On single and bimodal optimum buckling loads of clamped columns

We study the problem of determining the optimum shape of a thin, elastic, clamped column of given length and volume, such that the fundamental buckling load is a maximum. The column cross-sections are assumed to be geometrically similar, and a minimum allowable value is specified for the cross-sectional area.Investigating the optimization problem parametrically in terms of this minimum constraint, we reveal a significant feature. There exists a threshold value for the constraint, beyond which the optimum columns are all associated with single mode optimum buckling loads, whereas, for any value of the constraint less than the threshold value, the optimum columns are associated with bimodal fundamental buckling loads.This bimodal behaviour necessitates an extension and a mathematical reformulation of the current optimization problem, which is outlined and solved in the paper. In particular, we revise the result hitherto considered to be the optimum solution for an unconstrained column with clamped ends.     

Buckling and post-buckling of gradient and nonlocal plasticity columns experiencing softening

The buckling and the post-buckling behaviors of a perfect axially loaded column are analytically investigated through a global bilinear moment–curvature elastoplastic constitutive law. Three plasticity cases are studied, namely the linear hardening plasticity law, the perfect elastoplastic case and the softening case. The applications of such a study can be found in various structural engineering problems, including reinforced concrete, steel, timber or composite structures. It is analytically shown that for all kinds of elastoplastic behaviors, the plasticity phenomena lead to a global softening branch in the load–deflection diagram. The propagation of the plasticity zone during the post-buckling process is analytically characterized in case of linear hardening or softening plasticity laws. However, it is shown that the unphysical elastic unloading solution necessarily occurs in presence of local softening moment–curvature constitutive law. A nonlocal plasticity moment–curvature softening law is then used to control the localization branch in the post-buckling stage. This nonlocal plasticity law includes the explicit and the implicit gradient plasticity law. Higher-order plasticity boundary conditions are derived from an extended variational principle. Some parametric studies finally illustrate the main findings of this paper, including the plasticity modulus effect on the post-buckling behavior of these plasticity structural systems.     

Influence of post-buckling behaviour on optimum design of stiffened panels

For an eccentrically stiffened wide panel under compression the optimality of a design with simultaneous occurrence of buckling as a wide Euler column and local buckling of the plate between the stiffeners is investigated. The total amount of material per unit width of the panel is prescribed. As a function of the distribution of this material in the plate and the stiffeners the maximum carrying capacities are calculated approximately by application of Galerkin's method. The design with the highest carrying capacity and the design with the best ability to retain axial stiffness, corresponding to given imperfections, are determined. It is shown that imperfections move the optimum away from the coincident buckling mode design.     

Lateral post-buckling analysis of beams

Summary The nonlinear lateral buckling response of perfect stocky beams in the vicinity of the critical bifurcational state is discussed. Attention is focused on the initial post-buckling response. This depends on the nature of the critical branching point which is explored by using a nonlinear (lateral) bending-curvature relationship. It is found that the plane of loading (associated with the major moment of inertia) looses its stability through a stable symmetric bifurcation point. Hence, the above beams are not sensitive to imperfections, exhibiting post-buckling strength. However, the post-buckling equilibrium path is quite shallow, so that the load-carrying capacity of such beams above the critical state is rather limited. The analysis is supplemented by illustrative examples forI-beams for which the effect of various parameters on the initial postbuckling path is also discussed.

---

Analyse des lateralen nachkritischen Knickverhaltens von Balken

Übersicht Das nichtlineare Knickverhalten von perfekten gedrungenen Balken in der Nachbarschaft des kritischen Verzweigungspunktes wird untersucht, wobei sich die Aufmerksamkeit insbesondere auf den Beginn der nachkritischen Phase richtet. Diese hängt vom Charakter des kritischen Verzweigungspunktes ab, der seinerseits mit Hilfe einer nichtlinearen (lateralen) Biegemoment-und Krümmungs-Beziehung analysiert wird. Es zeigt sich, daß die Stabilität in der Belastungsebene-verbunden mit dem maximalen Flächenmoment zweiter Ordnung-über einen stabilen symmetrischen Verzweigungspunkt verlorengeht. Daher sind solche Balken unempfindlch gegenüber Imperfektionen, sie zeigen nachkritische Belastbarkeit. Der nachkritische Gleichgewichtspfad ist jedoch sehr flach, so daß die Tragfähigkeit dieser Balken oberhalb des kritischen Zustandes recht begrenzt ist. Die Untersuchung ist durch illustrative Beispiele für I-Balken untermauert, für welche der Einfluß der verschiedenen Parameter auf den anfänglichen nachkritischen Pfad herausgearbeitet wird.

