See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/245188138

Vibration of a variable cross-section beam

Article  in  Mechanics Research Communications · February 2007

DOI: 10.1016/j.mechrescom.2006.06.005

CITATIONS READS

94 952

3 authors, including:

Metin Aydogdu Vedat Taskin

Trakya University Trakya University
82 PUBLICATIONS   3,117 CITATIONS    8 PUBLICATIONS   352 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

boundary conditions View project

Non-linear wave modulation View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Vedat Taskin on 23 October 2018.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 MECHANICS
RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84

www.elsevier.com/locate/mechrescom

Vibration of a variable cross-section beam

Mehmet Cem Ece, Metin Aydogdu *, Vedat Taskin
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Trakya University, 22030 Edirne, Turkey

Available online 27 June 2006

Abstract

Vibration of an isotropic beam which has a variable cross-section is investigated. Governing equation is reduced to an
ordinary differential equation in spatial coordinate for a family of cross-section geometries with exponentially varying
width. Analytical solutions of the vibration of the beam are obtained for three different types of boundary conditions asso-
ciated with simply supported, clamped and free ends. Natural frequencies and mode shapes are determined for each set of
boundary conditions. Results show that the non-uniformity in the cross-section influences the natural frequencies and the
mode shapes. Amplitude of vibrations is increased for widening beams while it is decreased for narrowing beams.
Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Beam; Variable cross-section; Vibration; Analytical solution

1. Introduction

Beams are used as structural component in many engineering applications and a large number of studies can
be found in literature about transverse vibration of uniform isotropic beams (Gorman, 1975). Non-uniform
beams may provide a better or more suitable distribution of mass and strength than uniform beams and there-
fore can meet special functional requirements in architecture, robotics, aeronautics and other innovative engi-
neering applications and they have been the subject of numerous studies. Cranch and Adler (1956) presented
the closed-form solutions (in terms of the Bessel functions and/or power series) for the natural frequencies and
mode shapes of the unconstrained non-uniform beams with four kinds of rectangular cross-sections. Similar
closed-form solutions for the truncated-cone beams and the truncated-wedge beams were obtained by Conway
and Dubil (1965). Heidebrecht (1967) determined the approximate natural frequencies and mode shapes of a
non-uniform simply supported beam from the frequency equation using a Fourier sine series. Branch (1968)
optimized fundamental frequency of transverse oscillation of beams with variable cross-section which is
allowed to vary in a manner such that the second area moment is linearly related to the area. Mabie and Rogers
(1972) considered polynomial variation of the beam cross-sectional area and the moment of inertia and
obtained natural frequencies for a double-tapered beam. Bailey (1978) numerically solved the frequency equa-
tion derived from the Hamilton’s law to obtain the natural frequencies of the non-uniform cantilever beams.

*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 284 225 1395; fax: +90 284 212 6067.
E-mail address: metina@trakya.edu.tr (M. Aydogdu).

0093-6413/$ - see front matter Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.mechrescom.2006.06.005
 M.C. Ece et al. / Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84 79

Olhoff and Parbery (1984) used cross-sectional area function as the design variable to maximize the difference
between two adjacent natural frequencies. Gupta (1985) numerically determined the natural frequencies and
mode shapes of the tapered beams using a finite element method. Jategaonkar and Chehil (1989) studied
non-uniform beams with cross-section varying in a continuous or non-continuous manner along their lengths.
Naguleswaran (1992, 1994a) determined the approximate natural frequencies of the single-tapered beams and
double-tapered beams with a direct solution of the mode shape equation based on the Frobenius method.
Naguleswaran (1994b) also investigated a uniform beam of rectangular cross-section one side of which varies
as the square root of the axial coordinate. Laura et al. (1996) used approximate numerical approaches to deter-
mine the natural frequencies of Bernoulli beams with constant width and bilinearly varying thickness. Datta
and Sil (1996) numerically determined the natural frequencies of cantilever beams with constant width and lin-
early varying depth. Caruntu (2000) examined the nonlinear vibrations of beams with rectangular cross section
and parabolic thickness variation. Recently, Elishakoff and Johnson (2005) investigated the vibration problem
of a beam which has axially non-uniform material properties. Free vibration of stepped beams has also received
a considerable attention and a comprehensive review is given by Jang and Bert (1989a,b). Some of these results
can also be found in the monograph by Elishakoff (2005).
Previous studies clearly show that vibration characteristics of isotropic beams with continuously changing
cross-section have significant features and are not yet fully addressed. The present study investigates free
vibration of an isotropic beam with exponentially varying width. The object is to obtain analytical solutions
describing the vibration behavior of the beam under different boundary conditions and to determine the effects
of continuously variable cross-section on the natural frequencies and mode shapes.

