Acta Mechanica 37, 53--64 (1980) ACTA MECHANICA

@ by Springer-u 1980

A Closed Form Solution for the Static Analysis

of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams
By
D. E. Panayotounakos and P. S. Theocaris~ Athens, Greece

With 3 Figures

(Received April 25, 1979)

Summary -- Zusammenfassung
A Closed Form Solution for the Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams.
Based on the principle of superposition, the closed form solution for the static analysis of a
continuous skew-curved beam in the most general case of response and loading is presented.
Each differential element of the centroidal axis of the beam is given six degrees of freedom:
three translations and three rotations. Three internal forces and three internal moments are
assumed to act at each point of the centroidal axis of the beam. Finally, the correctness of
the method is shown through an application to a special case of a continuous skew-curved
beam.
Eine gesehlossene statisehe Ltisung fiir den riiumlieh gekriimmten ])urchlauftl'iiger.
Mit Hilfe des Superpositionsprinzipes wird der allgemeinste Fall yon Verformung und
Belastung untersucht. Jedes Differentialelement der Schwerachse des Tragbalkens hat
sechs Freiheitsgrade, drei Translationen nnd drei lgotationen. Es wird angenommen, dall
drei innere Kr/ifte and drei innere Momente in jedem Punkt der Schwerachse des Balkens
wirken. Die l~ichtigkeit dieser Methode wird dutch Anwendung auf einen Sonderfall
gezeigt.
1, Introduction

I n the recent years considerable attention was given to the linear elastic
analysis of skew-curved beams. The stiffness approach and the flexibility m e t h o d
have been used b y m a n y researchers, [1] to [13], in analysing skew or planar-
curved beams. Also, Dabrowski [14], Unold [15], P a n a y o t o u n a k o s [16], Petersen
[17], Washizu [18], and Gery-Calgaro [19] have analysed either plane or skew-
curved beams b y developing methods of solving the governing differential
equations. Especially, P a n a y o t o u n a k o s and Theocaris [20] gave the closed from
solution of the differential equations with variable coefficients, governing the
equilibrium of an arbitrary skew-arc element. A complete investigation on the
previous developments was presented in references [21] and [22]; particularly
in the first, the stiffness-matrix m e t h o d was used for the static analysis of planar-
curved beams with constant radius of curvature. I n the second, reference [22],
which was based on the principle of virtual work, a closed-form of the flexibility-
influence functions of a skew-curved beam was presented.
The present investigation deals with the problem of the static analaysis of a
continuous skew-curved beam in the most general case of response and loading.

0001-5970/80/0037/0053/$02.40
54 D.E. Panayotounakos and P. S. Theocaris:

The beam was assumed to undergo infinitesimal deformations and therefore the
entire development was based on linear elastic analysis. E a c h differential element
of the eontroidal axis of the beam was given six degrees of freedom; n a m e l y
three translations and three rotations. Also, the derived closed form formulae
of generalized forces and displacements, were obtained b y using t h e principle of
superposition, as well as the flexibility matrix of reference [22]. I t should be
noticed here t h a t in this matrix all the influences of internal forces and m o m e n t s
are taken into account.
Finally, the results of the m e t h o d were illustrated b y the static analysis of
a continuous skew-curved beam with the one end fully fixed and supported on
two elast.ic springs with stiffnesses 2 x, ~2 respectively.

j f ds . . . . . ~ 3
,~

\\\

la
/
x

,A\ / A

rt.i ;t.l~
/

Ib

Fig. 1. a Geometry and sign convention of an element of a skew-curved beam; b a canti-

lever skew-curved beam subjected to a concentrated force and moment at the point A •
 Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams 55

