FLEXURAL-TORSIONAL BUCKLING ANALYSIS OF BEAMS BY BEM

E.J. Sapountzakis and G.C. Tsiatas

*

School of Civil Engineering

National Technical University
Zografou Campus, GR-157 80 Athens, Greece
e-mail: cvsapoun@central.ntua.gr

Greek Association of Computational Mechanics

Keywords: Flexural-torsional buckling, beam, boundary integral equation, analog equation method
Abstract. In this paper a boundary element method is developed for the general flexural-torsional buckling
analysis of Euler Bernoulli beams of arbitrarily shaped cross section. The beam is subjected to a compressive
centrally applied load together with arbitrarily transverse and torsional distributed loading, While its edges are
restrained by the most general linear boundary conditions. The resulting boundary value problem, described by
three coupled ordinary differential equations, is solved employing a boundary integral equation approach.
Besides the effectiveness and accuracy of the developed method, a significant advantage is that the
displacements as well as the stress resultants are computed at any cross-section of the beam using the respective
integral representations as mathematical formulae. The general character of the proposed method is verified
from the fact that all basic equations are formulated with respect to an arbitrary coordinate system, which is not
restricted to the principal one. Several beams are analysed to illustrate the method and demonstrate its
efficiency and wherever possible its accuracy. The range of applicability of the thin-tube theory is also
investigated through examples with great practical interest.
1 INTRODUCTION
Elastic stability of beams is one of the most important criteria in the design of structures subjected to
compressive loads. This beam buckling analysis becomes much more complicated in the case the cross sections
centroid does not coincide with its shear center (asymmetric beams), leading to the formulation of the flexuraltorsional buckling problem. The extensive use of the aforementioned structural elements necessitates a reliable
and accurate analysis of the flexural-torsional buckling problem.
The flexural-torsional buckling problem of thin-walled beams, based on the assumptions of the thin tube
theory, has been studied by many researchers[1-5]. To the authors knowledge publications on the solution to the
general problem of arbitrarily shaped cross sections do not exist.
In this investigation, an integral equation technique is developed for the solution of the general flexuraltorsional buckling problem of beams of arbitrarily shaped cross-section. The beam is subjected to a compressive
centrally applied load together with arbitrarily transverse and torsional distributed loading, while its edges are
restrained by the most general linear boundary conditions. The solution method is based on the concept of the
analog equation[6]. According to this method, the three coupled fourth order ordinary differential equations are
replaced by three uncoupled ones subjected to fictitious load distributions under the same boundary conditions.
The general character of the proposed method is verified from the fact that all basic equations are formulated
with respect to an arbitrary coordinate system, which is not restricted to the principal one. Several beams are
analysed to illustrate the method and demonstrate its efficiency and wherever possible its accuracy. The range of
applicability of the thin-tube theory is also investigated through examples with great practical interest.
2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Let us consider an initially straight Euler-Bernoulli beam of length l (Fig.1), of constant arbitrary crosssection of area A . The homogeneous isotropic and linearly elastic material of the beam cross-section occupies
the region of the y,z plane and is bounded by the j ( j = 1,2,...,K ) boundary curves, which are piecewise
smooth, i.e. they may have a finite number of corners. In Fig. 1a CYZ and Syz are coordinate systems (not
necessarily principal) through the cross sections centroid C and shear center S , respectively. Moreover, yC ,
zC are the coordinates of the centroid C with respect to Syz system of axes. The beam is subjected to a

compressive load P , to the combined action of the arbitrarily distributed transverse loading pY = pY ( X ) ,

pZ = pZ ( X ) acting in the Y and Z directions, respectively and to the arbitrarily distributed twisting moment
mx = mx ( x ) (Fig. 1b).