2. Analysis

Consider an isotropic beam with a variable cross-section. Dimensionless variables are defined according to
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
1 EI 0  x I w A
t¼ 2 t ; x ¼ ; I ¼ ; w ¼ ; A¼ ; ð1Þ
L qA0 L I0 W A0

where t* is the dimensional time, x* is the dimensional coordinate measured from the left end of the beam
along its length, A* and I* are the dimensional area and moment of inertia of the cross-section of the beam
respectively, w* is the dimensional transverse displacement, q is the mass density per unit are of the
beam, E is the Young’s modulus, L is the length of the beam, W is any reference displacement and A0 and I 0
are respectively the area and moment of inertia of the cross-section of the beam at the left end of the beam where
x = 0 that is A0 ¼ A0 ð0Þ; I 0 ¼ I 0 ð0Þ. Governing equation in the dimensionless form can be written as follows:
IðxÞ o4 w I 0 ðxÞ o3 w I 00 ðxÞ o2 w o2 w
4
þ2 þ þ 2 ¼ 0: ð2Þ
AðxÞ ox AðxÞ ox3 AðxÞ ox2 ot
Solution of the Eq. (2) can be assumed in the following form:
wðx; tÞ ¼ F ðxÞGðtÞ: ð3Þ
Substitution of Eq. (3) into Eq. (2) yields two ordinary differential equations.
IðxÞ ð4Þ I 0 ðxÞ 000 I 00 ðxÞ 00
F þ2 F þ F  x2 F ¼ 0; ð4Þ
AðxÞ AðxÞ AðxÞ
G00 þ x2 G ¼ 0: ð5Þ
Here x is a real constant and defined as x2 = (X2qL4/EI0) and X is radial frequency. Solution of Eq. (5) is well
known and can be written as
GðtÞ ¼ C 1 cosðxtÞ þ C 2 sinðxtÞ: ð6Þ
Solution of Eq. (4) requires the geometry of the cross-section of the beam to be specified. A cross-section
geometry for which both the area and the moment of inertia are directly proportional to the characteristic
width is considered in the present study. The family of the cross-section geometries possessing these features
80 M.C. Ece et al. / Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84

includes rectangle and ellipse and the others can be found in the tables given by Hibbeler (2001). Furthermore
the characteristic height of the cross-section or the thickness of the beam is kept constant and the characteristic
width of the cross-section is assumed to vary exponentially along the length of the beam so that A(x) = edx and
I(x) = edx. Here d is the non-uniformity parameter.
For the family of the cross-sections with exponentially varying characteristic width and constant character-
istic height, Eq. (4) reduces to:

F ð4Þ þ 2dF 000 þ d2 F 00  x2 F ¼ 0: ð7Þ

Solution of Eq. (7) can be obtained as:

d
F ðxÞ ¼ e2x ½B1 cosðk1 xÞ þ B2 sinðk1 xÞ þ B3 coshðk2 xÞ þ B4 sinhðk2 xÞ; ð8Þ

where,
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
4x  d2 4x þ d2
k1 ¼ ; k2 ¼ : ð9Þ
2 2
In the present study, the ends of the beam were considered to be simply supported (S) or clamped (C) or free
(F). The boundary conditions associated with both ends being simply supported (SS), both ends being
clamped (CC) and the left end being clamped while the right end being free (CF) may be written in the same
order as:
F ð0Þ ¼ 0; F 00 ð0Þ ¼ 0; F ð1Þ ¼ 0; F 00 ð1Þ ¼ 0; ð10Þ
F ð0Þ ¼ 0; F 0 ð0Þ ¼ 0; F ð1Þ ¼ 0; F 0 ð1Þ ¼ 0; ð11Þ
F ð0Þ ¼ 0; F 0 ð0Þ ¼ 0; F 00 ð1Þ ¼ 0; F 000 ð1Þ ¼ 0: ð12Þ

