A Helical Cauchy-Born Rule for Special Cosserat Rod Modeling of Nano and Continuum Rods

We present a novel scheme to derive nonlinearly elastic constitutive laws for special Cosserat rod modeling of nano and continuum rods. We first construct a 6-parameter (corresponding to the six strains in the theory of special Cosserat rods) family of helical rod configurations subjected to uniform strain along their arc-length. The uniformity in strain then enables us to deduce the constitutive laws by just solving the warping of the helical rod’s cross-section (smallest repeating cell for nanorods) but under certain constraints. The constraints are shown to be critical in the absence of which, the 6-parameter family reduces to a well known 2-parameter family of uniform helical equilibria. An explicit formula for the 6-parameter helical map is derived which maps atoms in the repeating cell of a nanorod to their images for the purpose of repeating cell energy minimization. A scheme for the passage from nano to continuum scale is also presented to derive the constitutive laws of a continuum rod via atomistic calculations of nanorods. The bending, twisting, stretching and shearing stiffnesses of diamond nanorods and carbon nanotubes are computed to demonstrate our theory. We show that our scheme is more general and accurate than existing schemes allowing us to deduce shearing stiffness and several coupling stiffnesses of a nanorod for the first time.     

Study of static and dynamic stability of flexible rods in a geometrically nonlinear statement

We study static and dynamic stability problems for a thin flexible rod subjected to axial compression with the geometric nonlinearity explicitly taken into account. In the case of static action of a force, the critical load and the bending shapes of the rod were determined by Euler. Lavrent’ev and Ishlinsky discovered that, in the case of rod dynamic loading significantly greater than the Euler static critical load, there arise buckling modes with a large number of waves in the longitudinal direction. Lavrent’ev and Ishlinsky referred to the first loading threshold discovered by Euler as the static threshold, and the subsequent ones were called dynamic thresholds; they can be attained under impact loading if the pulse growth time is less than the system relaxation time. Later, the buckling mechanism in this case and the arising parametric resonance were studied in detail by Academician Morozov and his colleagues.In this paper, we complete and develop the approach to studying dynamic rod systems suggested by Morozov; in particular, we construct exact and approximate analytic solutions by using a system of special functions generalizing the Jacobi elliptic functions. We obtain approximate analytic solutions of the nonlinear dynamic problem of flexible rod deformation under longitudinal loading with regard to the boundary conditions and show that the analytic solution of static rod system stability problems in a geometrically nonlinear statement permits exactly determining all possible shapes of the bent rod and the complete system of buckling thresholds. The study of approximate analytic solutions of dynamic problems of nonlinear vibrations of rod systems loaded by lumped forces after buckling in the deformed state allows one to determine the vibration frequencies and then the parametric resonance thresholds.     

Axisymmetric compressive buckling of multi-walled carbon nanotubes under different boundary conditions

The paper studies the axisymmetric compressive buckling behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) under different boundary conditions based on continuum mechanics model. A buckling condition is derived for determining the critical buckling load and associated buckling mode of MWNTs, and numerical results are worked out for MWNTs with different aspect ratios under fixed and simply supported boundary conditions. It is shown that the critical buckling load of MWNTs is insensitive to boundary conditions, except for nanotubes with smaller radii and very small aspect ratio. The associated buckling modes for different layers of MWNTs are in-phase, and the buckling displacement ratios for different layers are independent of the boundary conditions and the length of MWNTs. Moreover, for simply supported boundary conditions, the critical buckling load is compared with the corresponding one for axial compressive buckling, which indicates that the critical buckling load for axial compressive buckling can be well approximated by the corresponding one for axisymmetric compressive buckling. In particular, for axial compressive buckling of double-walled carbon nanotubes, an analytical expression is given for approximating the critical buckling load. The present investigation may be of some help in further understanding the mechanical properties of MWNTs.     

