On the free shapes of elastic rods

The problem of free shape consists in finding the form that an elastic body must have in a natural state in order that it shall assume a given form in an equilibrium configuration under the action of assigned loads. The problem, that is of interest in itself, arises in some practical applications and can constitute a preliminary step in the study of some mechanical properties of classes of equilibrium configurations that are not natural states. This paper examines the problem of free shape for inextensible elastic rods which in equilibrium are subject only to the action of forces and couples applied to the ends, and whose deformations can be described by the theory of finite displacements of thin rods due to Kirchhoff. After the general equations governing the problem have been deduced, they are employed to give a classification of the free shapes of rods that in equilibrium are circular rings.     

On the theory of porous elastic rods

We consider the direct approach to the theory of rods, in which the thin body is modelled as a deformable curve with a triad of rigidly rotating orthonormal vectors attached to every material point. In this context, we employ the theory of elastic materials with voids to describe the mechanical behavior of porous rods. First, we derive the dynamical nonlinear field equations of the model. Then, in the framework of linear theory, we prove the uniqueness of the solution to the associated boundary-initial-value problem. We identify the relevant field quantities from the theory of directed curves by comparison with the three-dimensional equations of straight porous rods. Finally, for orthotropic and homogeneous rods, we determine the constitutive coefficients in terms of the three-dimensional elasticity constants by solving several problems in the two different approaches.     

On the solution of the stability problem of elastic rods subjected to triangularly distributed,tangential follower forces

Summary In order to complete the existing theory of beams subjected to follower forces, an exact solution for the case of triangularly distributed loads is presented. The results obtained may be compared with those reported in the literature and which were based on approximate calculations by means of the Method of Galerkin and the Finite Difference Method. The conclusion is that there is good agreement between all these results, thus confirming the dependability of the approximate methods.

---

Übersicht Zur Abrundung der bereits bekannten Ergebnisse-zur Theorie von Balken mit Folgelasten wird eine exakte Lösung für den Fall einer dreieckförmig verteilten Last angegeben. Die Ergebnisse können mit den in der Literatur angegebenen verglichen werden, die auf der Grundlage von Näherungen nach der Methode von Galerkin oder mit Hilfe von finiten Elementen erhalten wurden. Die gute Übereinstimmung bestätigt die Zuverlässigkeit der Näherungslösungen.

---

---

The financial support of this research by NRC Grant A7297 is gratefully acknowledged.     

On the stability of elastic curved bars

A general discussion about the stability of arbitrary elastic curved bars in space under combined actions of bending and twisting is given in this paper. A system of Eqs. (28)–(36) for perturbation functions near some equilibrium state is presented. With appropriate boundary conditions, the nontrivial solution corresponds to the critical state. Five examples are analysed in this paper. Some of them are new results and others are old problems treated using the new method.     

Stability of nonlinearly elastic rods

This paper describes previously unknown stabilities and instabilities of planar equilibrium configurations of a nonlinearly elastic rod that is buckled under the action of a dead-load. The governing equations are derived from variational principles, including ones of isoperimetric type. Properties of stability are accordingly determined by study of the second variation. Stabilities to deformations both in the plane and out of the plane are considered.Among the newly discovered properties are: secondary bifurcation from the first buckled mode, marked differences between stability to two-dimensional and to three-dimensional variations, and the stabilizing influence of resistance to twist. In the isoperimetric examples, the analysis makes crucial use of a novel device to account for the dependence of the second variation on constraints.This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research.     

Flexural instabilities of elastic rods

In the framework of Antman's theory of elastic rods, it is shown that the behavior of a rod subject to end couples is ruled by a non-linear ordinary differential equation whose solutions describe the instability phenomena observed in severe bending tests of tubes, such as ovalization and necking of the cross section.

---

Sommario Nell'ambito della teoria di Antman per le travi elastiche, si mostra che il comportamento di una trave soggetta a coppie concentrate agli estremi è regolato da un'equazione differenziale ordinaria non lineare, le cui soluzioni descrivono fenomeni di instabilità osservati nelle prove di grande flessione di tubi, quali l'ovalizzazione e la strizione della sezione trasversale.

     

On large elastic deformation of prestressed right circular annular cylinders

We formulate and study inflation, extension and twisting of prestressed cylindrical shells that are isotropic in the stress free configuration. We establish that if the prestresses vary only radially in the annular cylinder then a deformation field of the form , θ=Θ+ΩZ, z=λZ is possible in annular cylinders made of any incompressible material and find sufficient conditions for the deformation to be possible when made of compressible materials. When the material is capable of undergoing large elastic deformations and has a non-linear constitutive relation, for the cases studied here, there is up to 26 percent variation in the boundary loads required to engender a given boundary displacement between the prestressed and stress free annular cylinders. On the other hand, the difference in the realized deformation field is only marginal (less than 2 percent). These are unlike the case wherein the material obeys Hooke's law and undergoes small deformations. This study has some relevance to the deformation of blood vessels.     

On the three-dimensional vibrations of a hollow elastic torus of annular cross-section

This paper offers a three-dimensional elasticity-based variational Ritz procedure to examine the natural vibrations of an elastic hollow torus with annular cross-section. The associated energy functional minimized in the Ritz procedure is formulated using toroidal coordinates (r,q, j)({r,\theta , \varphi}) comprised of the usual polar coordinates (r, θ) originating at each circular cross-sectional center and a circumferential coordinate j{\varphi} around the torus originating at the torus center. As an enhancement to conventional use of algebraic–trigonometric polynomials trial series in related solid body vibration studies in the associated literature, the assumed torus displacement, u, v and w in the r, θ and j{\varphi } toroidal directions, respectively, are approximated in this work as a triplicate product of Chebyshev polynomials in r and the periodic trigonometric functions in the θ and j{\varphi} directions along with a set of generalized coefficients. Upon invoking the stationary condition of the Lagrangian energy functional for the elastic torus with respected to these generalized coefficients, the usual characteristic frequency equations of natural vibrations of the elastic torus are derived. Upper bound convergence of the first seven non-dimensional frequency parameters accurate to at least five significant figures is achieved by using only ten terms of the trial torus displacement functions. Non-dimensional frequencies of elastic hollow tori are examined showing the effects of varying torus radius ratio and cross-sectional radius ratio.     