= Kj =0 j

r= qP

C: Center of gravity
S: Shear center

zC
C

S
C

yC

mx
z pZ

pY

l
Z

x
P

0
(a)

(b)

Figure 1. Prismatic element of an arbitrarily shaped constant cross section occupying region (a) subjected in
bending, torsional and buckling loading (b).
The boundary value problem of the beam under consideration subjected to the combined action of flexure,
torsion and compression is described by the following three coupled ordinary differential equations
d 2v
d 2
+ P
zC
= pY
dx 2
dx 4
dx 4
dx 2

d 2w
d4w
d 4v
d 2
+ EIYZ
+ P
+ yC
EIY
= pZ
dx 2
dx 4
dx 4
dx 2

I d 2
d 2
d 2v
d 2w
GIt
+ P S
zC
+ yC
= mx + pZ yC pY zC
A dx 2
dx 2
dx 2
dx 2

EI Z

ECS

d 4
dx 4

d 4v

+ EIYZ

d4w

(1)
(2)
(3)

inside the beam, subjected to the following boundary conditions

1v ( x ) + 2 RY ( x ) = 3
1 w ( x ) + 2 RZ ( x ) = 3
1 ( x ) + 2 M t ( x ) = 3

dv ( x )

+ 2 M Z ( x ) = 3
dx
dw ( x )
1
+ 2 M Y ( x ) = 3
dx
d ( x )
1
+ 2Mb( x ) = 3
dx

(4a,b)
(5a,b)
(6a,b)

at the beam ends x = 0,l , where v = v( x ) , w = w( x ) are the deflections of the shear center along y , z axes,
respectively; ( x ) is the angle of twist of the cross-section about the shear center S ; E is the modulus of
elasticity and IY , I Z , IYZ are the moments and the product of inertia with respect to the centroid C and I S is
the polar moment of inertia with respect to the shear center S . Moreover, CS , It are the warping and torsion
constants of the cross section, respectively given as[7]

( )

CS = SP

P
P
It = y 2 + z 2 + y S z S

z
y

(7)

(8)

where SP ( y,z ) is the primary warping function with respect to the shear center S of the cross section of the
beam (Fig. 1a). This function can be established by solving independently the Neumann problem
2 SP = 0

in

( )

2
SP 1 S
=
n
2 s

(9)

on j ( j = 1,2,...,K )

(10)

where 2 = 2 / y 2 + 2 / z 2 is the Laplace operator; S = y 2 + z 2 is the distance of a point on the

boundary j from the shear center S ; / n denotes the directional derivative normal to the boundary j and
/ s denotes differentiation with respect to its arc length s .
In the boundary conditions (4), (5) RY , M Y and RZ , M Z are the reactions and bending moments with
respect to Y and Z axes, respectively, given as
RY = P

dv ( x )
dx

EI Z

M Y = EIY
RZ = P

dw ( x )
dx

M Z = EI Z

d 3v ( x )
dx3

d 2w( x)
dx 2

EIY

EIYZ

dx 3

d 2v ( x )
dx 2

dx 2

EIYZ

+ EIYZ

dx3

d 2v ( x )

EIYZ

d 3w( x)

d 3w( x)

d 3v ( x )
dx3

d 2w( x)
dx 2

(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)

while in eqns. (6) M t and M b are the torsional and warping moments, respectively, given as[7]
M t = ECS

d 3 ( x )
dx

M b = ECS

+ GIt

d ( x )
dx

d 2 ( x )
dx 2

(15)
(16)

Finally, k , k , k , k , k , k ( k = 1,2,3 ) are functions specified at the beam ends x = 0,l . Eqs. (4-6) describe
the most general linear boundary conditions associated with the problem at hand and can include elastic support
or restrain. It is apparent that all types of the conventional boundary conditions (clamped, simply supported, free
or guided edge) can be derived form these equations by specifying appropriately these functions (e.g. for a
clamped edge it is 1 = 1 = 1 = 1 , 1 = 1 = 1 = 1 , 2 = 3 = 2 = 3 = 2 = 3 = 2 = 3 = 2 = 3 =

