures have been used in many civil, mechanical, aircraft, and aerospace constructions. The analysis is mainly based on solid and plate models due to the fact that traditional curved beam elements do not include nonuniform warping effects, especially in the dynamic analysis. In this article, independent warping parameters have been taken into account and the initial curvature effect is considered. Curved beam’s behavior becomes more complex, even for dead loading, due to the coupling between axial force, bending moments, and torque that curvature produces. In addition to these, the Isogeometric tools (b-splines or NURBS), either integrated in the Finite Element Method or in a Boundary Element–based Method called Analog Equation Method, have been employed in this contribution for the dynamic analysis of horizontally curved beams of open or closed (box-shaped) cross sections. Free vibration characteristics and responses of the stress resultants and displacements to moving loading have been studied.     

Shear deformable bars of doubly symmetrical cross section under nonlinear nonuniform torsional vibrations—application to torsional postbuckling configurations and primary resonance excitations

In this paper a boundary element method is developed for the nonuniform torsional vibration problem of bars of arbitrary doubly symmetric constant cross section, taking into account the effects of geometrical nonlinearity (finite displacement—small strain theory) and secondary twisting moment deformation. The bar is subjected to arbitrarily distributed or concentrated conservative dynamic twisting and warping moments along its length, while its edges are subjected to the most general axial and torsional (twisting and warping) boundary conditions. The resulting coupling effect between twisting and axial displacement components is also considered and a constant along the bar compressive axial load is induced so as to investigate the dynamic response at the (torsional) postbuckled state. The bar is assumed to be adequately laterally supported so that it does not exhibit any flexural or flexural–torsional behavior. A coupled nonlinear initial boundary value problem with respect to the variable along the bar angle of twist and to an independent warping parameter is formulated. The resulting equations are further combined to yield a single partial differential equation with respect to the angle of twist. The problem is numerically solved employing the Analog Equation Method (AEM), a BEM based method, leading to a system of nonlinear Differential–Algebraic Equations (DAE). The main purpose of the present contribution is twofold: (i) comparison of both the governing differential equations and the numerical results of linear or nonlinear free or forced vibrations of bars ignoring or taking into account the secondary twisting moment deformation effect (STMDE) and (ii) numerical investigation of linear or nonlinear free vibrations of bars at torsional postbuckling configurations. Numerical results are worked out to illustrate the method, demonstrate its efficiency and wherever possible its accuracy.

     

Nonlinear analysis of beams of variable cross section,including shear deformation effect

In this paper the analog equation method (AEM), a BEM-based method, is employed for the nonlinear analysis of a Timoshenko beam with simply or multiply connected variable cross section undergoing large deflections under general boundary conditions. The beam is subjected in an arbitrarily concentrated or distributed variable axial loading, while the shear loading is applied at the shear center of the cross section, avoiding in this way the induction of a twisting moment. To account for shear deformations, the concept of shear deformation coefficients is used. Five boundary value problems are formulated with respect to the transverse displacements, the axial displacement and to two stress functions and solved using the AEM. Application of the boundary element technique yields a system of nonlinear equations from which the transverse and axial displacements are computed by an iterative process. The evaluation of the shear deformation coefficients is accomplished from the aforementioned stress functions using only boundary integration. Numerical examples with great practical interest are worked out to illustrate the efficiency, the accuracy and the range of applications of the developed method. The influence of the shear deformation effect is remarkable.     

Secondary torsional moment deformation effect in inelastic nonuniform torsion of bars of doubly symmetric cross section by BEM

In this paper a boundary element method is developed for the inelastic nonuniform torsional problem of simply or multiply connected prismatic bars of arbitrarily shaped doubly symmetric cross section, taking into account the secondary torsional moment deformation effect. The bar is subjected to arbitrarily distributed or concentrated torsional loading along its length, while its edges are subjected to the most general torsional boundary conditions. A displacement based formulation is developed and inelastic redistribution is modeled through a distributed plasticity model exploiting three dimensional material constitutive laws and numerical integration over the cross sections. An incremental–iterative solution strategy is adopted to resolve the elastic and plastic part of stress resultants along with an efficient iterative process to integrate the inelastic rate equations. The one dimensional primary angle of twist per unit length, a two dimensional secondary warping function and a scalar torsional shear correction factor are employed to account for the secondary torsional moment deformation effect. The latter is computed employing an energy approach under elastic conditions. Three boundary value problems with respect to (i) the primary warping function, (ii) the secondary warping one and (iii) the total angle of twist coupled with its primary part per unit length are formulated and numerically solved employing the boundary element method. Domain discretization is required only for the third problem, while shear locking is avoided through the developed numerical technique. Numerical results are worked out to illustrate the method, demonstrate its efficiency and wherever possible its accuracy.     

Non-linear flexural–torsional dynamic analysis of beams of arbitrary cross section by BEM

In this paper, a boundary element method is developed for the non-linear flexural–torsional dynamic analysis of beams of arbitrary, simply or multiply connected, constant cross section, undergoing moderately large deflections and twisting rotations under general boundary conditions, taking into account the effects of rotary and warping inertia. The beam is subjected to the combined action of arbitrarily distributed or concentrated transverse loading in both directions as well as to twisting and/or axial loading. Four boundary value problems are formulated with respect to the transverse displacements, to the axial displacement and to the angle of twist and solved using the Analog Equation Method, a BEM based method. Application of the boundary element technique leads to a system of non-linear coupled Differential–Algebraic Equations (DAE) of motion, which is solved iteratively using the Petzold–Gear Backward Differentiation Formula (BDF), a linear multistep method for differential equations coupled to algebraic equations. The geometric, inertia, torsion and warping constants are evaluated employing the Boundary Element Method. The proposed model takes into account, both the Wagner's coefficients and the shortening effect. Numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the efficiency, wherever possible the accuracy, the range of applications of the developed method as well as the influence of the non-linear effects to the response of the beam.     

Shear deformation effect in plates stiffened by parallel beams

In this paper a general solution for the analysis of shear deformable stiffened plates subjected to arbitrary loading is presented. According to the proposed model, the arbitrarily placed parallel stiffening beams of arbitrary doubly symmetric cross section are isolated from the plate by sections in the lower outer surface of the plate, taking into account the arising tractions in all directions at the fictitious interfaces. These tractions are integrated with respect to each half of the interface width resulting two interface lines, along which the loading of the beams as well as the additional loading of the plate is defined. Their unknown distribution is established by applying continuity conditions in all directions at the interfaces. The utilization of two interface lines for each beam enables the nonuniform distribution of the interface transverse shear forces and the nonuniform torsional response of the beams to be taken into account. The analysis of both the plate and the beams is accomplished on their deformed shape taking into account second-order effects. The analysis of the plate is based on Reissner’s theory, which may be considered as the standard thick plate theory with which all others are compared, while the analysis of the beams is performed employing the linearized second order theory taking into account shear deformation effect. Six boundary value problems are formulated and solved using the analog equation method (AEM), a BEM based method. The solution of the aforementioned plate and beam problems, which are nonlinearly coupled, is achieved using iterative numerical methods. The adopted model permits the evaluation of the shear forces at the interfaces in both directions, the knowledge of which is very important in the design of prefabricated ribbed plates. The effectiveness, the range of applications of the proposed method and the influence of shear deformation effect are illustrated by working out numerical examples with great practical interest.