General exact harmonic analysis of in-plane Timoshenko Beam structures

Abstract

The exact solution for the problem of damped, steady state response, of in-plane Timoshenko frames subjected to harmonically time varying external forces is here described. The solution is obtained by using the classical dynamic stiffness matrix (DSM), which is non-linear and transcendental in respect to the excitation frequency, and by performing the harmonic analysis using the Laplace transform. As an original contribution, the partial differential coupled governing equations, combining displacements and forces, are directly subjected to Laplace transforms, leading to the member DSM and to the equivalent load vector formulations. Additionally, the members may have rigid bodies attached at any of their ends where, optionally, internal forces can be released. The member matrices are then used to establish the global matrices that represent the dynamic equilibrium of the overall framed structure, preserving close similarity to the finite element method. Several application examples prove the certainty of the proposed method by comparing the model results with the ones available in the literature or with finite element analyses.