Flexural-torsional bifurcations of a cantilever beam under potential and circulatory forces I: Non-linear model and stability analysis

The stability of a cantilever elastic beam with rectangular cross-section under the action of a follower tangential force and a bending conservative couple at the free end is analyzed. The beam is herein modeled as a non-linear Cosserat rod model. Non-linear, partial integro-differential equations of motion are derived expanded up to cubic terms in the transversal displacement and torsional angle of the beam. The linear stability of the trivial equilibrium is studied, revealing the existence of buckling, flutter and double-zero critical points. Interaction between conservative and non-conservative loads with respect to the stability problem is discussed. The critical spectral properties are derived and the corresponding critical eigenspace is evaluated.     

RENEWAL OF BASIC LAWS AND PRINCIPLES FOR POLAR CONTINUUM THEORIES(Ⅸ)—THERMOMECHANICS

The existing fundamental laws of thermodynamics for micropolar continuum field theories are restudied and their incompleteness is pointed out. New first and second fundamental laws for thermostatics and thermodynamics for micropolar continua are postulated. From them all equilibrium equations and the entropy inequality of thermostatics as well as all balance equations and the entropy rate inequalities are naturally and simultaneously deduced. The comparisons between the new results presented here and the corresponding results demonstrated in existing monographs and textbooks concerning micropolar continuum mechanics are made at any time. It should be emphasized to note that, the problem of why the local balance equation of energy and the local entropy inequality could not be obtained from the existing fundamental laws of thermodynamics for micropolar continua, is believed to be clarified.     

Analysis of blank thickening in deep drawing processes using the theory of a Cosserat generalized membrane

This paper analyzes a transient, nonlinear deep drawing process where a circular blank of a rigid-plastic material is forced by a rigid circular punch to deform into a cylindrical cup. Attention is focused on the plastic flow beneath the blank-holder. Using the Cosserat theory of a generalized membrane it is possible to obtain analytical solutions which examine the following two major effects: (a) the importance of added “rim pressure” acting on the outer edge of the blank; and (b) the importance of a controlled moveable blank-holder to allow blank thickening during the drawing process. Guided by these analytical results, a new deep drawing machine was built to exploit these effects and increase the limit drawing ratio (LDR) of the drawing process. Specifically, the LDR (in one stroke) reached the value of 3.16 compared with the value of about 2.0 in the conventional process. Moreover, the analytical prediction of the punch force versus the punch stroke is in good agreement with the experimental data and with simulations using the computer code DYTRAN.     

Thermoelasticity of bodies with microstructure and microtemperatures

This paper is concerned with a linear theory of thermodynamics for elastic materials with microstructure, whose microelements possess microtemperatures. It is shown that there exists the coupling of microrotation vector field with the microtemperatures even for isotropic bodies. Uniqueness and continuous dependence results are presented. The theory is used to establish the solution corresponding to a concentrated heat source acting in an unbounded continuum.     

A method for relaxing parameter constraints in rigid body dynamics

As attractive alternatives to a set of three Euler angles, the rotation of a rigidly deforming body is often represented using four or more parameters. The accompanying parameter constraints introduce generalized constraint forces in the equations of motion which can often negate the benefits of a particular parameterization. In this paper, we discuss situations where the parameter constraints are not imposed. Thus, although the body no longer deforms rigidly, it does deform homogeneously. This allows the theory of a Cosserat point (or, equivalently, the theory of a pseudo-rigid body) to be used to establish equations governing its motion. Earlier work on this topic by O’Reilly and Varadi considered the four Euler parameters and the single Euler parameter constraint. Here, we consider Poincaré's six parameter representation of a rotation tensor, and, complementing earlier work, discuss numerical implementation and representative simulations. One of the contributions of this paper is the development of a viscoelastic Cosserat point, whose equations of motion are free from parameter constraints and singularities, that can be used to approximate the motion of a rigid body.     

