The deformation field commonly used for Euler-Bernoulli beams in structural
dynamics is investigated to determine its suitability for use in flexible
multibody dynamics. It is found that the traditional deformation field fail
s to produce an elastic rotation matrix that is complete to second-order in
the deformation variables. A complete second-order deformation field is pr
oposed along with the equations needed to incorporate the beam model into a
graph-theoretic formulation for flexible multibody dynamics [1]. This beam
model and formulation have been implemented in a symbolic computer program
called DynaFlex that can use Taylor, Chebyshev, or Legendre polynomials as
the basis functions in a Rayleigh-Ritz discretization of the beam's deform
ation variables. To demonstrate the effects of the proposed second-order de
formation field on the response of a flexible multibody system, two example
s are presented.