SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON A NATURALLY CURVED AND

TWISTED SLENDER BEAM

K. WASHIZU

1. Introduction. Naturally curved and twisted slender beams have been a

classical problem in the theory of elastIcity and many papers have been written
on this subject [1, 2, 3]. The present paper presents an approximate theory of
the beam with a built-in end, with emphasIs on the derivation of governing
equatlOns which take mto account the effects of torsion wIthout end-section
warping and of transverse shear deformatlOn.

2. Geometry before deformation. Let the locus of the centroid of the cross
sections of the beam be a continuous curve m space, represented by
r~O) dO)(8), (1)
and let t be the tangent unit vector to the curve. In the cross section of the beam
we introduce ~- and 71-directions in coincidence with the principal axes through
the centroid and unit vectors i~ and i~ . The relation between these and the princi-
pal normal vector n and the binormal vector b may be written in the form:
i~ = n cos tJ + b sin tJ, i~ = -n sin tJ + b cos tJ. (2)
We have, with the aid of the Frenet-Seret formulae, the following system of

[:1 [
l~J =
°(0)
-K.
K.

0
(0)

_,~O)f1
differential formulae, where primes indicate differentiation with respect to 8:

K~) l:~J'
(3)
t' (0)
K~ -Ke
(0)

where
(0)
Ke Kl sin tJ, (0)
K~ Kl cos tJ,
(0)
K. K2 + tJ', (4)
and Kl and K2 are curvature and torsion respectively, of the curve.
The position vector of an arbitrary point p(O) of the beam can be represented by
r(O) dO) + ~ie + 71i~ (5)
WhICh suggest that a set of the three parameters (~, 71, 8) may be employed as
curvihnear coordinates for specifying the point during the subsequent deforma-
tion. The curvilinear coordinate system (~, 71,8) is generally non-orthogonal. We
shall use notations (at, a 2 , a 3 ) instead of (~, 71, 8) whenever convenient. From
Eq. (5), we obtain the metric tensor in the curvumear coordinate system as
g"" = (iJr(O)/iJa")·(iJr(O)/iJa") (6)
of which the determinant being given by
g= I g"" I = (1 - ~K~O) + 71K~O»)2. (7)
111
112 K. WASHIZU

The volume of an infinitesimal parallelepiped enclosed by the six surfaces e}' =

constant and ei' +
dei = constant (A = 1, 2, 3) is given by
dV = vY do/dol ac}. (8)
For later convenience, we introduce a system local rectangular Cartesian
coordinates (y\ y2, y3) with the origin at the point p(O) and denote the unit
vectors in the yX -axis by jx , where the dIrections of jl , j2 and j3 are chosen so as
to coincide with those of i~ , i~ and t of the cross section, respectively. From the
geometrical relation
dr (0) = ,,3
L..X=l
(
dr (0)/ da x)da x = ,,3.
L..1'=1 JI'
dn.P
y, (9)
we have
x
da ~ X. ( . dr(O»)
dyl' = ~ g JI" aa' ' (10)

where l' is defined by

,,3 X. ~X
L...=1 g g.1' ul' , (11)
~~ being the Kronecker's symbol.

3. Stress and strain in the curvilinear coordinates. After deformatIOn the

point p(O) moves to a new position with position vector
r = r(O) + u, (12)
where u(~, 11, 8) is the displacement vector. We consider the internal forces
acting on the deformed parallelepiped and denote the internal force acting on the
surface, with the sides (dr/da 2) da 2 and (dr/da 3 ) da 3 , by -./yg da 1 da 2 da 3 •
The quantities ..;2 and --:3 are defined in a shnilar manner. Then, the stress tensor
il' may be defined as follows:
..;X = E!=l ll'(iJr/aal'). (13)
The strain tensor fAI' may be defined by
dr dr dr(O) dr(O)
2fAI'= -'- - - ' - . (14)
oa X dal' da"X dal'
By the use of the stress and strain tensors thus defined, the virtual work done
by the internal forces acting on the deformed parallelepiped during virtual dis-
placements is given by

111v E E ll'~fxl' yg da da da
3
X.I'=1
1 2 3
• (15)

4. Stress and strain in the local rectangular Cartesian coordinates. We shall

assume that the stress-strain relations of the material are given In the local
rectangular Cartesian coordinates in the form,
(/1' = uXI'(eafJ), A, /L, a, {3 = 1,2,3, (16)
where uAI' and eafJ are the stress and strain tensors defined with respect to the
 NATURALLY CURVED AND TWISTED SLENDER BEAM 113

local rectangular Cartesian coordinates. These tensors are related with those
defined with respect to the curvilinear coordinates by the following relationships:

(i" = L L a}.
3 a"
JL J...- T"P
aa" aaP
.,p=l
(17)
3 aaK aaP
e}.,. = LL-
aY}.-a
.,p=lY
,.f.p (18)

By the use of these relations, we have

3 3
LL
}.,I'=1
u}."oe>-l' = L L
}.,,.=1
l"of~,., (19)

and the expression (15) is shown to be

III I: I: u~"oe>-l' Vg
v
3

}.,,.=1
1
da da da
2 3
• (20)

We shall denote the components of u}.,. and ea f3 by (u~, u~, u., T.~, Tst , T~) and
(eH, e~~, eBB, e.~, e. t , e~~), respectively.

