On the vibration and stability of a free-free beam subjected to end-loads

In this paper the vibration and stability of a free-free beam subjected to direction-controlled axial loads at its ends are investigated. The eigencurves and mode shapes of the beam are presented for various values of the directional control parameter. It is found that the behaviour of the free-free beam subjected to compressive axial loads is unstable for any direction parameter—except for the follower loading case. However, the same beam subjected to tensile loads is stable.