An efficient algorithm for elasto-viscoplastic vibrations of multi-layered composite beams using second-order theory

An efficient time-domain algorithm for plane non-linear flexural vibrations of multi-layered composite beams, which are driven into the inelastic range by severe transverse loadings, is presented. The influence of an axial static preload is considered in the sense of the quasi-linear second-order theory of structures. The inelastic parts of strain are treated as additional sources of selfstress in the linear elastic background-structure, driving the elastic response into the inelastic one. The efficiency of this exact formulation lies in the fact that linear solution techniques can be used in their most powerful form: Rubin's useful formulation for the quasi-static second-order transfer-matrix of linear elastic structures is applied in combination with modal analysis. Having in mind multi-metal beams, the classical lamination theory is assumed to be valid. Beams with overhang composed of ideal elastic-plastic and viscoplastic layers are studied as example structures. The fictitious sources of selfstress are calculated from the different material laws of the layers in a numerical time-stepping procedure, where a generalized midpoint-rule in combination with Crisfield's secant-Newton procedure is used.