     

The effect of shear deformation on the post-buckling behavior of imperfect nonlinear viscoelastic columns

Summary The post-buckling behavior of imperfect columns made of nonlinear viscoelastic materials is investigated, taking into account the effect of shear deformation. The material is modeled according to the Leaderman representation of nonlinear viscoelasticity. Solutions are developed, within the elastica and the shear deformation theories, in order to calculate the growth in time of the total deflection. The numerical results establish the importance of the shear and the nonlinear viscoelasticity effects, and of the h/ℓ ratio in the column post-buckling behavior. Accepted for publication 11 November 1996     

On the post-buckling analysis of plastic structures under impulsive loading

An analytical method is suggested to analyze the plastic post-buckling behavior under impulsive loading. The fundamental equation of motion of a cylindrical shell is taken as an example to explain the main concept and procedure. The axial and the radial displacements are decoupled by an approximate scheme, so that only one non-linear equation for the radial buckling displacement is to be solved. By expanding it in terms of an amplitude measure as a time variable, we may get the post-buckling behavior in the form of a series solution. The post-buckling behavior of a rectangular plate used as a special case of cylindrical shell is discussed.     

Localized analysis of thin-walled structure's buckling/initial post-buckling and its accuracy

A method of localization is proposed to lower the high order of equations in FEM calculation for the stability of a complex thin-walled structure. The localized analysis enables us to obtain both the upper and lower limits for the bifurcating point in a whole linear-elastic structural system, as well as an approximate solution to asymptotic post-buckling problem. Some numerical examples are included. Project supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China     

The optimum layer number of multi-layer pyramidal core sandwich columns under in-plane compression

The effect of the face thickness to core height ratio on different multi-layer pyramidal core sandwich columns under in-plane compression is investigated theoretically and numerically. Numerical simulation is in good agreement with theory. Results indicate that one specified face thickness to core height ratio corresponds to one optimum layer number of multi-layer pyramidal core sandwich columns in consideration of engineering application. This result can guide the sandwich structure design.     

Creep buckling and post-buckling analysis of the laminated piezoelectric viscoelastic functionally graded plates

The creep buckling and post-buckling of the laminated piezoelectric viscoelastic functionally graded material (FGM) plates are studied in this research. Considering the transverse shear deformation and geometric nonlinearity, the Von Karman geometric relation of the laminated piezoelectric viscoelastic FGM plates with initial deflection is established. And then nonlinear creep governing equations of the laminated piezoelectric viscoelastic FGM plates subjected to an in-plane compressive load are derived on the basis of the elastic piezoelectric theory and Boltzmann superposition principle. Applying the finite difference method and the Newmark scheme, the whole problem is solved by the iterative method. In numerical examples, the effects of geometric nonlinearity, transverse shear deformation, the applied electric load, the volume fraction and the geometric parameters on the creep buckling and post-buckling of laminated piezoelectric viscoelastic FGM plates with initial deflection are investigated.     

Bifurcation analysis of a nonlinear viscoelastic panel

The dynamic behavior of a nonlinear viscoelastic panel subjected to a simple harmonic excitation is studied. Using the Galerkin principle, the double mode model is presented in this paper. The bifurcation behavior of the panel is examined in detail in the case of internal response. The method of averaging is used to derive a set of autonomous equations. The averaged differential equations are then examined to determine their bifurcation behavior. Finally, the results of theoretical analysis are numericaly verified.     

