Large-amplitude free vibrations of functionally graded beams by means of a finite element formulation

The large-amplitude free vibration analysis of functionally graded beams is investigated by means of a finite element formulation. The Von-Karman type nonlinear strain–displacement relationships are employed where the ends of the beam are constrained to move axially. The effects of the transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia are included based upon the Timoshenko beam theory. The material properties are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction according to the power-law distribution. A statically exact beam element which devoid the shear locking effect with displacement fields based on the first order shear deformation theory is used to study the geometric nonlinear effects on the vibrational characteristics of functionally graded beams. The finite element method is employed to discretize the nonlinear governing equations, which are then solved by the direct numerical integration technique in order to obtain the nonlinear vibration frequencies of functionally graded beams with different boundary conditions. The influences of power-law exponent, vibration amplitude, beam geometrical parameters and end supports on the free vibration frequencies are studied. The present numerical results compare very well with the results available from the literature where possible. Some new results for the nonlinear natural frequencies are presented in both tabular and graphical forms which can be used for future references.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of a composite beam for bridge structures

Results of an experimental and theoretical investigation of composite beams as elements of bridge superstructure are presented. Experiments on beams of two types — made of wood and the same beams with a composite sheath — were carried out. The rigidity of the beams of the second type was about twice as high as that of the first ones. The classical bending model of composite beams gave deflections smaller than experimental ones. To reconcile these results, the model is refined by including the effect of shear. The deflections are represented as classical ones multiplied by a shear factor which depends on the bending and shear stiffnesses and the span length of the beams. As a result, a good agreement between calculations and experiments is achieved. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 449–462, July–August, 2006.     

Spectral finite element analysis of elastically connected double-beam systems

A spectral finite element method for two parallel beams connected to each other by the vertical springs uniformly distributed along the beam length is introduced in this paper. The effects of the shear deformation and rotary inertia of the beams are accounted for. The coupled equations of motion are derived by using Hamilton's principle and the spectral element matrix is established based on the exact solutions of the governing equations. The use of the proposed spectral element formulation to investigate the free vibration characteristics of the particular double-beam systems is demonstrated by applying the Muller root search algorithm. Once the natural frequencies and mode shapes are obtained, a spectral element based normal mode method is introduced to compute the dynamic response of the double-beam systems subjected to various kinds of concentrated and distributed loads. Numerical results of the present method are verified by comparing with those available in the literature.     

An analytical dynamic model for single-cracked beams including bending,axial stiffness,rotational inertia,shear deformation and coupling effects

This paper develops an analytical dynamic model for cracked beams including bending, axial stiffness, rotational inertia, shear deformation and the coupling of the last two effects. The damage is modelled using a rotational spring that simulates the crack based on fracture mechanics theory. The developed model is used to predict variations on natural frequencies for several crack sites and damage magnitude along the beam. The importance of this work lies in the development of an analytical model that has no approximation due to discretization of the displacement field. This initial theoretical approach describes the expected behaviour for changes in the natural frequencies for simply-supported and clamped-free beams with the precision that only analytical methods allow. The results provide a useful benchmark to compare with approximate numerical methods that can be used to model and analyse the problem. The model showed similar results for long span beams, but the inclusion of rotational inertia and shear deformation effects rendered improvements in the dynamic behaviour mainly in the case of slender and short span beams when compared with the simplified Euler–Bernoulli model.     

Dynamic modeling for rotating composite Timoshenko beam and analysis on its bending-torsion coupled vibration

A formulation is presented for steady-state dynamic responses of rotating bending-torsion coupled composite Timoshenko beams (CTBs) subjected to distributed and/or concentrated harmonic loadings. The separation of cross section's mass center from its shear center and the introduced coupled rigidity of composite material lead to the bending-torsion coupled vibration of the beams. Considering those two coupling factors and based on Hamilton's principle, three partial differential non-homogeneous governing equations of vibration with arbitrary boundary conditions are formulated in terms of the flexural translation, torsional rotation and angle rotation of cross section of the beams. The parameters for the damping, axial load, shear deformation, rotation speed, hub radius and so forth are incorporated into those equations of motion. Subsequently, the Green's function element method (GFEM) is developed to solve these equations in matrix form, and the analytical Green's functions of the beams are given in terms of piecewise functions. Using the superposition principle, the explicit expressions of dynamic responses of the beams under various harmonic loadings are obtained. The present solving procedure for Timoshenko beams can be degenerated to deal with for Rayleigh and Euler beams by specifying the values of shear rigidity and rotational inertia. Cantilevers with bending-torsion coupled vibration are given as examples to verify the present theory and to illustrate the use of the present formulation. The influences of rotation speed, bending-torsion couplings and damping on the natural frequencies and/or shape functions of the beams are performed. The steady-state responses of the beam subjected to external harmonic excitation are given through numerical simulations. Remarkably, the symmetric property of the Green's functions is maintained for rotating bending-torsion coupled CTBs, but there will be a slight deviation in the numerical calculations.     