2 = 3 = 0 ).
3 INTEGRAL REPRESENTATIONS - NUMERICAL SOLUTION
According to the precedent analysis, the flexural-torsional buckling problem of a beam reduces in
establishing the displacement components v ( x ) , w ( x ) and ( x ) having continuous derivatives up to the fourth
order satisfying the coupled governing equations (1)-(3) inside the beam and the boundary conditions (4)-(6) at
the beam ends x = 0,l .
Eqns (1)-(3) are solved using the Analog Equation Method as it is developed for ordinary differential
equations in[8]. This method is applied for the problem at hand as follows. Let v ( x ) , w ( x ) and ( x ) be the
sought solution of the boundary value problem described by eqns. (1)-(3) and (4)-(6). Setting as u1 ( x ) = v ( x ) ,
u2 ( x ) = w ( x ) , u3 ( x ) = ( x ) and differentiating these functions four times yields

d 4 ui
dx 4

= bi ( x )

( i = 1,2,3 )

(17)

Eqns. (17) indicate that the solution of eqns. (1)-(3) can be established by solving eqns. (17) under the same
boundary conditions (4)-(6), provided that the fictitious load distributions bi ( x ) ( i = 1,2,3 ) are first
established. These distributions can be determined using BEM as follows.
The solution of eqns (17) is given in integral form as[8]
ui ( x ) =

*
l
*
0 bi u dx u

d 3ui
dx 3

du* d 2 ui d 2 u* dui d 3u*

ui
dx dx 2
dx 2 dx
dx 3 0

(18)

where u* is the fundamental solution given as

u* =

1 3
3
2
l 2+ 3
12

(19)

with = r / l , r = x , x , points of the beam, which is a particular singular solution of the equation

d 4 u*

= ( x, )

dx4

(20)

Employing eqn (19) the integral representation (18) can be written as

ui ( x ) =

d 3ui
l
0 bi 4 ( r )dx 4 ( r ) 3

dx

du
+ 3 ( r )
+ 2 ( r ) i + 1 ( r )ui
2
dx
dx
0
d 2 ui

(21)

where the kernels j ( r ), ( j = 1,2,3,4 ) are given as

1
2
1
3 ( r ) = l 2 ( 2 ) sgn
4

1
2
1
3
2
4 ( r ) = l 3 2 + 3
12

1 ( r ) = sgn

2 ( r ) = l( 1 )

(22a,b)

(22c,d)

Notice that in eqn (21) for the line integral it is r = x , x , points inside the beam, whereas for the rest
terms it is r = x q , x inside the beam, q at the beam ends 0 , l .
Differentiating eqn (21) results in the integral representations of the derivatives of ui as

dui ( x )
d 3ui
d 2 ui
du
l
= 0 bi 3 ( r )dx 3 ( r )
+ 2 ( r )
+ 1 ( r ) i
dx
dx
dx3
dx 2

d 2 ui ( x )
dx 2
d 3ui ( x )
dx3

(23a)
0

d 3ui
d 2 ui
l
= 0 bi 2 ( r )dx 2 ( r )
+ 1 ( r )

dx3
dx 2 0

d 3ui
l
0 bi 1 ( r )dx 1 ( r ) 3

dx 0

d 4 ui ( x )
dz 4

(23b)

= bi ( x )

(23c,d)

The integral representations (21) and (23a), when applied for the beam ends ( 0,l ), together with the
boundary conditions (4)-(6) are employed to express the unknown boundary quantities ui ( q ) , ui ,x ( q ) ,
ui ,xx ( q ) and ui ,xxx ( q ) ( q = 0,l ) in terms of bi . This is accomplished numerically as follows.

The interval ( 0,l ) is divided into N equal elements (Fig. 2), on which bi ( x ) is assumed to vary according
to certain law (constant, linear, parabolic etc). The constant element assumption is employed here as the
numerical implementation becomes very simple and the obtained results are very good.

