Exact solution and stability of postbuckling configurations of beams

We present an exact solution for the postbuckling configurations of beams with fixed–fixed, fixed–hinged, and hinged–hinged boundary conditions. We take into account the geometric nonlinearity arising from midplane stretching, and as a result, the governing equation exhibits a cubic nonlinearity. We solve the nonlinear buckling problem and obtain a closed-form solution for the postbuckling configurations in terms of the applied axial load. The critical buckling loads and their associated mode shapes, which are the only outcome of solving the linear buckling problem, are obtained as a byproduct. We investigate the dynamic stability of the obtained postbuckling configurations and find out that the first buckled shape is a stable equilibrium position for all boundary conditions. However, we find out that buckled configurations beyond the first buckling mode are unstable equilibrium positions. We present the natural frequencies of the lowest vibration modes around each of the first three buckled configurations. The results show that many internal resonances might be activated among the vibration modes around the same as well as different buckled configurations. We present preliminary results of the dynamic response of a fixed–fixed beam in the case of a one-to-one internal resonance between the first vibration mode around the first buckled configuration and the first vibration mode around the second buckled configuration.     

Relationship between Euler buckling and unstable equilibria of buckled beams

Classic snap-through of curved beams, plates, and shells has long been an object of attention in structural engineering. Euler buckling under axial loading is perhaps an even more entrenched part of the canon of engineering education and practice. In this paper we introduce a relationship between the two phenomena, that to our knowledge has not been directly addressed before. The relationship shows that Euler buckling configurations are connected by the force–displacement curve under transverse loading. The results are used to develop a very simple metric to estimate the number of unstable static equilibria of a buckled structure based only on its geometry with no need for static or dynamic solvers. The study is focused on beams as this allows for an unambiguous discussion of the idea on the simplest possible structure.     

含缺陷双层石墨烯的纳米压痕模拟研究

石墨烯具有独特的力学、电学性能,被誉为是具有战略意义的新材料,具有广泛的应用前景. 目前生产的石墨烯含有各种缺陷,相较于完美石墨烯,其仍有较大应用价值. 因此有必要研究和掌握缺陷对石墨烯性能的影响,以便在目前的生产技术下,推动其工业化应用. 采用Tersoffff 势来模拟C—C 共价键的相互作用,Lernnard-Jones 势来模拟非成键碳原子之间相互作用力,基于分子动力学模拟了金刚石压头压入含缺陷双层石墨烯的纳米压痕过程,讨论了Lernnard-Jones 势函数的截断半径最佳值以及得到了典型的载荷-位移曲线. 重点探讨了Stone-Thrower-Wales、空位(包括单空位和双空位缺陷) 以及圆孔缺陷当位置不同和数目不同时对石墨烯力学性能的影响. 得出结论:薄膜中心存在缺陷时,破坏强度下降幅度特别明显. 空位缺陷在压头半径范围内存在时,临界载荷与缺陷与薄膜中心的距离成线性关系;缺陷数目越多,其杨氏模量、破坏强度等就越低. 圆孔缺陷数目在压头范围外达到一定浓度后会使石墨烯的力学性质显著降低. 本文结论也说明石墨烯结构稳定,对小缺陷不敏感,缺陷石墨烯仍具有较好的性能和使用价值.      

Exact buckling solution for two-layer Timoshenko beams with interlayer slip

This paper deals with the buckling behavior of two-layer shear-deformable beams with partial interaction. The Timoshenko kinematic hypotheses are considered for both layers and the shear connection (no uplift is permitted) is represented by a continuous relationship between the interface shear flow and the corresponding slip. A set of differential equations is obtained from a general 3D bifurcation analysis, using the above assumptions. Original closed-form analytical solutions of the buckling load and mode of the composite beam under axial compression are derived for various boundary conditions. The new expressions of the critical loads are shown to be consistent with the ones corresponding to the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, when transverse shear stiffnesses go to infinity. The proposed analytical formulae are validated using 2D finite element computations. Parametric analyses are performed, especially including the limiting cases of perfect bond and no bond. The effect of shear flexibility is particularly emphasized.     