Vibrations of Timoshenko beams with isogeometric approach

A study on the free vibration analysis of Timoshenko beams is presented here. In order to determine natural frequencies of beams, a thick beam element is developed by using isogeometric approach based on Timoshenko beam theory which allows the transverse shear deformation and rotatory inertia effect. Three refinement schemes such as h-, p- and k-refinement are used in the analysis and the identification of shear locking is also conducted by using numerical examples. From numerical results, the present element can produce very accurate values of natural frequencies and the mode shapes due to exact definition of the geometry. With higher order basis functions, there is no shear locking phenomenon in very thin beam situations. Finally, the benchmark tests described in this study are provided as future reference solutions for Timoshenko beam vibration problem.     

Mixed finite element models for free vibrations of thin-walled beams

Simple mixed finite element models are developed for the free vibration analysis of curved thin-walled beams with arbitrary open cross section. The analytical formulation is based on a Vlasov's type thin-walled beam theory which includes the effects of flexural-torsional coupling, and the additional effects of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia. The fundamental unknowns consist of seven internal forces and seven generalized displacements of the beam. The element characteristic arrays are obtained by using a perturbed Lagrangian-mixed variational principle. Only C⁰ continuity is required for the generalized displacements. The internal forces and the Lagrange multiplier are allowed to be discontinuous at interelement boundaries.

Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the high accuracy and effectiveness of the elements developed. The standard of comparison is taken to be the solutions obtained by using two-dimensional plate/shell models for the beams.     

Calculation of statically indeterminate composite beam elements by using refined boundary conditions and with account of their state diagrams

The effect of compliance of support units on the calculation of strength of composite beams with account of the nonlinear deformation diagram of the composite is examined. The basic equilibrium equations of the mechanics of deformable solid bodies are used to solve the problems of strength, rigidity, and displacements, with introduction into them extreme criteria for the parameters to be calculated. The procedure developed al lows one to find the final solutions by using iterative processes. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 75–84, January–February, 2009.     

An analysis of the joint operation of a CFRP concrete in flexural elements

The strength and fracture mechanism of the contact zone between a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and concrete in flexural structural elements is investigated. Two methods for calculating the shear force in the contact zone are considered, one of which takes into account the compliance of the zone and gives results agreeing rather well with experimental data for beams, regardless of the way the CFRP is fastened to concrete. The method of shear stresses is good for beams with in significant shear strains between CFRP and concrete. A method allowing for hardening of the contact zone is suggested. It is shown that the fracture mechanism of the zone depends on the way of fastening the CFRP and the depth the adhesive penetrates into concrete. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 687–700, September–October, 2007.     

Resonance methods for determining the complex shear moduli of orthotropic composites

A survey of various methods for determining the complex elasticity and shear moduli from the resonant frequencies of flexural and torsional vibrations of rectangular rods cut out from a plate of an orthotropic composite is presented. The errors in the computed values of dynamic shear moduli caused by inaccuracies in the experimental determination of resonance frequencies are examined. A new variant of the resonance method is developed, which permits one to find three complex shear moduli of a composite from the resonant frequencies and the damping of torsional vibrations of three rods oriented along three symmetry axes of the material. For computing the moduli in the case of an overdetermined system, an algorithm of nonlinear optimization based on the least-squares method is recommended. From the results obtained it follows that, for determining the interlaminar shear moduli with a necessary accuracy, the rods must be sufficiently thick. It is shown that a good agreement alone between calculated and experimental frequencies of flexural and torsional vibrations of rods does not ensure a reliable determination of the moduli of interlaminar shear if experiments are carried out on wide test specimens cut out from a thin plate. Recommendations are given for the choice of geometrical sizes of test specimens for resonance experiments. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 6, pp. 721–744, November–December, 2007.     

