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A vectorial approach to computational modelling of beams undergoing finite rotations
Author(s) -
Rhim Jaewook,
Lee Sung W.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.421
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1097-0207
pISSN - 0029-5981
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0207(19980215)41:3<527::aid-nme297>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - space (punctuation) , beam (structure) , finite element method , rotation (mathematics) , vector space , mathematics , classical mechanics , mathematical analysis , physics , geometry , computer science , optics , operating system , thermodynamics
The description of finite rotations of beam‐like structures using rotational parameters is not the most efficient, from a computational standpoint, because of the non‐vectorial nature of finite rotations in three‐dimensional space. In the present study, the classical rigid cross‐section assumption is abandoned and the motions of beam directors in three‐dimensional space is represented using vector quantities so that the resulting configuration space of a beam becomes a linear vector space. Issues concerning the proper constitutive relations are also discussed. Numerical results illustrate that the present approach produces attractive properties for various non‐linear problems involving very large rotations compared to the conventional rotational parameter approach. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.