2. Mathematical Formulation

2.1 The Cantilever Skew-Curved B e a m

Consider a cantilever skew-curved beam of uniform cross-section, whose

centroidal axis is defined in a global coordinate system 0 ~ by the position
vector i' = ~(u) = [~(u), y(u), ~(u)]T; where " u " is an arbitrary p a r a m e t e r and
the superscript " T " indicates the transpose of the vector. Consider also, at an
arbitrary point A • of the beam, the F r e n e t trihedron A ~-1 2 3 with unit vectors
(t • n • b~); where t ~ = [tl~-(u), t2• %• ~ is the unit tangent vector pointing
to the direction of increasing arc s, n • [nl• n~Y'(u), n3• T is the unit
normal vector pointing to the center of curvature and b • = [bl• b2• b3~(u)] T
is the unit binormal vector; b • is defined in such a way t h a t the corresponding
F r e n e t trihedron to be a right-handed system. Also, T • = [T~• T2• T3• T
and M • [Ml~(u), Mg~(u), M3• T denote the vectors of generalized forces
(internal forces and moments respectively), while W • = [wlZ(u), w2~-(u), w3~(u)] T
and Y• = [Vl• v2• %~'(u)] T denote the vectors of generalized displacements
(rotations and translations respectively) of the cross-section A • of the beam,
Fig. la. N o t e t h a t the axes 1, 2, 3 of the F r e n e t trihedron coincide with the
principal axes of the cross-section of the beam.
Assume now t h a t the cantilever skew-curved beam A()B is subjected at its
point A "~ to a concentrated external force ~ = [R~ ~, R2 ~, R3~] T and m o m e n t
d//• = [M1 • M~ • M~• ~ Fig. lb. Based on the t h e o r y developed in reference [22],
the vectorial equations of generalized forces and displacements governing the
equilibrium of the arc A~-A~ (~ < ~) are expressed by:
,.~x + H•215 __ Or (1.1) ]
Off'>' ---- G)'B_•215 ~ {"g/'~- -- F • #"} (1.2) / (1)
where:

~, g~D~[D• T.} ~ = /[D~] ~ [0] / ,

/ D~[D• Gz ---- [G~] (2)

= ={
[0] D [DZ]T J
i, ] = 1, 2; 0 is the (1 X 6) zero vector and [0] the (3 X 3) zero submatrix. The
(3 X 3) submatrices D~ and R i are given by:
|tl (u) / o --zi(u) yi(u) /
Oi = jnli(u) n2i(u) nsi(u)~, Ri = zi(u) 0
[b,~(u) b~(u) b;(u)] /--y~(u) x~(u) 01(u)i
and t h e y satisfy the relations:
Di[D~] -1 = Di[D~] T = I
i= 1,2,...,~,~t,...,n
[Rq-1 = - - R i
56 D. E. Panayotounakos and P. S. Theooaris:

The (6 X 6) matrices t F x a n d F • are t h e equilibrium a n d flexibility matrices of t h e

are A~-Ax respectively, with respect to the F r e n e t t r i h e d r o n A 1 2 3.
Particularly, based on reference [22], the elements of t h e m a t r i x F • are given
in the Appendix.

2.2 Continuous Slcew-Curved Beam

Consider now a c o n t i n u o u s skew-curved b e a m of u n i f o r m cross-section,

s u p p o r t e d on n elastic springs A 1. . . . . A n with stiffnesses 21, ..., )n acting on
various directions; it was a s s u m e d t h a t a general e x t e r n a l loading q(u) = [q,(u),
q2(U), ll3(ll)] T, m([[) = [ml(u), m2(u), m3(u)] T, ~2i : [Rli, R2 i, Rai]T and
j / i = [Mli, M2~, Mai]r was applied on the beam, Fig. 2. Based on t h e principle of

~~ X~

Fig. 2. A continuous skew-curved beam supported on -- n -- elastic springs with stiffness

2I, )t~. . . . . ~n acting on w.rious directions and subjected to a general loading

superposition, the above loading was s u b s t i t u t e d b y c o n c e n t r a t e d forces ~ • a n d

m o m e n t s J [ z on the nodes A • (~ = 1. . . . . n). This s u b s t i t u t i o n was achieved
t h r o u g h the methodology developed in reference [22].
L e t us n a m e A•215 the arc s e g m e n t b e t w e e n the nodes A • A ~+1 sub-
j e t t e d to end loadings ~ , r , ~• where .~• a n d .~• are the vectors of the
 Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams 57

u n k n o w n internal forces and moments, Fig. 3. Based on relation (1.1) the vec-
torial equation of equilibrium of the arc A• • is expressed b y :

