Vibration Analysis of Axially Loaded Beams Including Rotary Inertia: An Exact Dynamic Finite Element

An ‘exact’ basis function Dynamic Finite Element (DFE) for the free vibrational analysis of axially loaded beams and assemblages composed of beams is presented. The shear deformation is neglected but the Rotary Inertia (RI) effects are taken into consideration. The dynamic trigonometric shape functions for bending vibrations of an axially loaded uniform beam element are first derived in an exact sense. Then, exploiting the Principle of Virtual Work together with the nodal approximations of variables based on these dynamic shape functions, leads to a single frequency dependent Dynamic Stiffness Matrix (DSM) that represents both mass and stiffness properties. A Wittrick-Williams algorithm, based on a Sturm sequence root counting technique, is then used as the solution method. The application of the theory is demonstrated by an illustrative example of cantilever beam where the influence of Rotary Inertia (RI) effect and different axial loads on the natural frequencies of the system is demonstrated by numerical results.