VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF A TIMOSHENKO BEAM SUBJECTED TO A TRAVELING MASS

The analysis of the Timoshenko beam traversed by uniform partially dis tributed moving masses is carried out. Equations of motion are solved by using a finite difference based algorithm. The beam response, and t he distribution of the shear force and bending moment along the beam h ave been computed. The effects of shear deformation, rotary inertia an d the length of load distribution on the vibration of the beam have be en analyzed. The results compare well with those reported in the liter ature for the limiting case in which the length of the load distributi on reduces to zero and also the effects of shear deformation and rotar y inertia are neglected. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.