An analytical method for free vibration analysis of functionally graded beams with edge cracks

In this paper, an analytical method is proposed for solving the free vibration of cracked functionally graded material (FGM) beams with axial loading, rotary inertia and shear deformation. The governing differential equations of motion for an FGM beam are established and the corresponding solutions are found first. The discontinuity of rotation caused by the cracks is simulated by means of the rotational spring model. Based on the transfer matrix method, then the recurrence formula is developed to get the eigenvalue equations of free vibration of FGM beams. The main advantage of the proposed method is that the eigenvalue equation for vibrating beams with an arbitrary number of cracks can be conveniently determined from a third-order determinant. Due to the decrease in the determinant order as compared with previous methods, the developed method is simpler and more convenient to analytically solve the free vibration problem of cracked FGM beams. Moreover, free vibration analyses of the Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with any number of cracks can be conducted using the unified procedure based on the developed method. These advantages of the proposed procedure would be more remarkable as the increase of the number of cracks. A comprehensive analysis is conducted to investigate the influences of the location and total number of cracks, material properties, axial load, inertia and end supports on the natural frequencies and vibration mode shapes of FGM beams. The present work may be useful for the design and control of damaged structures.     

Free vibration of FGM Timoshenko beams with through-width delamination

Free vibration of functionally graded beams with a through-width delamination is investigated.It is assumed that the material property is varied in the thickness direction as power law functions and a single through-width delamination is located parallel to the beam axis.The beam is subdivided into three regions and four elements.Governing equations of the beam segments are derived based on the Timoshenko beam theory and the assumption of‘constrained mode’.By using the differential quadrature element method to solve the eigenvalue problem of ordinary differential equations governing the free vibration,numerical results for the natural frequencies of the beam are obtained.Natural frequencies of delaminated FGM beam with clamped ends are presented.Effects of parameters of the material gradients,the size and location of delamination on the natural frequency are examined in detail.     

Coupled bending and torsional vibration of axially loaded Bernoulli-Euler beams including warping effects

The dynamic transfer matrix method for determining natural frequencies and mode shapes of the bending-torsion coupled vibration of axially loaded thin-walled beams with monosymmetrical cross sections is developed by using a general solution of the governing differential equations of motion based on Bernoulli-Euler beam theory. This method takes into account the effect of warping stiffness and gives allowance to the presence of axial force. The dynamic transfer matrix is derived in detail. Two illustrative examples on the application of the present theory are given for bending-torsion coupled beams with thin-walled open cross sections. The effects of axial load and warping stiffness on coupled bending-torsional frequencies are discussed. Compared with those available in the literature, numerical results demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Vibration and stability of a non-uniform Timoshenko beam subjected to a follower force

An analysis is presented for the vibration and stability of a non-uniform Timoshenko beam subjected to a tangential follower force distributed over the center line by use of the transfer matrix approach. For this purpose, the governing equations of a beam are written in a coupled set of first-order differential equations by using the transfer matrix of the beam. Once the matrix has been determined by numerical integration of the equations, the eigenvalues of vibration and the critical flutter loads are obtained. The method is applied to beams with linearly, parabolically and exponentially varying depths, subjected to a concentrated, uniformly distributed or linearly distributed follower force, and the natural frequencies and flutter loads are calculated numerically, from which the effects of the varying cross-section, slenderness ration, follower force and the stiffness of the supports on them are studied.     

Mathematical model of the dynamics of micropolar elastic thin beams. Free and forced vibrations

A method of hypotheses has been developed to construct a mathematical model of micropolar elastic thin beams. The method is based on the asymptotic properties of the solution ofan initial boundary value problem in a thin rectangle within the micropolar theory of elasticity with independent displacement and rotation fields. An applied model of the dynamics of micropolar elastic thin beams was constructed in which transverse shear strains and related strains are taken into account. The constructed dynamics model was used to solve problems of free and forced vibrations of a micropolar beam. Free vibration frequencies and modes, forced vibration amplitudes, and resonance conditions were determined. The obtained numerical calculation results show the specific features of free vibrations of thin beams. Micropolar thin beams have a free vibration frequency which is almost independent of the thin beam size, but depends only on the physical and inertial properties of the micropolar material. It is shown for the micropolar material that the free vibration frequency values of beams can be readily adjusted and hence a large vibration frequency separation can be achieved, which is important for studying resonance.     

