Unified theory for curved composite thin-walled beams and its isogeometrical analysis

摘要: Abstract This paper presents a unified theory for modelling composite thin-walled beams (TWB) of arbitrary planar axial curvature, variable cross-section and general material layup, complemented by the development an Isogeometric Analysis (IGA) formulation discretization solution equilibrium equations. To this end, standard TWB with rectilinear axes is combined framework describing kinematics three-dimensional curves based on Frenet-Serret frame field. The includes explicit terms accounting curvature gradients within IGA stiffness matrix, allowing treatment cases highly curved geometry. Also included advanced shear-modification adjustment previously derived TWB, here reformulated case improving description in-plane shear-strain coupling thus increasing accuracy axial-bending-torsional structural coupling. Results from three numerical test indicate that effectively transfers all advantages associated to models, yielding comparable more complex models while maintaining competitive computational economy.