Deformation of short composite beam using refined theories

High-order flexural theories for short laminated composite beams subjected to mechanical and thermal loading are presented. The formulation allows for warping of the cross-section of the beam and eliminates the need for using arbitrary shear correction coefficients as in other theories. Based on higher-order shear deformation theories, the governing equations are obtained using the principle of virtual work (PVW). The justification for use of higher-order shear deformation theories is established for short and composite beams where cross-sectional warping is predominant.     

Nonlinear stability and vibration of pre/post-buckled multilayer FG-GPLRPC rectangular plates

The present study examines the nonlinear stability and free vibration features of multilayer functionally graded graphene platelet-reinforced polymer composite (FG-GPLRPC) rectangular plates under compressive in-plane mechanical loads in pre/post buckling regimes. The GPL weight fractions layer-wisely vary across the lateral direction. Furthermore, GPLs are uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix of each layer. The effective Young's modulus of GPL-reinforced nanocomposite is assessed via the modified Halpin–Tsai technique, while the effective mass density and Poisson's ratio are attained by the rule of mixture. Taking the von Kármán-type nonlinearity into account for the large deflection of the FG-GPLRPC plate, as well as utilizing the variational differential quadrature (VDQ) method and Lagrange equation, the system of discretized coupled nonlinear equations of motions is directly achieved based upon a parabolic shear deformation plate theory; taking into account the impacts of geometric nonlinearity, in-plane loading, rotary inertia and transverse shear deformation. Afterwards, first, by neglecting the inertia terms, the pseudo-arc length approach is used in order to plot the equilibrium postbuckling path of FG-GPLRPC plates. Then, supposing a time-dependent disturbance about the postbuckling equilibrium status, the frequency responses of pre/post-buckled FG-GPLRC plate are obtained in terms of the compressive in-plane load. The influences of various vital design parameters are discussed through various parametric studies.     

An experimentally based analytical model for the shear capacity of FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete beams

This paper deals with the shear strengthening of Reinforced Concrete (RC) flexural members with externally bonded Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRPs). The interaction between an external FRP and an internal transverse steel reinforcement is not considered in actual code recommendations, but it strongly influences the efficiency of the shear strengthening rehabilitation technique and, as a consequence, the computation of interacting contributions to the nominal shear strength of beams. This circumstance is also discussed on the basis of the results of an experimental investigation of rectangular RC beams strengthened in shear with “U-jacketed” carbon FRP sheets. Based on experimental results of the present and other investigations, a new analytical model for describing the shear capacity of RC beams strengthened according to the most common schemes (side-bonded and “U-jacketed”), taking into account the interaction between steel and FRP shear strength contributions, is proposed. Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 339–356, May–June, 2008.     

Application of the method of conditional moments to investigating the deformation properties of orthotropic composites with fiber microdamages

A model of deformation of stochastic composites subjected to microdamage is developed for the case of orthotropic materials with microdamages accumulating in the fibers. The composite is treated as a matrix strengthened with elliptic fibers with orthotropic elastic properties. The fractured microvolumes are modeled by a system of randomly distributed quasi-spherical pores. The porosity balance equation and relations for determining the effective elastic moduli for the case of a fibrous composite with orthotropic components are used as the fundamental relations. The fracture criterion is given as a limit value of the intensity of average shear stresses occurring in the undamaged part of the material, which is assumed to be a random function of coordinates and is described by the Weibull distribution. Based on an analytical and numerical approach, the algorithm for determining the nonlinear deformation properties of such a material is constructed. The nonlinearity of composite deformations is caused by the accumulation of microdamages in the fibers. By using a numerical solution, the nonlinear stress–strain diagrams for an orthotropic composite in uniaxial tension are obtained. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 17–30, January–February, 2009.     

Stability and vibration analysis of axially-loaded shear beam-columns carrying elastically restrained mass

Classical shear beams only consider the deflection resulting from sliding of parallel cross-sections, and do not consider the effect of rotation of cross-sections. Adopting the Kausel beam theory where cross-sectional rotation is considered, this article studies stability and free vibration of axially-loaded shear beams using Engesser’s and Haringx’s approaches. For attached mass at elastically supported ends, we present a unified analytical approach for obtaining a characteristic equation. By setting natural frequencies to be zero in this equation, critical buckling load can be determined. The resulting frequency equation reduces to the classical one when cross-sections do not rotate. The mode shapes at free vibration and buckling are given. The frequency equations for shear beam-columns with special free/pinned/clamped ends and carrying concentrated mass at the end can be obtained from the present. The influences of elastic restraint coefficients, axial loads and moment of inertia on the natural frequencies and buckling loads are expounded. It is found that the Engesser theory is superior to the Haringx theory.     