3. Solutions

Solution of Eq. (7) subjected to either one of the boundary conditions given by Eqs. (10)–(12) can be writ-
ten as:
d
F ðxÞ ¼ B2 e2x ½b1 cosðk1 xÞ þ sinðk1 xÞ  b1 coshðk2 xÞ þ b4 sinhðk2 xÞ: ð13Þ
Here the coefficients b1 and b2 depend on d and x. Application of the boundary conditions in each case yields
an implicit equation for the determination of the natural frequency x for a given non-uniformity parameter d.
The coefficients b1 and b4 and the natural frequency equation are given below for each physical case considered
in the present study.

Case I: Both ends of the beam are simply supported (SS).

dð2k1 sinh k2  2k2 sin k1 Þ
b1 ¼  ; ð14Þ
dk2 ð2 cosh k2  2 cos k1 Þ þ x sinh k2
k1 2x
b4 ¼   b1 ; ð15Þ
k2 dk2
4d2 k1 k2 cosh k2 cos k1 þ ð8x2  d4 Þ sinh k2 sin k1  4d2 k1 k2 ¼ 0: ð16Þ
Case II: Both ends of the beam are clamped (CC).
k1 sinh k2  k2 sin k1
b1 ¼  ; ð17Þ
k2 ðcosh k2  cos k1 Þ
k1
b4 ¼  ; ð18Þ
k2
4k1 k2 cosh k2 cos k1  d2 sinh k2 sin k1  4k1 k2 ¼ 0: ð19Þ
 M.C. Ece et al. / Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84 81

Case III: The left end of the beam is clamped while the right end is free (CF).
2
2k1 ð2dk2  d2  2xÞe2k2  4k2 ½2dk1 cos k1 þ ð2x  d2 Þ sin k1 ek2 þ k1 ð2k2 þ dÞ
b1 ¼  2
; ð20Þ
k2 f2ð2dk2  d2  2xÞe2k2 þ 4½ðd2  2xÞ cos k1 þ 2dk1 sin k1 ek2  ð2k2 þ dÞ g
k1
b4 ¼  ; ð21Þ
k2
2 2
2k1 f16ðk2  dÞx2 e2k2  ð2k2 þ dÞ ½2ðd2  2xÞk2  d3 g cos k1 þ d½8ð3d  4k2 Þx2 e2k2 þ ð2k2 þ dÞ
 ð8k21 k2  d3 þ 2dxÞ sin k1 þ 4k1 k2 ek2 ½ð2k2 þ dÞ2 ð2dk2 þ d2 þ 2xÞ þ 8x2  ¼ 0. ð22Þ
The unsteady transverse vibration of the beam can then be written as
d
wðx; tÞ ¼ e2x ½b1 cosðk1 xÞ þ sinðk1 xÞ  b1 coshðk2 xÞ þ b4 sinhðk2 xÞ½c1 cosðxtÞ þ c2 sinðxtÞ: ð23Þ

4. Results

The analysis presented describes the free transverse vibration behavior of a beam with exponentially vary-
ing characteristic width and provides analytical solutions. The natural frequencies for the SS, CC and CF

Fig. 1. Frequency variation for a beam with exponentially varying width under the SS conditions.

Fig. 2. Frequency variation for a beam with exponentially varying width under the CC conditions.
82 M.C. Ece et al. / Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84

boundary conditions were obtained by numerically solving the implicit Eqs. (16), (19) and (22) respectively.
The Newton method was used in finding the roots of these equation in terms of the natural frequency x
for a given non-uniformity parameter d and the iterations were stopped when the absolute value of the differ-
ence of the natural frequency obtained at two successive iterations was less than 105. Variations of the trans-
verse vibration natural frequency ratios of a non-uniform beam with exponentially varying width with the
non-uniformity parameter d are shown in Figs. 1–3 for the SS, CC and CF boundary conditions respectively
where x0 is the natural frequency of the uniform beam. The natural frequencies were also listed in Table 1. It
may be noted that the natural frequencies ratios for the SS and CC boundary conditions are independent from
the sign of d since the implicit equations for the natural frequency involve d2 only. All the natural frequencies
of the non-uniform beam are greater than those of the uniform beam for the CC boundary conditions and the
frequency ratios increase with the non-uniformity parameter d and decrease with the mode number. The fun-
damental natural frequency of the non-uniform beam for the SS boundary conditions is observed to be
decreasing with the non-uniformity parameter d while the higher frequencies are increasing. The frequency

Fig. 3. Frequency variation for a beam with exponentially varying width under the CF conditions.