5. Assumptions. From now on, our problem will be confined to the small dis-
placement theory of the slender beam of constant cross section, and two assump-
tions based on the slenderness of the beam will be employed. First, the stress
components u~, u~ and T~ are assumed so small compared with those remaining
that we may put
0
(Ft u~ Tt~ (21)
in the stress-strain relations. Second, the deformation of the beam is assumed
to consist of stretching, bending and torsion, namely,
u = Ui t + Vi., + Wt, (22)
where
u = u(s) - 7]8.(s), V = v(s) + ~8s(s),
(23)
W = w(s) + 7]8E(S) - ~8~(s) + a(s)\O(~, 7]).
Here, <,O(~, 7]) is the warping function of Saint-Venant' torsion of a cylindrical
shaft which has the same cross section as the beam under consideration [4]. The
degree of freedom of the deformation is restricted to seven functions of s, namely
u, v, W, 8E, 8~, 8. and a under the second assumption. Eq. (23), which are the
same as those in E. Reissner's work on torsion with variable twist of a cyhndrical
shaft [5], allow to take into account the effect of end warping constraint as well
as of transverse shear deformation. Using the above equations and linearizing
with respect to the displacement components, we obtain from Eqs. (12), (14)
and (18) the following strain-displacement relations:
ett = e~~ = et~ = 0,
vge. =8 Es + 7]W t + <,Oa' + K~O)[(a\O/d~)7] -
- ~w~ (a\O/iJ7])~]a,
_r (24)
8~ - 7]Ws + [v g(iJ\O/iJO + K~ \O]a,
_~ ~
2v ge St = Et -
_r _r
E~ + 8t + ~ws + [v g(iJ\O/iJ7]) - KE \O]a.
(0)
2v ges~ =
114 K. WASHIZU

In these equations,
E~ U
,
- K. V + K~ W,
(0) (0)
W~ = (h, - K.
(0)
O~ + K~ (0)
0.,
E~
,
V -
(0)
K~ W
+ K. U, (0)
W~ = O~ -
,
K~
(0)
O. + (0)
K. O~, (25)
E. W
,
- K~ + K~ v,
(0)
U
(0)
W. = O. -
,
K~ O~
(0)
+ K~ (0)
O~.

6. Derivation of equilibrium equations by means of the principle of virtual

work. We now assume that the beam is fixed at the end section 8 = 0, and at
the other end section 8 = l is subjected to external forces of which the com-
ponents in the directions of the i~, 4 and t are denoted by X., Y. and 2. respec-
tively, while distributed external forces and moments, denoted by Y~, Y~, Y.
and T~, T~, T., respectIvely, are applied along the beam. The principle of
virtual work for the present problem can be written as,

11£ (usoe.. + 2T.~Oe.~ + 2Ts~Oe.~h/g d~ d'Yj d8

-1 (Y~ou + Y~ov + Y.ow + T~oO~ + T~O~ + T.oo
1
s) ds (26)

- JJ.=I
rr (X. oU + Y. oV + 2. oW) d~ d1] = 0.
Substituting Eqs. (23) and (24) into Eq. (26) and introducing stress resultants
and moments defined by

Q~ = II T.~ d~ d1], II d~
M~ = U.1] d1],

Q~ = If T.~ d~ d1], M~ -II ~ d~

= u. d1], (27)

Q. = ff d~ u. d1], = If (T.~~ T8~1]) d~

M. - dn,

we carry out the integrations with respect to ~ and 1] in Eq. (26), at the be-
ginning. Then, since OU, ov, ow, oO~ , oO~ , 00. and oa are arbitrary in V and on the
end section 8 = l, we obtain equations of equilibrium in the form:
Q'~ - K.(O)Q~ + K~(O)Q• + y~ - = 0, (28a)
Q'~ - K~ + (O)Q ~ + y~- = 0,
(O)Q • K. (28b)
~ + K~ ~ + Y. = 0,
, (O)Q (O)Q -
Q. - K~ (28c)
, (O)M (O)M Q -
M~ - K. ~ + K~ • - ~ + T~ = 0, (28d)
M~ -
,
K~
(O)M
• + K.
(O)M
~ + Q
~ + T~ = 0,
- (28e)
, (O)M (O)M -
M. - K~ ~ + K~ ~ + T. = 0, (28f)
(II ipu.d~dn)' K~O) If [(aipja~)1]
- - (aip/a1])~]u.d~d1]
(28g)
- II ([Vg(aipja~) + K~O)ip]r.~ + [ifg(Oipj01]) - K~0)ip]T8~} d~ d1] = 0,
 NATURALLY CURVED AND TWISTED SLENDER BEAM 115

and mechanical boundary condItions at s l in the form.