Bifurcation and chaos analysis of multistage planetary gear train

A nonlinear time-varying dynamic model for a multistage planetary gear train, considering time-varying meshing stiffness, nonlinear error excitation, and piece-wise backlash nonlinearities, is formulated. Varying dynamic motions are obtained by solving the dimensionless equations of motion in general coordinates by using the varying-step Gill numerical integration method. The influences of damping coefficient, excitation frequency, and backlash on bifurcation and chaos properties of the system are analyzed through dynamic bifurcation diagram, time history, phase trajectory, Poincaré map, and power spectrum. It shows that the multi-stage planetary gear train system has various inner nonlinear dynamic behaviors because of the coupling of gear backlash and time-varying meshing stiffness. As the damping coefficient increases, the dynamic behavior of the system transits to an increasingly stable periodic motion, which demonstrates that a higher damping coefficient can suppress a nonperiodic motion and thereby improve its dynamic response. The motion state of the system changes into chaos in different ways of period doubling bifurcation, and Hopf bifurcation.     

Bifurcation and stability analysis of an anaerobic digestion model

This paper presents the dynamic behaviour of the anaerobic digestion process, based on a simplified model. The hydraulic, biological and physicochemical processes such as those which underpin anaerobic digestion have more than one stable stationary solution and they compete with each other. Further, the attractive domains of the stable solutions vary with the key parameters. Thus, some initial transient process moving toward one stable solution could suddenly move towards another solution, at which a so-call catastrophe takes places (e.g. washout). The paper systematically analyses the stationary solutions with their associated stability, which provides insight and guidance for anaerobic digestion reactor design, operation and control.     

Nonlinear free vibration and post-buckling analysis of functionally graded beams on nonlinear elastic foundation

In this study, simple analytical expressions are presented for large amplitude free vibration and post-buckling analysis of functionally graded beams rest on nonlinear elastic foundation subjected to axial force. Euler–Bernoulli assumptions together with Von Karman’s strain–displacement relation are employed to derive the governing partial differential equation of motion. Furthermore, the elastic foundation contains shearing layer and cubic nonlinearity. He’s variational method is employed to obtain the approximate closed form solution of the nonlinear governing equation. Comparison between results of the present work and those available in literature shows the accuracy of this method. Some new results for the nonlinear natural frequencies and buckling load of the FG beams such as the effect of vibration amplitude, elastic coefficients of foundation, axial force, and material inhomogenity are presented for future references.     

Discrete model analysis of optimal columns

The physical parameters of optimal discrete link-spring models, which maximize the buckling load, are reconstructed. The cases where the system is pinned or clamped at one end, and supported by linear spring at the other end, are analyzed. It is shown that the optimal system can be determined recursively by using a one parameter iterative loop. For the pinned-spring-supported boundary conditions there is a region where the optimal solution is not unique. This case is characterized in the paper for the continuous system and its discrete model representation.This study enlightens the results obtained by Tadjbakhsh and Keller in 1962. In particular, it allows evaluation of the strongest column in the transition from the clamped–free to the pinned–pinned boundary condition; and from the (unstable) pinned–free configuration to that associated with the pinned–pinned. We have restricted our study to the regular cases, where there are no internal vanishing cross-sectional areas in the column. It has been shown that for certain range of spring constant the optimal columns are regular in the sense that their cross-section area is positive.     

Variational principles of perforated thin plates and finite element method for buckling and post-buckling analysis

On the basis of the general theory of perforated thin plates under large deflections^{[1, 2]}, variational principles with deflectionw and stress functionF as variables are stated in detail. Based on these principles, finite element method is established for analysing the buckling and post-buckling of perforated thin plates. It is found that the property of element is very complicated, owing to the multiple connexity of the region. Project supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Bifurcation and stability analysis for a non-smooth friction oscillator

Summary Friction-induced self-sustained oscillations, also known as stick-slip vibrations, occur in mechanical systems as well as in everyday life. On the basis of a one-dimensional map, the bifurcation behaviour including unstable branches is investigated for a friction oscillator with simultaneous self-and external excitation. The chosen way of mapping also allows a simple determination of Lyapunov exponents.Dedicated to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Dr. h.c. mult. Erwin Stein on the occasion of his 65th birthday.