~,~• ~_ tIx(• .~• ~ 0T (3)

meanwhile the corresponding vectorial equation of the are element ds ~ = A~dA •

is given b y :
~• _~ . ~ _~_ ~• ~_ 0 T (4)

where:
~,~ = (~,~- !~,~ + x'~) ~ (4')
and

!pX• is the u n k n o w n n o r m of the reaction X ~ and e ~ is the k n o w n unit vector of

the direction of the eleastic spring with respect to the F r e n e t trihedron A • 1 2 3 .
Using the equilibrium Eqs. (3) and (st) for all nodes A • (~ -----1,.,., n), and taking
into consideration t h a t :

~,,, \\ ~ \ J

92 s

Fig. 3. Free body diagram

58 D.E. Panayotounakos and P. S. Theocaris:

the foi]ovdng vectorial equations m a y be derived:

22, r : --]li2~i -- ~z

~n-l,r ~ __H(n 2)(n-l)]-[(n-3)(n-2) ... ~12~I __ ~(n-2)(n-l)H(n-3)(n-2 ) ... ]7~23~2 (5)

..... H(n-2)(n-l)~n-2 __ ~n-I

~l),l : I~(ri-1)nH(n-2)(rt-1) . . . H i 2 ~ l @ ]~(n--1)nt[(n-2)(n-1 ) . . . H23/j,~2

@ tl(n-1)nlt(n--2)(n-i)~ n-2 @ H(n-l)n~ n-l.

Eq. (1.2), being applied on the node i • leads to:

?V •247 = E~$F • -- Z• ~'r (6)

where:
E • ~- [E~] = G • 2 1 5 2 1 5 2 1 5 T

Zz : [ZiY)] : E• •215 (7)

i,~=~,2.
W o r k i n g in the same m a n n e r for all t h e nodes A ~, we can o b t a i n the relations :

~g~3 = E2~2 _ Z22)2,~

(s)

~//'n = E n l~/r __ Z n - l ~ n - i , r

I n t r o d u c i n g relations (5) into Eqs. (8) a n d p u t t i n g

(9)

H (n-2)(~-1) "" I I r ~ i § "'" ~- It~n-2)(~-i)~ n-2 d- ~-1 = ~

t h e system of vectorial Eqs (10) becomes:

~ty2 = E I ~ I -[- ZlO~l

3tfFa = ] ~ E I , ~ I @ E2Z12~1 @ Z 2 ~ "2

(lO)

~/r ~ E n ' - l E n - 2 ... El~t//~l q_ ... -b E ~ - t Z ~ - 2 ~ r n - ~ -~ Z n - l ~ n-1.

 Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams 59

I t should be noticed t h a t the (6 X 1) vectors ~'• (z ~ 1. . . . . n) are functions of

the u n k n o w n vectors X •
Finally, it can be readily derived t h a t the generalized displacement r215 are
related with the reactions X • t h r o u g h the relations:

[0 l e 1] r = ,tl lIXtl

(11)

[o I e~] el. - ~ . IIX~ll.

3. Mode of Solution

The last equation of relations (5) can be written under the form :

[0 I Xn] z = H ( ' - l m H ('-21('-~) ... H I ~ 1 + H(n-1)~H ('-2)(n-ll -.. II28~ 2

(12)
+ .-. + H(n-1)'H('-2)(n-1)~ "-2 + H ( " - I ) ' ~ "-x

Taking into account relations (11), (12) and the vectorial Eqs. (10), an algebraic
system of 7n linear equations with equal u n k n o w n s m a y be derived. Solving
this system, the 6n u n k n o w n components of the generalized displacements # ~ -
result, as well as the n u n k n o w n norms of the vectors X • (~ = 1 . . . . , n).
I n the ease when the one end (or both ends) of the previous beam is fully
fixed, the b o u n d a r y conditions are:

$4f1 = 0 T (or # r l = $4/~n _ OT). (12')

Taking into account relations (11), (12), (12') and the vectorial Eqs. (10),
an algebraic system of 7n -- 1 (or 7n -- 2) linear equations with equal unknowns
derives.
Relations (3) and (6) can be written as a matrix equation:

~ - x + l , / __ L • 2 1 5 (13)
where:

