A beam finite element for analysis of composite beams with the inclusion of bend-twist coupling. (1st April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Babuska, Pavel; Wiebe, Richard; Motley, Michael R.
• Is Part Of: Composite structures. Volume 189(2018)
• Page Start: 707
• Page End: 717
• Publication Date: 2018-04-01
• Subjects: Element stiffness matrix -- Stiffness method -- Weak form -- Bend-twist coupling -- Composite turbine blades; Composite construction -- Periodicals; Composites -- Périodiques; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2018.01.036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0263-8223

Abstract

Abstract: Material-induced bend-twist coupling in laminated composite beams has seen applications in engineered structures for decades, including airplane wings and turbine blades. Numerical studies and analytical formulations of the dynamics of bend-twist coupled laminated beams and plates have been investigated in recent years, yet can be cumbersome to implement quickly and efficiently. In early stages of design, employing a stiffness method approach to predict the load-deformation relationship and structural natural frequencies can be more efficient than developing a shell finite element model for each design iteration. A weak-form approach to the development of an accurate bend-twist coupled composite laminate beam element is presented herein. Comparisons are made between the stiffness matrix terms using the presented method and a shell finite element model of an idealized beam; the proposed method shows good agreement for a suite of beams with varying degrees of bend-twist coupling. The method is then extended to the calculation of natural frequencies by combining the new stiffness matrix with a corresponding consistent mass matrix to formulate the eigenvalue problem and shows very good agreement with both analytical and shell element solutions.