A FINITE-ELEMENT MODEL FOR STATIC AND DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF THIN-WALLED-BEAMS WITH ASYMMETRIC CROSS-SECTIONS

The fourth order governing differential equations for thin-walled beam s with asymmetric cross-sections under coupled bending and torsion are derived in this paper. The stiffness matrix and the consistent mass m atrix of a thin walled beam element with an asymmetric cross-section i s established by using the homogeneous solutions to the fourth order g overning differential equations as interpolation functions between the degrees of freedom at each node of the element. The shear effect and the coupling between bending and torsion are fully taken into account in the finite element model developed in this paper. This model can be used in static and dynamic analysis of the thin-walled beams with asy mmetric cross-sections. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.