Free vibration analysis of elastically connected multiple-beams by using the Adomian modified decomposition method

The Adomian modified decomposition method (AMDM) is employed in this paper to investigate the free vibrations of N elastically connected parallel Euler–Bernoulli beams, which are continuously joined by a Winkler-type elastic layer. The proposed AMDM method can be used to analyze the vibration of beam system consisting of an arbitrary number of beams. By using boundary conditions the natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes can be easily obtained simultaneously. The numerical results for different boundary conditions, beam numbers and the stiffness of the Winkler-type elastic layer are presented. It is shown that the AMDM offers an accurate and effective method of free vibration analysis of multiple-connected beams with arbitrary boundary conditions.     

Dynamic characterization of beam type structures: Analytical, numerical and experimental applications

A general algorithm for the free vibration analysis of stepped and tapered beam type structures with multiple elastic supports is developed in this work. The analytical formulation is based on the Ritz method and on the use of orthogonal polynomials within the framework of the first order shear deformation beam theory. To verify the validity and convergence of the general algorithm several numerical examples are analyzed. A further example concerned with the determination of the dynamical properties of a bell tower is also presented and compared with the finite element method and experimental results.     

Numerical and experimental analysis of the vibration and band-gap properties of elastic beams with periodically variable cross sections

The band-gap properties of non-uniform periodic beams are analyzed using numerical and experimental methods. The flexural wave equations are established based on the Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories. The beams with periodically variable cross sections are investigated. The transfer matrix method is used to explore the dynamic behaviors of the periodic beams, that is, the natural frequencies of the finite periodic beams with different cross-section ratios between the adjacent sub-cells and the band-gaps of the infinite periodic beams based on the Bloch theory. The validity and accuracy of the band-gaps acquired by the present method are verified by comparing the results with those obtained from the finite element method and the vibration experiments. The effects of the different lengths of adjacent sub-cells on the band-gap properties are then investigated. The research results and conclusions should be useful in the study of vibration control applications.     

幂函数形式连续变截面梁振动的弯曲固有频率分析*

本文使用微分方程解析法求解变截面梁固有频率。首先,建立变截面梁模型,其中截面面积和惯性矩均按幂次函数变化。得到变截面梁自由振动时挠度的解析表达式,并获得不同边界条件下梁弯曲振动的固有频率方程。其中惯性矩所对应幂指数与截面面积的幂指数的差值为4时,可得自振频率方程的精确形式;而幂指数差值不等于4时,给出近似解法。其次,对4种具体的变截面梁求解不同边界下的自振频率,并与瑞利-里兹法所得的自振频率解比较。验证精确解法结果的正确性,并发现近似解法结果的相对偏差在5%以内。该解析方法较瑞利-里兹法具有能快速求解的特点,且易于分析截面参数对梁固有频率的影响。由算例可得,边界和其他参数不变时,梁的同阶次无量纲自振频率随着幂次指数的增加而增加。几何参数中仅截面形状参数改变时,随着形状参数的增加,梁的同阶次无量纲自振频率随之减小,但固定-自由梁的第一阶自振频率除外。     

Free vibration analysis of continuous rectangular plates

Vibration characteristics of rectangular plates continuous over full range line supports or partial line supports have been studied by using a discrete method. Concentrated loads with Heaviside unit functions and Dirac delta functions are used to simulate the line supports. The fundamental differential equations are established for the bending problem of the continuous plate. By transforming these differential equations into integral equations and using the trapezoidal rule of the approximate numerical integration, the solution of these equations is obtained. Green function which is the solution of deflection of the bending problem of plate is used to obtain the characteristic equation of the free vibration. The effects of the line support, the variable thickness and aspect ratio on the frequencies and mode shapes are considered. By comparing the numerical results obtained by the present method with those previously published, the efficiency and accuracy of the present method are investigated.     