Thermal buckling and postbuckling of laminated composite beams with temperature-dependent properties

The thermal buckling and postbuckling analysis of laminated composite beams with temperature-dependent material properties is presented. The governing equations are based on the first-order shear deformation beam theory (FSDT) and the geometrical nonlinearity is modeled using Green's strain tensor in conjunction with the von Karman assumptions. The differential quadrature method (DQM) as an accurate, simple and computationally efficient numerical tool is adopted to discretize the governing equations and the related boundary conditions. A direct iterative method is employed to obtain the critical temperature (bifurcation point) as well as the nonlinear equilibrium path (the postbuckling behavior) of symmetrically laminated beams. The applicability, rapid rate of convergence and high accuracy of the method are established via different examples and by comparing the results with those of existing in literature. Then, the effects of temperature dependence of the material properties, boundary conditions, length-to-thickness ratios, number of layers and ply angle on the thermal buckling and postbuckling characteristic of symmetrically laminated beams are investigated.     

粘贴压电层功能梯度材料Timoshenko梁的热过屈曲分析

研究了上下表面粘贴压电层的功能梯度材料Timoshenko梁在升温及电场作用下的过屈曲行为。在精确考虑轴线伸长和一阶横向剪切变形的基础上,建立了压电功能梯度Timoshenko层合梁在热-电-机械载荷作用下的几何非线性控制方程。其中,假设功能梯度的材料性质沿厚度方向按照幂函数连续变化,压电层为各向同性均匀材料。采用打靶法数值求解所得强非线性边值问题,获得了在均匀电场和横向非均匀升温场内两端固定Timoshenko梁的静态非线性屈曲和过屈曲数值解。并给出了梁的变形随热、电载荷及材料梯度参数变化的特性曲线。结果表明,通过施加电压在压电层产生拉应力可以有效地提高梁的热屈曲临界载荷,延缓热过屈曲发生。由于材料在横向的非均匀性,即使在均匀升温和均匀电场作用下,也会产生拉-弯耦合效应。但是对于两端固定的压电-功能梯度材料梁,在横向非均匀升温下过屈曲变形仍然是分叉形的。     

A shearable and thickness stretchable finite strain beam model for soft structures

Soft materials and structures have recently attracted lots of research interests as they provide paramount potential applications in diverse fields including soft robotics, wearable devices, stretchable electronics and biomedical engineering. In a previous work, an Euler–Bernoulli finite strain beam model with thickness stretching effect was proposed for soft thin structures subject to stiff constraint in the width direction. By extending that model to account for the transverse shear effect, a Timoshenko-type finite strain beam model within the plane-strain context is developed in the present work. With some kinematic hypotheses, the finite deformation of the beam is analyzed, constitutive equations are deduced from the theory of finite elasticity, and by employing the standard variational method, the equilibrium equations and associated boundary conditions are derived. In the limit of infinitesimal strain, the new model degenerates to the classical extensible and shearable elastica model. The corresponding incremental equilibrium equations and associated boundary conditions are also obtained. Based on the new beam model, analytical solutions are given for simple deformation modes, including uniaxial tension, simple shear, pure bending, and buckling under an axial load. Furthermore, numerical solution procedures and results are presented for cantilevered beams and simply supported beams with immovable ends. The results are also compared with the previously developed finite strain Euler–Bernoulli beam model to demonstrate the significance of transverse shear effect for soft beams with a small length-to-thickness ratio. The developed beam model will contribute to the design and analysis of soft robots and soft devices.     

