Regular and chaotic oscillations of a Timoshenko beam subjected to mechanical and thermal loadings

Abstract

Dynamics of a Timoshenko beam under an influence of mechanical and thermal loadings is analysed in this paper. Nonlinear geometrical terms and a nonuniform heat distribution are taken into account in the considered model. The mathematical model is represented by a set of partial differential equations (PDEs) which takes into account thermal and mechanical loadings. The problem is simplified to two PDEs and then reduced to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by means of the Galerkin method taking into account three modes of a linear Timoshenko beam. Correctness of the analytical model is verified by a finite element method. Then, the nonlinear model is studied numerically by a continuation method or by a direct numerical integration of ODEs. An effect of the temperature distribution on the resonance near the first natural frequency and on stability of the solutions is presented. The increase of mechanical loading results in hardening of the resonance curve. Thermal loading may stabilise the beam dynamics when the temperature is decreased. The elevated temperature may transit dynamics from regular to chaotic oscillations.