Q~ = If Xs d~ d1/, Q~ = II f's d~ d1/, (29a, b)

Qs = II z, d~ d1/, M~ = II Zs1/ d~d1/, (29c, d)

M~= - IfZs~d~d1/' M. = If cy. ~ - ~ts1/) d~ d1/, (2ge, f)

II 'PCT s d~ d1/ = If 'PZs d~ d1/ (29g)

Geometrical boundary condItions at s = 0 are as follows

u = v = w = O~ = O~ = Os = a = 0 (30)
When the material of the beam IS assumed isotropIC, Eqs (lG) and (21)
yield.
CT, = Eess , Ts< = 2Ges~, T8~ = 2Ge.~. (31)
SubstitutIOn of Eqs. (31) mto Eqs. (27) provides stress resultant-stram rela-
tIOns. By usmg these equations and relatIOns, Eqs. (28a) through (28g) reduce
to a system of sImultaneous differentIal equations for u, v, w, O~ , O~, 0 and a, 8

and our problem is to solve these dIfferentIal equations subject to the boundary
conditions (29) and (30). It is noted that Eq (28g) reduces to a dIfferentIal
equation between a and Ws m the case of a cylmdrical shaft [5], although its
physIcal meamng may not be understood so mtUltively as Eqs. (28a)
through (28f).

7. A simplification. It may be of mterest to show some results obtained under

the followmg two slmplIfymg assumptIOns First, the curvature Kl IS assumed
small to assure that
Vg ~ 1 (32)
Second, the beam IS assumed to have a doubly-symmetric cross section to give
the followmg properties to the warpmg functions
'P(~, TJ) = -'P( -~, 1/) = -'P(~, -TJ). (33)
The stress resultant-stram relations then reduce to
Q< = GAo(~~ - O~), Q~ = GAo(~~ + 0<), (34a, b)
Qs = EAo~s + EK;O) Da, (34c)
11[< = EI<w< , ]jl~ = EI~w~, (34d,e)
Ms = GJa + Glp(w s - a), (34f)
while Eqs. (2Sg) and (29g) become
Era" + GD(ws - a) - EDh;O)~s

- 2 (0) 2
{G(Kl) r+ E(Ks )
If [ (a'P/a~h - (a'P/a1/)~ ]d~
2d}TJ a = 0, (35)
116 K. WASHIZU

and

Era' = If <pZ. d~ dTJ, (36)

respectively. In the above equations, Ao is the area of the cross section, I~ and
I~ denote the area moments of inertia of the cross section around the ~- and TJ-
axes, respectIvely, and Ip = I~ +
I~. The quantIty J is Saint-Venant' torsional
rigIdIty of the cross section defined by

J = ff [(a<p/a'l7)~ - (a<p/a~)TJ + ~2 + TJ2] d~ dTJ, (37)

whileD Ip - J and

r = If <p2 d~ dTJ. (38)

The above formulation may be improved by introducing coeffiCIents K~ and

K~ in Eqs. (34a, b) such that
Q~ = GAoK~(E~ - (J~), Q~ = GAoK~(~ + (JE), (39a, b)
taking the non-umformity of the shearing strains e.~ and e.~ over the cross section
into account [6]. It is obvious that the Bernoulli-Eulerian hypothesis [1] imposes
geometrical constraints
(J~ = -E~, (J, = E~, (40)
to reduce the degree of freedom of the beam to u, v, wand a.
REFERENCES
1. A. E H. LOVE, Mathemat~cal Theory of Elastw~ty, Cambndge Umverslty Press, 1892.
2 J. L. ERICKSEN AND C. TRUESDELL, Exact Theory of Stress and Stra~n ~n Rods and Shell3,
Archlv for RatlOnal Mechamcs and Analysls, 1, 295-323, 1958.
3 E. REISSNER, Vanatwnal Cons~deratwns for Elast~c Beams and Shells, Journal of the
Engmeermg Mechamcs DlvlslOn, Proceedmgs of the Amencan SOClety of ClvlI
Engmeers, 23-57, 1962.
4 S TIMOSHENKO AND J. N. GOODIER, Theory of Elast~c~ty, McGraw-HllI, 1951.
5. E. REISSNER, On Torswn wzth Vartable Tw~st, OsterrelChlsches Ingemeur-Archlv, 9,
218-224, 1955.
6 s. TIMOSHENKO, V~bratwn Problems ~n Engmeertng, D Van Nostrand, 1954.
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
(Recelved September 5, 1963)