L~(•
= 90 0 1 J
i

represents the (13 X 13) transfer matrix of the unloaded arc A• • and {0}
the (6 X 6) zero submatrix.
Moreover, the following equations :
.~• _~ ~ x + l = __ ~ x + l , r

#-• = #~• (14)

60 D.E. Panayotounakos and P. S. Theocaris:

can be transformed to a matrix equation of the form:

j~x+Lr = l~•215 (~5)

where:
--I {0} __~•

Q~+I=i {0} I 0~

represents the (13 X 13) transfer matrix, corresponding to the loaded arc element
ds ~+1 a n d I is the (6 X 6) unit submatrix. Based on Eqs. (13), (14) and b y successive
substitutions the following final relation m a y be derived:

3 -~+~'r = Q~+~L~t~+~)Q~L(~'-~)~Q ~ - ~ . - . L 2 a q 2 L 1 2 J ~ , r . (16)

This equation relates the vector of generalized forces and displacements of an

arbitrary node A ~+1, with the corresponding vectors of the node A 1.
The definition of the vector ~-• acting on the cross-section A i of the
arc A• ~'+l't, Fig. 2, is achieved b y :

j-• ~ ~•215 (17)

where ~ i is the (13 X 13) transfer matrix of the unloaded arc A• i which is
given b y :
I,o_, /
/ o IOll/

The final vector j• is the result of the addition of the vectors . 7 • and T•
the last one is determined in reference [22] and represents the vector of generalized
forces and displacements of both fixed-ends skew-curved arc A• • subjected
to a general loading q(u), re(u), ~ and J / i , Fig. 2.

4. An Application of the Method

The effectiveness of the m e t h o d was shown in the ease of a continuous skew-

curved b e a m supported on two elastic springs A 2, A a and with one of its ends,
A 1, fully fixed. The stiffnesses of the elastic springs A 2, A ~ are 22, 2~ respectively
while t h e y are assumed to act in the direction of binormal (e 2 = e a = [0, 0, 1]T).
Furtherlnore, an external loading q(u) and re(u) was considered acting on the
arc A2A ~. W e shall t r y to determine the u n k n o w n vectors of the reactions of the
beam. Substituting the previous external loading b y the concentrated loads . ~
 Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams 61

and ~a, Eqs. (10) and (11) m a y be written as:

~1 = 0T I

I
(18)

[0 1e~] ~/~ = ).~ IIX21[ /

(19)
/
Taking into account t h a t $K 1 = Or, Eqs. (12) can be written under the form:

: H 23 ~"2 1123 ]//2

(20)
1]-23 "~2 ][]'23 ////2 ~f 23/7z2
X S = J2, M 1 ~ - J22T1 @ ~ 2 2 " ~ @ ~ 2 1 .... @ aL22J~

where
J = [J/j] -- H23Hl~
i, ] = 1, 2 (20')
~I~3 = [Hi~]

So, Eq. (18), (19) and (20) consist an algebraic system of 3 X 7 -- 1 : 20 linear
equations with equal unknowns.
i~elations (18) through the formulae (9) are transformed as follows:

~/y2 = E1F12(M1 1 T1)T /

(21)
$4/'3 = E2(E1F12 + F23tI12) ( M l l T1)T _~_E~F2s(d/2 I~2 + X2)T.

Each of the matrices E 1, E 2, H 12, F 12, F e3 is of dimensions (6 X 6) ; the first three

of t h e m are formulated b y using Eqs. (7) and (2), while the rest two F 12, F 23 are
the flexibility matrices of the arcs A1A ~, A2A 3 respectively (reference [22]).
Introducing the matrices:

A = [Aij] =- ]~1F12
E2F 2~ i, ] = 1, 2 / (22)
B = [B/~] =

C = [CIj] = E2(EIF 12 @ F23H 12) t

in Eqs. (19) and (21), and after several algebraic manipulations the following
relations m a y be derived:

1
iix2jI : ~ eZ(A2~M~ + A22T 1)

IIx~r] = ~I e a [@21 + -~21322A21)M1 + (C22 + ~;1 B22A22) T~] (23)

1
+ -~ e3[B21J/r ~ + B22 ~ ] .
62 D.E. Panayotounakos and P. S. Theoca.ris:

