COMPARISON OF FINITE-ELEMENT NONLINEAR BEAM RANDOM RESPONSE WITH EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

A finite element formulation combined with the equivalent linearizatio n technique and normal mode method is developed for the non-linear ran dom response of beams subjected to acoustic and thermal loads applied simultaneously. To validate the present formulation and solution proce dure, results are compared with the classical continuum solution and t he Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov equation solution. Comparison is also made with experimental data for a pre-stretched clamped beam. Random respo nses of thermally buckled simply supported beam, clamped beam and simp ly supported-clamped beam are presented. The comparison of the present simultaneously loaded response with the existing sequentially loaded results shows a significant difference between them. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited