Nonlinear dynamic analysis of Timoshenko beams by BEM. Part II: applications and validation

In this two-part contribution, a boundary element method is developed for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of beams of arbitrary doubly symmetric simply or multiply connected constant cross section, undergoing moderate large displacements and small deformations under general boundary conditions, taking into account the effects of shear deformation and rotary inertia. In Part I the governing equations of the aforementioned problem have been derived, leading to the formulation of five boundary value problems with respect to the transverse displacements, to the axial displacement and to two stress functions. These problems are numerically solved using the Analog Equation Method, a BEM based method. In this Part II, numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the efficiency, the accuracy and the range of applications of the developed method. Thus, the results obtained from the proposed method are presented as compared with those from both analytical and numerical research efforts from the literature. More specifically, the shear deformation effect in nonlinear free vibration analysis, the influence of geometric nonlinearities in forced vibration analysis, the shear deformation effect in nonlinear forced vibration analysis, the nonlinear dynamic analysis of Timoshenko beams subjected to arbitrary axial and transverse in both directions loading, the free vibration analysis of Timoshenko beams with very flexible boundary conditions and the stability under axial loading (Mathieu problem) are presented and discussed through examples of practical interest.