Analysis of bending and buckling of pre-twisted beams: A bioinspired study

Twisting chirality is widely observed in artificial and natural materials and structures at different length scales. In this paper, we theoretically investigate the effect of twisting chiral morphology on the mechanical properties of elas- tic beams by using the Timoshenko beam model. Particular attention is paid to the transverse bending and axial buckling of a pre-twisted rectangular beam. The analytical solution is first derived for the deflection of a clamped-free beam under a uniformly or periodically distributed transverse force. The critical buckling condition of the beam subjected to its self- weight and an axial compressive force is further solved. The results show that the twisting morphology can significantly improve the resistance of beams to both transverse bending and axial buckling. This study helps understand some phenomena associated with twisting chirality in nature and provides inspirations for the design of novel devices and structures.     

一维六方准晶层合简支梁自由振动与屈曲的精确解

伪Stroh型公式能够将多场耦合材料的控制方程转化为线性特征系统来求解,从而获得多层结构简支边界条件的精确解.本文利用伪Stroh型公式,研究一维六方准晶层合简支梁的自由振动和屈曲问题,通过传递矩阵法,获得准晶层合梁自由振动固有频率与临界屈曲载荷的精确解.通过与已有梁的剪切变形理论结果比较,验证了本文伪Stroh型公式的正确性和有效性.通过数值算例,分析由两种不同准晶材料组成的三明治层合梁的叠层方式、高跨比、层厚比及层数对梁的固有频率、临界屈曲载荷及其模态的影响规律.结果表明,叠层顺序和梁的高跨比、层厚比对准晶层合梁的自由振动固有频率和临界屈曲载荷有很大影响,可通过调整梁的几何尺寸和叠层顺序得到准晶层合梁的最佳固有频率和临界屈曲载荷.本文给出的精确解可为工程上研究准晶梁的各种数值解法和实验方法提供理论参考.     

Exact solution of supercritical axially moving beams: symmetric and anti-symmetric configurations

We present an exact solution for supercritical configurations of axially moving beams with arbitrary boundary conditions. We take into account the geometric nonlinearity of the traveling beams in supercritical regime, and the nonlinear buckling problem is analytically solved. A closed-form solution for the supercritical configuration in terms of the axial speed is obtained. Some typical boundary conditions, such as fixed-fixed, fixed-pinned and pinned-pinned, are discussed. More importantly, based on the exact solution, we found a new anti-symmetric configuration for the fixed-fixed axially moving beams. The traveling beam may vibrate around the new anti-symmetric configuration at sufficiently high traveling speeds. A good accuracy of the solution is confirmed by a comparison with the data available in the literature, and with our own numerical results.     

Postbuckling Behavior of Thin-Walled Open Cross-Section Compression Members

ABSTRACT

The postbuckling behavior of simply supported columns with thin-walled open cross section is investigated by means of the general nonlinear theory of elastic stability. Fourth-order terms in the series expansion of the total potential energy are disregarded.

It is shown that interaction between linearly independent simultaneous buckling modes is responsible for neutral equilibrium at bifurcation if the column cross section has two axes of symmetry, and unstable if it has only one. If the buckling modes are not simultaneous, the equilibrium is neutral in both cases. Finally, the equilibrium at bifurcation is usually unstable if the cross section has no axis of symmetry.     

Torsional postbuckling characteristics of functionally graded graphene enhanced laminated truncated conical shell with temperature dependent material properties

Buckling and postbuckling characteristics of laminated graphene-enhanced composite (GEC) truncated conical shells exposed to torsion under temperature conditions using finite element method (FEM) simulation are presented in this study. In the thickness direction, the GEC layers of the conical shell are ordered in a piece-wise arrangement of functionally graded (FG) distribution, with each layer containing a variable volume fraction for graphene reinforcement. To calculate the properties of temperature-dependent material of GEC layers, the extended Halpin-Tsai micromechanical framework is used. The FEM model is verified via comparing the current results obtained with the theoretical estimates for homogeneous, laminated cylindrical, and conical shells, the FEM model is validated. The computational results show that a piece-wise FG graphene volume fraction distribution can improve the torque of critical buckling and torsional postbuckling strength. Also, the geometric parameters have a critical impact on the stability of the conical shell. However, a temperature rise can reduce the crucial torsional buckling torque as well as the GEC laminated truncated conical shell's postbuckling strength.     