Table 1
Natural frequencies for a non-uniform beam with exponential width variation
jdj Mode number Natural frequencies
SS CC CF
0 1 9.86960 22.37327 3.51602
2 39.47841 61.67281 22.03449
3 88.82643 120.90338 61.69721
4 157.91367 199.85945 120.90191
5 246.74011 298.55552 199.85953
(d < 0) (d > 0)
1 1 9.77291 22.51167 4.72298 2.85833
2 39.57036 61.85968 24.20168 20.03917
3 88.97052 121.10799 63.86448 59.87084
4 158.08418 200.07411 123.09790 119.09862
5 246.92650 298.77661 202.06876 198.06964
2 1 9.48725 22.93771 6.25877 2.90893
2 39.85231 62.42272 26.58350 18.17520
3 89.40520 121.72272 66.37449 58.38868
4 158.59689 200.71860 125.68471 117.69217
5 247.48629 299.44012 204.69531 196.70224
 M.C. Ece et al. / Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84 83

ratios for the higher frequencies ratios increase with the non-uniformity parameter d and decrease with the
mode number similar to the case associated with the CC boundary conditions. All the natural frequencies
of an exponentially narrowing beam are greater than those of the uniform beam for the CF boundary condi-
tions and increase with the increasing magnitude of the non-uniformity parameter d such that the frequency
ratio is smaller for higher mode numbers. But the natural frequencies of an exponentially widening beam on
the other hand are smaller than those of the uniform beam for the CF boundary conditions with the frequency
ratios being higher for higher mode numbers. Furthermore, the fundamental natural frequency first decreases
and then starts increasing with the non-uniformity parameter d while the higher frequencies all decrease with
it. It can be easily shown that the last two terms in Eq. (13) behaves like (b4  b1)exx for finite x and large x.
The results also that the difference (b4  b1) vanish with increasing values of the natural frequency leaving the
two trigonometric functions dominant as in the case of a uniform beam. Therefore the difference between the
corresponding natural frequencies of the uniform and non-uniform beams decreases with increasing mode
numbers and the non-uniformity is more pronounced for lower modes. The natural frequencies obtained in
the present study for a uniform beam are in excellent agreement with the results found in the published liter-
ature (Blevins, 1984). The natural frequencies obtained in the present study for an exponentially narrow-
ing beam (d = 1) are listed in Table 2 in comparison with those obtained by Cranch and Adler (1956)

Table 2
Natural frequencies for an exponentially narrowing beam (d = 1) under the CF conditions
Mode number Cranch and Adler (1956) Tong and Tabarrok (1995) Present study
1 4.735 4.7347 4.72298
2 24.2025 24.2005 24.20168
3 63.85 63.8608 63.86448
4 – 123.091 123.09790
5 – – 202.06870

Fig. 4. First (a), second (b) and fifth (c) mode shapes for the cases considered.
84 M.C. Ece et al. / Mechanics Research Communications 34 (2007) 78–84

approximately with series expansion and by Tong and Tabarrok (1995) numerically. The agreement is consid-
ered to be excellent.
First, second and fifth mode shapes for the cases considered in the present study are shown in Fig. 4. It may
d
be seen from Eq. (23) that the amplitude of the transverse vibrations is proportional to e 2 x . Therefore ampli-
tude of the mode shapes for a given non-uniformity parameter d increases with x for narrowing beams (d < 0)
and decreases with x for widening beams (d > 0). Amplitude is also amplified in the case of a narrowing beam
(d < 0) since less mass per unit length is involved while it is suppressed in the case of widening beam (d > 0)
which has more mass per unit length than a uniform beam. Non-uniformity slightly changes the position of
the points and this may provide some design flexibility in engineering applications.