On the elastic stability of static non-holonomic systems

This paper presents a new formulation for the elastic stability of static non-holonomic structural systems. The theory is developed within the tradition of discrete (or discretized) systems written in terms of a set of generalized coordinates and control parameters. The non-holonomic conditions are written as constraint functions. The formulation employs a Lagrangian functional in terms of the total potential energy, the constraint functions and multipliers. Critical states are identified and the solution is next expanded by regular perturbations. This allows to establish a classification of critical states and identify the initial postcritical behavior. This solution is valid provided that there is no change in the active constraints of the system. The paper presents a mathematical analysis of the critical condition, and concludes with simple examples of two degree-of-freedom systems previously investigated by other authors.     

On flat thin elastic rods with rapidly varying periodic characteristics

A thin elastic rod is considered on a plane. The free shape of the rod is described by a periodic curve. It is shown that, under constant loads, its equilibrium shape tends to the equilibrium shape of a thin rectilinear rod when the frequency of the function describing the free shape increases infinitely. The problem under study is solved on the basis of modeling the three-dimensional shapes of circular DNA molecules by a thin rectilinear elastic rod.     

Torsion of chiral Cosserat elastic rods

This paper is concerned with the torsion of isotropic chiral Cosserat elastic cylinders. First, the generalized plane strain problem is defined and an existence result is presented. Then, the three-dimensional problem is reduced to the study of some generalized plane strain problems. In general, the torsion of the cylinder is accompanied by bending and extension. The method is applied to study the torsion of a circular cylinder.     

On the constraint and scaling methods to derive the equations of linearly elastic rods

The theory of linearly elastic rods may be obtained from three-dimensional elasticity either by the method of internal constraints or by the scaling method. Both methods have been applied to obtain linear plate and shell equations ([1], [2]–[5]); the relationships between the two methods are discussed in [6]. For rods, a version of the constraint method has been developed in [7], whereas a scaling method has been presented in [12]. In this paper a direct comparison is made between the mechanical basis and analytical results of the constraint and the scaling methods, and it is shown how the scaling method yields the same Kirchhoff hypothesis that forms the starting point of the constraint method.

---

Sommario La teoria delle travi elastiche lineari puó essere ottenuta a partire dalla teoria tridimensionale dell'elasticitá tanto con il metodo dei vincoli interni che con il metodo di riscalamento. Entrambi i metodi sono giá stati utilizzati per ottenere le equazioni delle piastre e dei gusci lineari ([1], [2]–[5]); in quel contesto, le relazioni tra i due metodi sono state discusse in [6]. Una versione del metodo dei vincoli appropriata al caso delle travi é stata sviluppata in [7], mentre i metodi di riscalamento per le travi si trovano esposti in [12]. Scopo di questo lavoro é compiere un paragone diretto tra i fondamenti meccanici e le risultanze analitiche, rispettivamente, del metodo dei vincoli e di quello di riscalamento, mostrando come il metodo di riscalamento imponga di accogliere proprio quelle ipotesi all aKirchhoff sulle quali si basa il metodo dei vincoli interni.

     

Nonlinear analysis of elastic round rods

Summary The nonlinear theory of elastic round rods is split into a vector equation concerning the properties of finite inextensional flexural deflections and a scalar equation concerning torsional deformations. In particular, the related boundary conditions are examined for the case of a Cardan joint. The buckling configurations of a rod under tension and torsion, constrained at both ends by Cardan joints, are determined by the linearized form of the above theory and compared with previous findings about the rod with cylindrical end hinges.

---

Sommario La teoria non lineare della verga elastica rotonda è compendiata in un'equazione vettoriale che esprime le proprietà della deformata flessionale inestensionale: le associate condizioni al contorno includono le proprietà torsionali della verga. In particolare si considerano le condizioni ai limiti per deformazioni finite nel caso di vincolo con giunto cardanico. Per la verga con giunti cardanici ai due estremi, soggetta a trazione e torsione si determinano le configurazioni critiche.

---

---

Post-graduate Student, Department of Structural Engineering, Politecnico di Torino.

---

Professor emeritus, Department of Structural Engineering, Politecnico di Torino.     

On the elastic stability of beams under unilateral constraints

Summary We analyze the problem of the axially loaded elastic beam on a one-sided elastic foundation. The existence of the critical load is proved and its expression is given.

---

Sommario Per il problema della trave elastica su fondazione elastica unilaterale assialmente caricata si prova l'esistenza del carico critico e se ne dà l'espressione.

     

On the general theory of stability for elastic bodies

This paper deals with the stability of loaded equilibrium configuration of elastic bodies, within the framework of nonlinear thermoelasticity. Although most of the results are obtained in the context of thermo-mechanical stability, the parallel developments for the purely mechanical stability are also considered. By use of an appropriate thermodynamic restriction, several theorems are proved concerning a sufficient condition for stability of the equilibrium configuration. These theorems hold under a general class of motions and their validity is not limited to small motions and small temperature changes from a loaded equilibrium state. Various generalizations of our main results are discussed and the reasonableness of the proposed stability criterion is demonstrated.