The steady state out-of-plane response of a Timoshenko curved beam with internal damping

The steady state out-of-plane response of a Timoshenko curved beam with internal damping to a sinusoidally varying point force or moment is determined by use of the transfer matrix approach. For this purpose, the equations of out-of-plane vibration of a curved beam are written as a coupled set of the first order differential equations by using the transfer matrix of the beam. Once the matrix has been determined by numerical integration of the equations, the steady state response of the beam is obtained. The method is applied to free-clamped non-uniform beams with circular, elliptical, catenary and parabolical neutral axes driven at the free end; the driving point impedance and force or moment transmissibility are calculated numerically and the effects of the slenderness ratio, varying cross-section and the function expressing the neutral axis on them are studied.     

Two-dimensional thermoelasticity solution for functionally graded thick beams

Two-dimensional thermoelasticity analysis of functionally graded thick beams is presented using the state space method coupled with the technique of differential quadrature. Material properties vary continuously and smoothly through the beam thickness, leading to variable coefficients in the state equation derived from the elasticity equations. Approximate laminate model is employed to translate the state equation into the one with constant coefficients in each layer. To avoid numerical instability, joint coupling matrices are introduced according to the continuity conditions at interfaces in the approximate model. The differential quadrature procedure is applied to discretizing the beam in the axial direction to make easy the treatment of arbitrary end conditions. A simply-supported beam with exponentially varying material properties is considered to validate the present method. Numerical examples are performed to investigate the influences of relative parameters.     

FREE VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF NON-UNIFORM BEAMS WITH AN ARBITRARY NUMBER OF CRACKS AND CONCENTRATED MASSES

An exact approach for free vibration analysis of a non-uniform beam with an arbitrary number of cracks and concentrated masses is proposed. A model of massless rotational spring is adopted to describe the local flexibility induced by cracks in the beam. Using the fundamental solutions and recurrence formulas developed in this paper, the mode shape function of vibration of a non-uniform beam with an arbitrary number of cracks and concentrated masses can be easily determined. The main advantage of the proposed method is that the eigenvalue equation of a non-uniform beam with any kind of two end supports, any finite number of cracks and concentrated masses can be conveniently determined from a second order determinant. As a consequence, the decrease in the determinant order as compared with previously developed procedures leads to significant savings in the computational effort and cost associated with dynamic analysis of non-uniform beams with cracks. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the proposed method and to study the effect of cracks on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of cracked beams.     

Free vibration analysis of planar curved beams by wave propagation

In this paper, a systematic approach for the free vibration analysis of a planar circular curved beam system is presented. The system considered includes multiple point discontinuities such as elastic supports, attached masses, and curvature changes. Neglecting transverse shear and rotary inertia, harmonic wave solutions are found for both extensional and inextensional curved beam models. Dispersion equations are obtained and cut-off frequencies are determined. Wave reflection and transmission matrices are formulated, accounting for general support conditions. These matrices are combined, with the aid of field transfer matrices, to provide a concise and efficient method for the free vibration problem of multi-span planar circular curved beams with general boundary conditions and supports. The solutions are exact since the effects of attenuating wave components are included in the formulation. Several examples are presented and compared with other methods.     

Flapwise bending vibration analysis of a rotating tapered cantilever Bernoulli–Euler beam by differential transform method

This paper studies the vibration characteristics of a rotating tapered cantilever Bernoulli–Euler beam with linearly varying rectangular cross-section of area proportional to xⁿ, where n equals to 1 or 2 covers the most practical cases. In this work, the differential transform method (DTM) is used to find the nondimensional natural frequencies of the tapered beam. Numerical results are tabulated for different taper ratios, nondimensional angular velocities and nondimensional hub radius. The effects of the taper ratio, nondimensional angular velocity and nondimensional hub radius are discussed. The accuracy is assured from the convergence of the natural frequencies and from the comparisons made with the studies in the open literature. It is shown that the natural frequencies of a rotating tapered cantilever Bernoulli–Euler beam can be obtained with high accuracy by using DTM.     