Prediction of buckling characteristics of carbon nanotubes

In this paper, to investigate the buckling characteristics of carbon nanotubes, an equivalent beam model is first constructed. The molecular mechanics potentials in a C–C covalent bond are transformed into the form of equivalent strain energy stored in a three dimensional (3D) virtual beam element connecting two carbon atoms. Then, the equivalent stiffness parameters of the beam element can be estimated from the force field constants of the molecular mechanics theory. To evaluate the buckling loads of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, the effects of van-der Waals forces are further modeled using a newly proposed rod element. Then, the buckling characteristics of nanotubes can be easily obtained using a 3D beam and rod model of the traditional finite element method (FEM). The results of this numerical model are in good agreement with some previous results, such as those obtained from molecular dynamics computations. This method, designated as molecular structural mechanics approach, is thus proved to be an efficient means to predict the buckling characteristics of carbon nanotubes. Moreover, in the case of nanotubes with large length/diameter, the validity of Euler’s beam buckling theory and a shell model with the proper material properties defined from the results of present 3D FEM beam model is investigated to reduce the computational cost. The results of these simple theoretical models are found to agree well with the existing experimental results.     

Thin rod under longitudinal dynamic compression

The paper contains a short survey of the papers on the static and dynamic longitudinal compression of a thin rod initiated by Morozov and and carried out in 2009–2016 with his direct participation. We consider linear and nonlinear problems related to the propagation of longitudinal waves in a rod and the transverse vibrations generated by these waves; parametric resonances; beating due to energy exchange between longitudinal and transverse vibrations; the rod shape evolution as the load exceeds the Euler critical value; the possibility of buckling of the rod rectilinear shape under a load less than the Euler load; and the rod dynamics at the initial stage of motion. The prospects of further investigations related to the complication of the models are considered, in particular, the problem of longitudinal impact by a body on a rod and the transverse vibrations generated by it.     

Micro-buckling in the nanocomposite structure of biological materials

Nanocomposite structure, consisting of hard mineral and soft protein, is the elementary building block of biological materials, where the mineral crystals are arranged in a staggered manner in protein matrix. This special alignment of mineral is supposed to be crucial to the structural stability of the biological materials under compressive load, but the underlying mechanism is not yet clear. In this study, we performed analytical analysis on the buckling strength of the nanocomposite structure by explicitly considering the staggered alignment of the mineral crystals, as well as the coordination among the minerals during the buckling deformation. Two local buckling modes of the nanostructure were identified, i.e., the symmetric mode and anti-symmetric mode. We showed that the symmetric mode often happens at large aspect ratio and large volume fraction of mineral, while the anti-symmetric happens at small aspect ratio and small volume fraction. In addition, we showed that because of the coordination of minerals with the help of their staggered alignment, the buckling strength of these two modes approached to that of the ideally continuous fiber reinforced composites at large aspect ratio given by Rosen's model, insensitive to the existing “gap”-like flaws between mineral tips. Furthermore, we identified a mechanism of buckling mode transition from local to global buckling with increase of aspect ratio, which was attributed to the biphasic dependence of the buckling strength on the aspect ratio. That is, for small aspect ratio, the local buckling strength is smaller than that of global buckling so that it dominates the buckling behavior of the nanocomposite; for comparatively larger aspect ratio, the local buckling strength is higher than that of global buckling so that the global buckling dominates the buckling behavior. We also found that the hierarchical structure can effectively enhance the buckling strength, particularly, this structural design enables biological nanocomposites to avoid local buckling so as to achieve global buckling at macroscopic scales through hierarchical design. These features are remarkably important for the mechanical functions of biological materials, such as bone, teeth and nacre, which often sustain large compressive load.     

Buckling and postbuckling of size-dependent cracked microbeams based on a modified couple stress theory

The elastic buckling analysis and the static postbuckling response of the Euler–Bernoulli microbeams containing an open edge crack are studied based on a modified couple stress theory. The cracked section is modeled by a massless elastic rotational spring. This model contains a material length scale parameter and can capture the size effect. The von Kármán nonlinearity is applied to display the postbuckling behavior. Analytical solutions of a critical buckling load and the postbuckling response are presented for simply supported cracked microbeams. This parametric study indicates the effects of the crack location, crack severity, and length scale parameter on the buckling and postbuckling behaviors of cracked microbeams.     

Buckling problem for a rod longitudinally compressed by a force smaller than the Euler critical force

It was earlier shown that a rod can buckle under the action of a sudden longitudinal load smaller than the Euler critical load. The buckling mechanism is related to excitation of periodic longitudinal waves generated in the rod by the sudden loading, which in turn lead to transverse parametric resonances. In the linear approximation, the transverse vibration amplitude increases unboundedly, and in the geometrically nonlinear approach, beats with energy exchange from longitudinal to transverse vibrations and back can arise. In this case, the transverse vibration amplitude can be significant. In the present paper, we study how this amplitude responds to the following two factors: the smoothness of application of the longitudinal force and the internal friction forces in the rod material.     

