Exact dynamic stiffness matrix of non-symmetric thin-walled curved beams subjected to initial axial force

An improved numerical method to exactly evaluate the dynamic element stiffness matrix is proposed for the spatially coupled free vibration analysis of non-symmetric thin-walled curved beams subjected to uniform axial force. For this purpose, firstly equations of motion, boundary conditions and force–deformation relations are rigorously derived from the total potential energy for a curved beam element. Next systems of linear algebraic equations with non-symmetric matrices are constructed by introducing 14 displacement parameters and transforming the fourth-order simultaneous differential equations into the first-order simultaneous equations. And then explicit expressions for displacement parameters are numerically evaluated via eigensolutions and the exact 14 × 14 element stiffness matrix is determined using force–deformation relations. In order to demonstrate the validity and the accuracy of this study, the spatially coupled natural frequencies of non-symmetric thin-walled curved beams subjected to uniform compressive and tensile forces are evaluated and compared with analytical and finite element solutions using Hermitian curved beam elements or ABAQUSʹs shell element. In addition, some results by the parametric study are reported.