Buckling analysis of two layer delaminated beams with bridging

Stitching has been used as through-thickness reinforcement to reduce the effects of delamination. In stitching, the delamination will be held by stitches in the form of crack/interface bridging. In the present work, the reinforcement of stitching threads is assumed to provide continuous linear restoring tractions opposing the delamination opening. A generalized mathematical model is developed to study the buckling analysis of two layer delaminated beams with bridging by using Rayleigh–Ritz energy method. The delaminated beam is analyzed as four interconnected beams using the delamination as their boundary. Lagrange multipliers are used to enforce the boundary and continuity conditions between the junctions of the interconnected beams. The developed mathematical model is solved as an eigenvalue problem in which the lowest eigenvalue gives the buckling load. Effective-bridging modulus, a new nondimensionalized parameter, is introduced to study the influence of bridging on the delamination buckling. It is shown that bridging strongly influences the buckling load of the delaminated beams and a monotonic relation is observed between the buckling load and the effective-bridging modulus. Parametric studies in terms of delamination sizes and locations along spanwise and thicknesswise positions on the buckling load have been carried out. The bridging is found to be effective for shallow delaminations of moderate length, and for deep and long delaminations. Spanwise positions of delamination strongly influence the buckling loads. In addition, an analytical model for obtaining upper bounds of the buckling load is developed by using Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. Effective-slenderness ratio, a new nondimensionalized parameter is defined and it is found to be controlling the buckling mode configurations, i.e., local, global and mixed modes.     

CLASSICAL AND HOMOGENIZED EXPRESSIONS FOR BUCKLING SOLUTIONS OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED MATERIAL LEVINSON BEAMS

The relationship between the critical buckling loads of functionally graded material(FGM) Levinson beams(LBs) and those of the corresponding homogeneous Euler-Bernoulli beams(HEBBs) is investigated. Properties of the beam are assumed to vary continuously in the depth direction. The governing equations of the FGM beam are derived based on the Levinson beam theory, in which a quadratic variation of the transverse shear strain through the depth is included.By eliminating the axial displacement as well as the rotational angle in the governing equations,an ordinary differential equation in terms of the deflection of the FGM LBs is derived, the form of which is the same as that of HEBBs except for the definition of the load parameter. By solving the eigenvalue problem of ordinary differential equations under different boundary conditions clamped(C), simply-supported(S), roller(R) and free(F) edges combined, a uniform analytical formulation of buckling loads of FGM LBs with S-S, C-C, C-F, C-R and S-R edges is presented for those of HEBBs with the same boundary conditions. For the C-S beam the above-mentioned equation does not hold. Instead, a transcendental equation is derived to find the critical buckling load for the FGM LB which is similar to that for HEBB with the same ends. The significance of this work lies in that the solution of the critical buckling load of a FGM LB can be reduced to that of the HEBB and calculation of three constants whose values only depend upon the throughthe-depth gradient of the material properties and the geometry of the beam. So, a homogeneous and classical expression for the buckling solution of FGM LBs is accomplished.     

Enhanced generalised beam theory buckling formulation to handle transverse load application effects

This work deals with the development, finite element implementation and application of a generalised beam theory (GBT) formulation intended to analyse the localised, local, distortional and global buckling behaviour of thin-walled steel beams and frames subjected to transverse loads applied at various member cross-section points (away from its shear centre). In order to take into account the effects stemming from the transverse load position, the GBT buckling formulation must incorporate geometrical stiffness terms stemming from either (i) the internal work of the pre-buckling transversal normal stresses (“exact” formulation) or (ii) the external work of the applied transverse loads (approximate/simplified formulation). After presenting the main concepts and procedures involved in the development of the above “exact” and simplified formulations, the paper addresses the corresponding numerical implementations. Then, in order to illustrate their application and capabilities, as well as the limitations of the simplified formulation, various numerical result sets are presented and discussed. The accuracy of the GBT-based results is assessed through the comparison with “exact” values, yielded by rigorous shell finite element analyses carried out in the code Ansys.     

