Dynamic analysis of finitely stretched and rotated three-dimensional space-curved beams

The problem of transient dynamics of highly flexible three-dimensional space-curved beams, undergoing large rotations and stretches, is treated. The case of conservative force loading, which may also lead to configuration-dependent moments on the beam, is considered. Using the three parameters associated with a conformal rotation vector representation of finite rotations, a well-defined Hamilton functional is established for the flexible beam undergoing finite rotations and stretches. This is shown to lead to a symmetric tangent stiffness matrix at all times. In the present total Langrangian description of motion, the mass-matrix of a finite element depends linearly on the linear accelerations, but nonlinearly on the rotation parameters and attendant accelerations; the stiffness matrix depends nonlinearly on the deformation; and an 'apparent' damping matrix depends nonlinearly on the rotations and attendant velocities. A Newmark time-integration scheme is used to integrate the semi-discrete finite element equations in time. Several examples of transient dynamic response of highly flexible beam-like structures, including those in free flight, are presented to illustrate the validity of the theoretical methodology developed in this paper.