Theoretical and experimental study on the transverse vibration properties of an axially moving nested cantilever beam

An axially moving nested cantilever beam is a type of time-varying nonlinear system that can be regarded as a cantilever stepped beam. The transverse vibration equation for the axially moving nested cantilever beam with a tip mass is derived by D’Alembert?s principle, and the modified Galerkin?s method is used to solve the partial differential equation. The theoretical model is modified by adjusting the theoretical beam length with the measured results of its first-order vibration frequencies under various beam lengths. It is determined that the length correction value of the second segment of the nested beam increases as the structural length increases, but the corresponding increase in the amplitude becomes smaller. The first-order decay coefficients are identified by the logarithmic decrement method, and the decay coefficient of the beam decreases with an increase in the cantilever length. The calculated responses of the modified model agree well with the experimental results, which verifies the correctness of the proposed calculation model and indicates the effectiveness of the methods of length correction and damping determination. Further studies on non-damping free vibration properties of the axially moving nested cantilever beam during extension and retraction are investigated in the present paper. Furthermore, the extension movement of the beam leads the vibration displacement to increase gradually, and the instantaneous vibration frequency and the vibration speed decrease constantly. Moreover, as the total mechanical energy becomes smaller, the extension movement of the nested beam remains stable. The characteristics for the retraction movement of the beam are the reverse.     

Vibration response of stepped FGM beams with elastically end constraints using differential transformation method

In this paper, free vibration response of stepped beams made from functionally graded materials (FGMs) is investigated. The beams are supported by various types of elastically end constraints. The differential transformation method (DTM) is employed to solve the governing differential equations of such beams in order to obtain natural frequencies and mode shapes. The power law distribution is used and modified to describe material compositions across the thickness of the beams made of FGMs. Two main types of the stepped FGM beams in which their material compositions can be described by using the modified power law distribution are selected to investigate their vibration behaviour. The significant parametric studies such as step ratio, step location, boundary conditions, spring constants and material volume fraction are taken into investigation.     

Free vibration analysis of a uniform multi-span beam carrying multiple spring-mass systems

The literature regarding the free vibration analysis of single-span beams carrying a number of spring-mass systems is plenty, but that of multi-span beams carrying multiple spring-mass systems is fewer. Thus, this paper aims at determining the “exact” solutions for the natural frequencies and mode shapes of a uniform multi-span beam carrying multiple spring-mass systems. Firstly, the coefficient matrices for an intermediate pinned support, an intermediate spring-mass system, left-end support and right-end support of a uniform beam are derived. Next, the numerical assembly technique for the conventional finite element method is used to establish the overall coefficient matrix for the whole vibrating system. Finally, equating the last overall coefficient matrix to zero one determines the natural frequencies of the vibrating system and substituting the corresponding values of integration constants into the related eigenfunctions one determines the associated mode shapes. In this paper, the natural frequencies and associated mode shapes of the vibrating system are obtained directly from the differential equation of motion of the continuous beam and no other assumptions are made, thus, the last solutions are the exact ones. The effects of attached spring-mass systems on the free vibration characteristics of the 1-4-span beams are studied.     

Non-linear free vibrations of stepped thickness beams

The non-linear free vibrations of stepped thickness beams are analyzed by assuming sinusoidal responses and using the transfer matrix method. The numerical results for clamped and simply supported, one-stepped thickness beams with rectangular cross-section are presented and the effects of the beam geometry on the non-linear vibration characteristics are discussed. The results are also compared with those obtained by a Galerkin method in which the linear mode function of the beam is used. The use of a Galerkin method seems to considerably overestimate the non-linearity of the stepped thickness beam in certain cases.     

Nonlinear free transverse vibration of an axially moving beam: Comparison of two models

Nonlinear free transverse vibration of an axially moving beam is investigated. A partial-differential equation governing the transverse vibration is derived from the Newton's second law. Under the assumption that the tension of beam can be replaced by the averaged tension over the beam, the partial-differential reduces to a widely used integro-partial-differential equation for nonlinear free transverse vibration. The method of multiple scales is applied directly to two equations to evaluate nonlinear natural frequencies. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the analytical results and to highlight the difference between two models. Two models yield the essentially same results for the weak nonlinearity, the small axial speed and the low mode, while the difference between two models increases with the nonlinear term, the axial speed, and the order of mode.