3D Finite-Deformation Beam Model with Viscous Damping: Computational Aspects and Applications

Abstract

A nonlinear finite-element formulation for the static and dynamic behavior of flexible beams was developed by appropriately modifying and extending the three-dimensional (3D) finite-deformation beam model originally developed by Simo. By introducing energy dissipation in a physically consistent way through a linear viscoelastic constitutive equation, the main contribution in this paper lies in the derivation of a tangent stiffness operator that includes the effect of damping. Moreover, a solution to issues concerning the interpolation of total rotation vectors of magnitude greater than