B y decoupling the system of Eqs. (20) and (23) the unknown reactions of the
fully-fixed end ~/1 and T 1 are given by:

] B21 23 ~2~1n1-1I-I21~
1 .~2
o - 1}I223]
-~ [~B22--II222a~-nine z ~ 2} (-94)

~ = -~ ~r -- a~ ' { H } ~ 2 + H I ~ ~}

where:
_._l]LT23A

~1 =
23
J12 ~- ~ H12A22,
(25)
+1 = J" + 7~ H 23
~ A . -- ~~ ( C2~ + -5~ B~A~ ) ,
~ ~ ~( ~ )

are matrices each of which is of dimensions (3 X 3).

I t can be readily shown that the reactions X 2 and X a can be immediately
determined from Eqs. (23).

5. Conclusions

I n this investigation an anMytica] solution methodology for establishing the

static analysis of a continuous skew-curved beam subjected to an arbitrary
loading is presented, based on the principle of superposition. Among the most
important results of this paper is the possibility of determining the unknown
reactions of the beam, as well as the vectors of generalized forces and displacements
at a generic point of the beam, b y closed form formulae.

6. Appendix

Assume the cantilever skew-curved beam AB and the Frenet trihedron

A t n b at the free end A. We notice the axes of the system by the numbers 1, 2, 3
and 4, 5, 6 in such a way that 1 and 4 correspond to the vector t ; 2 and 5 correJ
spond to the vector n and 3 and 6 to the vector b. In the followings, symbols
representing rotations due to unit moments or forces will be defined b y the
subscripts i] or il, while symbols representing translations due to unit forces or
moments by the subscripts kj or kl respectively; (i, j = 1, 2, 3 = k, l = 4, 5, 6).
Based on reference [22] the (6 ;4 6) flexibility matrix F AB = F of the beam AB
is given by:
F =/[w~j] [w~l]/ (26)
[Vkl]/
 Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams 63

where:
[w/j], [vkJ are symmetrical (3 X 3) submatrices,
[w.] = [vk~F
and w~j, w~l, vki, vkl are the flexibility influence functions. Physically, w~j is the
rotation a b o u t t h e / - a x i s due to a unit m o m e n t a b o u t the ]-axis, while vkt is the
translation in the direction k due to a unit m o m e n t in the/-direction. The ana-
lytical expressions for the previous functions are given b y :
Ul3

llA

lib

Wil :-- 0rr f ~$ri~$rlI(~) d~

"~ (27)
lIB

vk~ = ~r f 2 h z ~ / ( ~ ) d~: i, : = ~, 2, 3; ~, l = 4, 5, 6
UA

UB lib

UA IIA

r : summation index 1, 2, 3.
I n the aforementioned formulae X;i, X~j, X~l, X~k, 2r, and Sr~k are the elements
of the following (3 X 3) matrices :

::~ = [Xf~,k~] = D~[I)F

> o (28)
2 ~- [~j,~] = ~D~iDF
where the variable $ takes the same values with the p a r a m e t e r u and corresponds
to a generic point A e > A of the centroidal axis of the beam, while I(~) : (d2x/d$ ~
4- d2y/d~ 2 4: d2z/d$2) 1/2. Also, the constant coefficients ~r, fir are given b y :
~ = 1/GI~, ~, = 1/E~2, ~ = ~/E~, Z,- ~/EF, Z~ = 1 / G ~ . , Z~ = ~/r

where:

E, G denote the elastic and shear moduli respectively; I~ is the torsional m o m e n t

of inertia; I~ and Ia are the m o m e n t s of inertia of the cross-section about the
axes of n and b respectively; F is the area of the cross-section; finally, un and %
are coefficients depending on the shape of the cross-section.

References

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space. Tran. ASCE 117, 279--311 (1952).
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(1950).
64 Static Analysis of Continuous Skew-Curved Beams

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Dr. D. E. Panayotounakos Pro/. P. S. Theoearis

Department o] Mathematics
The National Technical University
o/Athens
5 K. Zographou Street, Zographou
Athens 625, Greece
Department o/Theoretical
and Applied Mechanic~
The National Technical University
o/Athens
5 I(. Zographou Street, Zographou
Athens 625, Greece