Spatially complex localisation in twisted elastic rods constrained to a cylinder

We consider the problem of a long thin weightless rod constrained to lie on a cylinder while being held by end tension and twisting moment. Applications of this problem are found, for instance, in the buckling of drill strings inside a cylindrical hole. In a previous paper the general geometrically exact formulation was given and the case of a rod of isotropic cross-section analysed in detail. It was shown that in that case the static equilibrium equations are completely integrable and can be reduced to those of a one-degree-of-freedom oscillator whose non-trivial fixed points correspond to helical solutions of the rod. A critical load was found where the rod coils up into a helix.Here the anisotropic case is studied. It is shown that the equations are no longer integrable and give rise to spatial chaos with infinitely many multi-loop localised solutions. Helices become slightly modulated. We study the bifurcations of the simplest single-loop solution and a representative multi-loop as the aspect ratio of the rod's cross-section is varied. It is shown how the anisotropy unfolds the `coiling bifurcation'. The resulting post-buckling behaviour is of the softening–hardening–softening type typically seen in the cellular buckling of long structures, and can be interpreted in terms of a so-called Maxwell effective failure load.     

Analysis of Plane Phase Strains of Rods and Plates

The problem of a rod and a plate subjected to plane strain in the interval of the direct phase transformation is formulated as a nonlinear boundary-value thermoelastic problem with an implicit dependence on temperature (through a phase parameter simulating the volume fraction of new-phase crystals). An analytical solution of the problem of a rod bent into a ring and a plate bent into a tube as a result of phase strains under the action of a small end bending moment is given. A numerical analysis of the buckling problem of a titanium nickelide (alloy) rod (plate) under longitudinal compression in the interval of the direct phase transformation shows that buckling becomes possible if the compressive load is much lower than the Euler critical load calculated before the transformation. Branches of buckled equilibrium states corresponding to loads lower than the Euler load are plotted as functions of the phase parameter. In all cases considered, the deflections increase abruptly in the neighborhood of the critical points. The evolution of buckling modes is studied, and the phase-strain distributions along the rod (plate) are shown. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 47, No. 2, pp. 156–164, March–April, 2006.     

Experiments on snap buckling, hysteresis and loop formation in twisted rods

We give the results of large deflection experiments involving the bending and twisting of 1 mm diameter nickel-titanium alloy rods, up to 2 m in length. These results are compared to calculations based on the Cosserat theory of rods. We present details of this theory, formulated as a boundary value problem. The mathematical boundary conditions model the experimental setup. The rods are clamped in aligned chucks and the experiments are carried out under rigid loading conditions. An experiment proceeds by either twisting the ends of the rod by a certain amount and then adjusting the slack, or fixing the slack and varying the amount of twist. In this way, commonly encountered phenomena are investigated, such as snap buckling, the formation of loops, and buckling into and out of planar configurations. The effect of gravity is discussed.     

Modeling of properties and motions of an inhomogeneous one-dimensional continuum of a complicated Cosserat-type microstructure

We consider an approach to modeling the properties of the one-dimensional Cosserat continuum [1] by using the mechanical modeling method proposed by Il’yushin in [2] and applied in [3]. In this method, elements (blocks, cells) of special form are used to develop a discrete model of the structure so that the average properties of the model reproduced the properties of the continuum under study. The rigged rod model, which is an elastic structure in the form of a thin rod with massive inclusions (pulleys) fixed by elastic hinges on its elastic line and connected by elastic belt transmissions, is taken to be the original discrete model of the Cosserat continuum. The complete system of equations describing the mechanical properties and the dynamical equilibrium of the rigged rod in arbitrary plane motions is derived. These equations are averaged in the case of a sufficiently smooth variation in the parameters of motion along the rod (the long-wave approximation). It was found that the average equations exactly coincide with the equations for the one-dimensional Cosserat medium [1] and, in some specific cases, with the classical equations of motion of an elastic rod [4–6]. We study the plane motions of the one-dimensional continuum model thus constructed. The equations characterizing the continuum properties and motions are linearized by using several assumptions that the kinematic parameters are small. We solve the problem of natural vibrations with homogeneous boundary conditions and establish that each value of the parameter distinguishing the natural vibration modes is associated with exactly two distinct vibration mode shapes (in the same mode), each of which has its own frequency value.     