A Cosserat shell model for interphases in elastic media

This study is concerned with the modeling of interphases in elastic media in general, and in composite materials in particular. The aim is to replace a boundary value problem consisting of a three-phase configuration, say that of fiber-interphase-matrix, by a simpler problem which involves the fiber and matrix only, plus certain matching conditions which simulate the interphase. The simplest of such known representations replaces a thin interphase by a “perfect contact interface” (a single surface) across which the displacements and tractions are assumed to be continuous. Another classical model replaces a thin and soft interphase by a “spring-type interface”, across which the tractions are continuous, but the displacement field undergoes a discontinuity. In the present paper, a Cosserat shell model of the interphase is derived which successfully models the original interphase in a unified manner, for the full range of its material parameters relative to those of the neighboring media. The model is derived in the setting of three-dimensional linear elasticity with small deformations and displacements. Comparisons with an existing exact solution of a coated fiber in an infinite matrix show that it performs extremely well even for moderately thick interphases.     

Homogeneous monotropic elastic rods: Normal uniform configurations and universal solutions

A number of simple solutions are obtained which are universal for an homogeneous monotropic elastic rod whose theory is based on a Cosserat-type model.

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Sommario Si ottengono alcune soluzioni semplici che sono universali per una trave omogenea monotropica la cui teoria è basata su un modello alla Cosserat.

     

Dynamics of Geometrically Nonlinear Rods: I. Mechanical Models and Equations of Motion

Slender thread like bodies (like cables, ropes, textilethreads or belts) are often used in technical applications. Becauseof their dimensions the one-dimensional continuum is the appropriatemechanical model for bodies of this type. Making use of the basicrelations of three-dimensional continua as a starting point the paperdevelops the general kinematic and kinetic relations of one-dimensionalcontinua for the case that the cross-sections will remain plane (Bernoullihypothesis), that large deflections are possible but the strains remainsmall and that the material is homogeneous and isotropic and behaveslinearly elastic. This results in the equations of motion of shearableand extensible rods (Timoshenko-beams). By neglection of shear deformationand of the rotational inertia of the cross-sections (assumptions thatcan be done in most technical applications) the equations of motionof Euler–Bernoulli-beams are derived in standard and concentratedform. The Euler–Bernoulli-beam equations contain the equations ofmotion of threads with zero bending and torsional stiffness. It isshown that the neglection of bending and torsional stiffness is onlyvalid if the tension is always positive. The second part of this paper[1] selects and develops appropriate numerical solution methods.The derived algorithms are used to solve problems from space and marineengineering.     

The Influence of Moduli Slope of a Linearly Graded Matrix on the Bulk Moduli of Some Particle- and Fiber-Reinforced Composites

The stored energy functional of a homogeneous isotropic elastic body is invariant with respect to translation and rotation of a reference configuration. One can use Noether's Theorem to derive the conservation laws corresponding to these invariant transformations. These conservation laws provide an alternative way of formulating the system of equations governing equilibrium of a homogeneous isotropic body. The resulting system is mathematically identical to the system of equilibrium equations and constitutive relations, generally, of another material. This implies that each solution of the system of equilibrium equations gives rise to another solution, which describes the reciprocal deformation and solves the system of equilibrium equations of another material. In this paper we derive conservation laws and prove the theorem on conjugate solutions for two models of elastic homogeneous isotropic bodies – the model of a simple material and the model of a material with couple stress (Cosserat continuum). This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Quadrilateral isoparametric finite elements for plane elastic Cosserat bodies＊

4-node, 8-node and 8(4)-node quadrilateral plane isoparametric elements are used for the solution of boundary value problems in linear isotropic Cosserat elasticity. The patch test is applied to validate the finite elements. Engineering problems of stress concentration around a circular hole in plane strain condition and mechanical behaviors of heterogeneous materials with rigid inclusions and pores are computed to test the accuracy and capability of these three types of finite elements.The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10225212, 50178016, 10421002) and the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University of China The English text was polished by Keren Wang.