Free vibration analysis of cracked composite beams subjected to coupled bending–torsion loads based on a first order shear deformation theory

In this paper, free vibration analysis of cracked composite beam subjected to coupled bending–torsion loading is presented. The composite beam is assumed to have an open edge crack of length a. A first order shear deformation theory is applied to count for the effect of shear deformations on natural frequencies as well as the effect of coupling in torsion and bending modes of vibration. Governing equations and boundary conditions are derived using Hamilton principle. Local flexibility matrix is used to obtain the additional boundary conditions of the beam in cracked area. After obtaining the governing equations and boundary conditions, generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method is applied to solve the obtained eigenvalue problem. Finally, some numerical results of beams with various boundary conditions and different fiber orientations are given to show the efficiency of the method. In addition, to study the effect of shear deformations, numerical results of the current model are compared with previously given results in which shear deformations were neglected.     

Analysis of Thick Laminated Composite Plates on an Elastic Foundation with the Use of Various Plate Theories

In this study, various theories of composite laminated plates are extended to rectangular composite laminates resting on an elastic foundation. First, an analysis based on the classical theory of laminated plates is employed. Then the first-order Reissner-Mindlin theory is used for analyzing the laminates. At last, the Reddy shear deformation theory, which allows for the transverse shear strains, is applied to the bending analysis of the laminates. In the analysis, the two-parameter Pasternak and Winkler foundations are considered. The accuracy of the present analysis is demonstrated by solving problems numerical results for which are available in the literature. Some numerical examples are presented to compare the three methods and to illustrate the effects of parameters of the elastic foundations on the bending of shear-deformable laminated plates. __________ Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 663–682, September–October, 2005.     

Formulación de elementos finitos para vigas de sección abierta formadas por laminados compuestos incluyendo las deformaciones tangenciales por cortante y torsión

In this paper we derive the field of displacements and strains for thin-walled open composite beams with composite laminated material including in their kinematics flexural and torsional shear deformations effects. The equilibrium equations are defined through the variational formulation and show that is possible to formulate C_o finite elements taking into account the torsional shear deformation. Stress-strain relationships for the cross-section of thin-walled composite beams are obtained by extending first-order laminate (FSDT: first-order shear deformation) theory and using a «free stress resultant condition at the boundary». Three different one-dimensional finite elements with C_o continuity are formulated for the study of thin-walled open composite beams and they are labelled as BSW (beam with shear and warping). The influence of the integration strategy in the BSW elements is evaluated via the shear-locking phenomenon and the rate of convergence for displacements and rotations. The stiffness matrix integration is compared using exact and reduced integration methods. Examples of pure torsion and flexo-torsion in a cantilever composite beam are performed. Numerical results are compared to those reported by other authors.     

Buckling and free vibration analyses of laminated composite plates by using two new hyperbolic shear-deformation theories

Two new hyperbolic displacement models, HPSDT1 and HPSDT2, are used for the buckling and free vibration analyses of simply supported orthotropic laminated composite plates. The models contain hyperbolic expressions to account for the parabolic distributions of transverse shear stresses and to satisfy the zero shear-stress conditions at the top and bottom surfaces of the plates. The equation of motion for thick laminated rectangular plates subjected to in-plane loads is deduced through the use of Hamilton’s principle. Closed-form solutions are obtained by using the Navier technique, and then the buckling loads and the fundamental frequencies are found by solving eigenvalue problems. The accuracy of the models presented is demonstrated by comparing the results obtained with solutions of other higher-order models given in the literature. It is found that the theories proposed can predict the fundamental frequencies and buckling loads of cross-ply laminated composite plates rather accurately. Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 217–230, March–April, 2008.     

Free vibration of centrifugally stiffened axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams using differential transformation and quadrature methods

The free bending vibration of rotating axially functionally graded (FG) Timoshenko tapered beams (TTB) with different boundary conditions are studied using Differential Transformation method (DTM) and differential quadrature element method of lowest order (DQEL). These two methods are capable of modelling any beam whose cross sectional area, moment of inertia and material properties vary along the beam. In order to verify the competency of these two methods, natural frequencies are obtained for problems by considering the effect of material non-homogeneity, taper ratio, shear deformation parameter, rotating speed parameter, hub radius and tip mass. The results are tabulated and compared with the previous published results wherever available.