5. Conclusions

The present study deals with the free vibration of non-uniform cross-sectional isotropic beams. Euler–Ber-
noulli beam theory was used in the analysis. Variation of width of the beam was chosen exponentially. It is
found that frequencies are independent from exponential decrease or increase but mode shapes are affected
by the increase or decrease behavior. This study can be extended to other structural members i.e. plates
and shells or to other materials composites or functionally graded materials.

References

Bailey, C.D., 1978. Direct analytical solution to non-uniform beam problems. Journal of Sound and Vibration 56 (4), 501–507.
Blevins, R.D., 1984. Formulas for natural frequencies and mode shape, Robert E. Kriger, Malabar, Florida.
Branch, R.M., 1968. On the extremal fundamental frequencies of vibrating beams. Journal of Sound and Vibration 4, 667–674.
Caruntu, D., 2000. On nonlinear vibration of non-uniform beam with rectangular cross-section and parabolic thickness variation. Solid
Mechanics and its Applications, 73. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, London, pp. 109–118.
Conway, H.D., Dubil, J.F., 1965. Vibration frequencies of truncated-cone and wedge beams. Journal of Applied Mechanics, American
Society of Mechanical Engineers 32 (4), 932–934.
Cranch, E.T., Adler, A.A., 1956. Bending vibration of variable section beams. Journal of Applied Mechanics, American Society of
Mechanical Engineers 23 (1), 103–108.
Datta, A.K., Sil, S.N., 1996. An analysis of free undamped vibration of beams of varying cross-section. Computers and Structures 59 (3),
479–483.
Elishakoff, I., 2005. Eigenvalues of inhomogeneous structures: unusual closed-form solutions. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Elishakoff, I., Johnson, V., 2005. Apparently the first closed-form solution of vibrating inhomogeneous beam with a tip mass. Journal of
Sound and Vibration 286 (4-5), 1057–1066.
Gorman, D.J., 1975. Free vibration analysis of beams and shafts. Wiley, New York.
Gupta, A.K., 1985. Vibration of tapered beams. Journal of Structural Engineering 111 (1), 19–36.
Heidebrecht, A.C., 1967. Vibration of non-uniform simply supported beams. Journal of the Engineering Mechanics Division, Proceedings
of the American Society of Civil Engineers 93 (EM2), 1–15.
Hibbeler, R.C., 2001. Engineering Mechanics Dynamics. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
Jang, S.K., Bert, C.W., 1989a. Free vibration of stepped beams: Exact and numerical solutions. Journal of Sound and Vibration 130, 342–
346.
Jang, S.K., Bert, C.W., 1989b. Free vibration of stepped beams: Higher mode frequencies and effects of steps on frequencies. Journal of
Sound and Vibration 32, 164–168.
Jategaonkar, R., Chehil, D.S., 1989. Natural frequencies of a beam with varying section properties. Journal of Sound and Vibration 133,
303–322.
Laura, P.A.A., Gutierrez, R.H., Rossi, R.E., 1996. Free vibration of beams of bi-linearly varying thickness. Ocean Engineering 23 (1), 1–6.
Mabie, H.H., Rogers, C.B., 1972. Transverse vibration of double-tapered cantilever beams. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
51 (5 part 2), 1771–1775.
Naguleswaran, S., 1992. Vibration of an Euler–Bernoulli beam of constant depthand withlinearly varying breadth. Journal of Sound and
Vibration 153 (3), 509–522.
Naguleswaran, S., 1994a. A direct solution for the transverse vibration of Euler–Bernoulli wedge and cone beams. Journal of Sound and
Vibration 172 (3), 289–304.
Naguleswaran, S., 1994b. Vibration in the two principal planes of a non-uniform beam of rectangular cross-section one side of which
varies as the square root of the axial co-ordinate. Journal of Sound and Vibration 172, 305–319.
Olhoff, N., Parbery, R., 1984. Designing vibrating beams and rotating shafts for maximum difference between adjacent natural
frequencies. International Journal of Solids and Structures 20, 63–75.
Tong, X., Tabarrok, B., 1995. Vibration analysis of Timeshenko beams with non-homogeneity and varying cross-section. Journal of
Sound and Vibration 186 (5), 821–835.

View publication stats