First- and second-order sensitivities of beams with respect to cross-sectional cracks

This paper deals with a variational formulation for the sensitivity problem of beam systems in the context of deformable solids with cracks. Natural frequencies are defined as state variables involved in the energy functional of the system, while the cracks length and position are treated as system parameters. The hierarchical equation system is formed and solved for the first and second derivatives of the natural frequency functions with respect to the cracks length and position. An analytical procedure for calculations of the second-order sensitivities of natural frequencies is proposed for the non-symmetrical equation system operator. Numerical algorithms are worked out and implemented computationally. Analytical and numerical aspects of the problem are discussed in detail through a number of illustrative results.The support of this work by the State Committee for Scientific Research (KBN) under Grant No. 4-050-0148/17-98-00 is gratefully acknowledged.