Transversely isotropic material: nonlinear Cosserat versus classical approach

We consider a specific case of unidirectional reinforced material under applied tensile load. The reinforcement of the material is inclined with 45° to the direction of the tensile resultant. Different approaches are discussed: one experiment and three computational models. Two models use the classical Cauchy continuum theory whereas the third computational model is based on a Cosserat continuum. It is well known that test specimen with inclination between unidirectional reinforcement and tensile direction show, besides Poissons effect, additional deformation perpendicular to the load direction. The classical transversely isotropic continuum theory predicts this deformation as typical S-shape. In the Cosserat continuum the orientation of the inner structure is incorporated. Thus, structural parameters influence the deformation. With the proposed geometrically non-linear Cosserat model classical and non-classical behaviour can be modelled. In the non-classical case, the transverse deformation is not described by one S-shape but by multiple S-shaped modes. The additional rotational parameters in the Cosserat continuum are responsible for the non-classical behaviour which is due to non-symmetric strain.     

Buckling behavior of perfect and defective DWCNTs under axial, bending and torsional loadings via a structural mechanics approach

The buckling behavior of perfect and defective double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) under axial compressive, torsional and bending loadings is investigated using a structural mechanics model. The effects of van der Waals (vdW) forces are further modeled using a nonlinear spring element. Critical buckling loads, critical buckling moments and the effects of vacancy defects were studied for armchair nanotubes with various aspect ratios. The results show that vacancy defects greatly reduce the critical buckling load of DWCNTs. The density of defects plays an important role in buckling of DWCNTs. The results of this numerical model are in good agreement with their comparable existing works.     

A Double-Strand Elastic Rod Theory

Motivated by applications in the modeling of deformations of the DNA double helix, we construct a continuum mechanics model of two elastically interacting elastic strands. The two strands are described in terms of averaged, or macroscopic, variables plus an additional small, internal or microscopic, perturbation. We call this composite structure a birod. The balance laws for the macroscopic configuration variables of the birod can be cast in the form of a classic Cosserat rod model with coupling to the internal balance laws through the constitutive relations. The internal balance laws for the microstructure variables also take a mathematical form analogous to that for a Cosserat rod, but with coupling to the macroscopic system through terms corresponding to distributed force and couple loads.     

Extensibility Effects on Euler Elastica’s Stability

Based on the conjugate point theory in calculus of variations, the extensibility effects on the stability of Euler elasticas with one clamped end and the other clamped in rotation in the post-buckling are investigated. For a slender rod, it is shown that: (1) the buckling load is a little bigger than Euler critical load, (2) the addition of extensibility to the elastica does not affect its stability in the post-buckling, in the sense that those Euler elasticas with one inflexion point are stable while those Euler elasticas with more than one inflexion point are unstable.     

Hamilton体系下功能梯度梁的热冲击动力屈曲分析

在Hamilton体系下,基于Euler梁理论研究了功能梯度材料梁受热冲击载荷作用时的动力屈曲问题;将非均匀功能梯度复合材料的物性参数假设为厚度坐标的幂函数形式,采用Laplace变换法和幂级数法解析求得热冲击下功能梯度梁内的动态温度场:首先将功能梯度梁的屈曲问题归结为辛空间中系统的零本征值问题,梁的屈曲载荷与屈曲模态分别对应于Hamilton体系下的辛本征值和本征解问题,由分叉条件求得屈曲模态和屈曲热轴力,根据屈曲热轴力求解临界屈曲升温载荷。给出了热冲击载荷作用下一类非均匀梯度材料梁屈曲特性的辛方法研究过程,讨论了材料的梯度特性、结构几何参数和热冲击载荷参数对临界温度的影响。     

脱层梁屈曲的高阶剪切理论

脱层的存在将会大大降低层合结构的屈曲载荷。该文将含任意位置脱层的两端固支梁分成多段子层,用厚度的三次多项式模拟脱层梁屈曲时子层的轴向位移,利用变分原理和欧拉方程导出了脱层梁的屈曲方程和定解条件,并用状态空间方法进行求解。通过与一阶剪切理论和经典理论的比较,指出了它们各自的适用范围;考虑了脱层梁三种不同的屈曲模态。分析了脱层长度、深度、位置和材料的铺层方向对脱层梁屈曲载荷的影响;最后给出了多处简单脱层的屈曲分析。