The non-linear bending of a cantilever beam with shear and longitudinal deformations

A non-linear bending theory for beams is constructed which accommodates shear and longitudinal deformations. Using the theory, an analytical solution for the cantilever beam subject to a compressive load (the elastica) and a series solution for the horizontal cantilever under weight loading are derived. The effects of including shear and longitudinal deformations are found to be negligible for configurations in which the two deformations tend to offset one another—such as at the onset of buckling under a compressive load—but are shown to be significant for certain configurations in which the two deformations are additive—as in some instances of weight loading.     

范德华力对多壁纳米碳管力学性质的影响

用分子动力学方法模拟了多壁纳米碳管在压缩、弯曲变形下力与变形的关系．通过与组成多壁碳管的各单壁碳管的比较分析,揭示了多壁纳米碳管层间范德华力对碳管力学性质的影响．采用Tersoff-Brenner势描述每一单壁纳米碳管内原子间作用,采用Lennard-Jones势描述碳管壁间范德华力．计算结果表明：多壁纳米碳管的比强度明显高于单壁纳米碳管．纳米碳管的半径虽然对杨氏模量影响不大,但对纳米碳管的曲屈行为影响却相当显著。     

A coupled refined high-order global-local theory and finite element model for static electromechanical response of smart multilayered/sandwich beams

In the present study, a coupled refined high-order global-local theory is developed for predicting fully coupled behavior of smart multilayered/sandwich beams under electromechanical conditions. The proposed theory considers effects of transverse normal stress and transverse flexibility which is important for beams including soft cores or beams with drastic material properties changes through depth. Effects of induced transverse normal strains through the piezoelectric layers are also included in this study. In the presence of non-zero in-plane electric field component, all the kinematic and stress continuity conditions are satisfied at layer interfaces. In addition, for the first time, conditions of non-zero shear and normal tractions are satisfied even while the bottom or the top layer of the beam is piezoelectric. A combination of polynomial and exponential expressions with a layerwise term containing first order differentiation of electrical unknowns is used to introduce the in-plane displacement field. Also, the transverse displacement field is formulated utilizing a combination of continuous piecewise fourth-order polynomial with a layerwise representation of electrical unknowns. Finally, a quadratic electric potential is used across the thickness of each piezoelectric layer. It is worthy to note that in the proposed shear locking-free finite element formulation, the number of mechanical unknowns is independent of the number of layers. Excellent correlation has been found between the results obtained from the proposed formulation for thin and thick piezoelectric beams with those resulted from the three-dimensional theory of piezoelasticity. Moreover, the proposed finite element model is computationally economic.     

Stability of sandwich plates by mixed,higher-order analytical formulation

A unified mixed, higher-order analytical formulation has been presented in this paper to predict general buckling as well as wrinkling of a general multi-layer, multi-core sandwich plate having any arbitrary sequence of stiff layers and cores. Assumptions of thin stiff layers and anti-plane core, which are usually made in the analysis of sandwiches, have been eliminated in the present formulation. Displacements as well as the transverse stress continuities have been enforced in the formulation by incorporating them as the degrees-of-freedom. The modal transverse stresses have been obtained directly as eigen vectors and thus their separate calculations have been advantageously avoided. Two sets of mixed models have been proposed on the basis of individual layer as well as equivalent single layer (ESL) theories by selectively incorporating non-linear components of Green’s strain tensor. Solutions from the models have been shown to be in excellent agreement with the available three-dimensional elasticity solutions as well as with the available experimental results. It has been demonstrated that the ESL theories cannot accurately evaluate the overall buckling as well as the wrinkling loads of sandwiches. Limitations of the typical simplifying assumptions have also been highlighted.