Euler–Bernoulli beams from a symmetry standpoint-characterization of equivalent equations

We completely solve the equivalence problem for Euler–Bernoulli equation using Lie symmetry analysis. We show that the quotient of the symmetry Lie algebra of the Bernoulli equation by the infinite-dimensional Lie algebra spanned by solution symmetries is a representation of one of the following Lie algebras: 2A1, A1 ⊕ A2, 3A1, or A3,3 ⊕ A1. Each quotient symmetry Lie algebra determines an equivalence class of Euler–Bernoulli equations. Save for the generic case corresponding to arbitrary lineal mass density and flexural rigidity, we characterize the elements of each class by giving a determined set of differential equations satisfied by physical parameters (lineal mass density and flexural rigidity). For each class, we provide a simple representative and we explicitly construct transformations that maps a class member to its representative. The maximally symmetric class described by the four-dimensional quotient symmetry Lie algebra A3,3 ⊕ A1 corresponds to Euler–Bernoulli equations homeomorphic to the uniform one (constant lineal mass density and flexural rigidity). We rigorously derive some non-trivial and non-uniform Euler–Bernoulli equations reducible to the uniform unit beam. Our models extend and emphasize the symmetry flavor of Gottlieb’s iso-spectral beams [H.P.W. Gottlieb, Isospectral Euler–Bernoulli beam with continuous density and rigidity functions, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. A Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 413 (1987) 235–250].