Buckling Analysis of Axially Functionally Graded Tapered Euler-Bernoulli Beams via the Transfer Matrix Method
Abstract
Axially functionally graded (AFG) tapered beams are increasingly used in lightweight structures where stiffness and mass distributions are tailored along the beam axis. The variable-coefficient buckling equation of such beams precludes closed-form solutions and demands numerical treatment. While the finite element method (FEM) is dominant, alternative formulations that bypass element meshing are of interest for benchmarking and parametric studies. In this study, the elastic buckling of double-tapered AFG Euler-Bernoulli beams is solved using the Transfer Matrix Method (TMM). The governing equation is recast in state-space form, and the global transfer matrix is obtained by direct numerical integration. The critical load is the smallest positive root of the boundary-condition-projected characteristic determinant. The formulation is validated against the FEM benchmark for clamped-clamped, clamped-free, and simply-supported boundary conditions, with excellent agreement.
Keywords
Transfer matrix method, Axially functionally graded beams, Tapered beams, Buckling analysis, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory
References
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