Elasto-plastic response of a free-free beam subjected to pulse loads at any cross-section

In this paper, the dynamic response of an isotropic strain-hardening free-f ree beam subjected to transverse rectangular pulse load at any cross-sectio n along the length of the beam is presented. Lagrangian finite element form ulation has been adopted together with the Newmark's time integration algor ithm to obtain response of the beam. Response of the beam is studied in ter ms of deflection, stress distribution, work done by the pulse load and the energy dissipated in the form of plastic deformation by the beam throughout the transient stages. The different modes of beam bending behaviour depend ing on the load pulse position on the beam have been discussed. The beam sh ows its stiffest behaviour against bending when the load is applied at 0.27 3L (L = half-length of the beam) from the Free end. However the beam become s more flexible in bending when the load pulse is applied either at free en d or at the mid-span.