Nodal points
2

N
x

Figure 2. Discretization of the beam interval and distribution of the nodal points.
Employing the aforementioned procedure for the coupled boundary conditions (4), (5) the following set of linear
equations is obtained

D11
0

E31

0
0

0
0

D12

D14

D21

D22

D27

E32

E33

E34

E42

E43

E44

D53

D55

D56

0
0

D63
0

0
0

0
E31

D66
E32

D67
E33

E42

E43

1 3 0
D18 u
0

1 ,x
0 u
3 0

1 ,xx 0 F3
0
0 u

1 ,xxx 0 F4
0 u
0 b
b
=
+
+

1
0 2
2 3 0
D58 u

2 ,x 3 0
0 u
0

F
,
E34 u
0
0
2 xx
3
2 ,xxx 0 0
E44 u
F4

(24)

while for the boundary conditions (6) we have

E11
0

E31

E12
E22
E32
E42

0
E23
E33
E43

E14
0
E34

E44

3 3 0
u
u

3 ,x 3 0
b3

= +
u3 ,xx 0 F3
3 ,xxx 0 F4
u

(25)

where D11 , D12 , D14 , D18 , D21 , D22 , D27 , D53 , D55 , D56 , D58 , D63 , D66 , D67 , E22 , E23 , E1 j ,
( j = 1,2,4 ) are 2 2 known square matrices including the values of the functions a j , a j , j , j ( j = 1,2 ) of
eqns (4)-(6); 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 are 2 1 known column matrices including the boundary values of the
functions a3 ,a3 , 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 of eqns (4)-(6); E jk , ( j = 3,4 , k = 1,2,3,4 ) are square 2 2 known coefficient
matrices resulting from the values of the kernels j ( r ) ( j = 1,2,3,4 ) at the beam ends and F j ( j = 3,4 ) are
2 N rectangular known matrices originating from the integration of the kernels on the axis of the beam.
Moreover,
du ( 0 )
i ,x = i
u
dx

i = {ui ( 0 ) ui ( l )}
u

d 2 ui ( 0 )
i ,xx =
u
2
dx

d 2 ui ( l )

dx 2

dui ( l )

dx

d 3 ui ( 0 )
i ,xxx =
u
3
dx

(26a,b)
T

d 3ui ( l )

dx 3

(26c,d)

are vectors including the two unknown boundary values of the respective boundary quantities and

T
i
bi = b1i b2i ... bN
( i = 1,2,3 ) is the vector including the N unknown nodal values of the fictitious load.

Discretization of eqns (21), (23) and application to the N collocation points yields

 i + E2 u
i ,x + E3u
i ,xx + E4 u
i ,xxx )
ui = C4 bi ( E1u
i ,x + E2 u
i ,xx + E3u
i ,xxx )
ui ,x = C3 bi ( E1u
i ,xx + E2 u
i ,xxx )
ui ,xx = C2 bi ( E1u

i ,xxx
ui ,xxx = C1bi E1u

(27a)
(27b)
ui ,xxxx = bi

(27c,d,e)

( j = 1,2,3,4 ) are N 2 also known matrices and ui ,

are vectors including the values of ui ( x ) and their derivatives at the N nodal

where C j ( j = 1,2,3,4 ) are N N known matrices; E j

ui ,x , ui ,xx , ui ,xxx , ui ,xxxx

points.
The above equations, after eliminating the boundary quantities employing eqns (24), (25), can be written as
ui = Ti bi + t i

ui ,x = Tix bi + t ix

ui ,xx = Tixx bi + t ixx

ui ,xxx = Tixxx bi + t ixxx

(28a,b,c)
(28d,e)

ui ,xxxx = bi

where Ti , Tix , Tixx , Tixxx are known N N matrices and t i , t ix , t ixx , t ixxx are known N 1 matrices. It is
worth here noting that for homogeneous boundary conditions ( 3 = 3 = 3 = 3 = 3 = 3 = 0 ) it is
t i = t ix = t ixx = t ixxx = 0 .
In the conventional BEM, the load vectors bi are known and eqns (28) are used to evaluate ui and their
derivatives at the N nodal points. This, however, can not be done here since bi are unknown. For this purpose,
3N additional equations are derived, which permit the establishment of bi . These equations result by applying
eqns (1)-(3) to the N collocation points, leading to the formulation of the following set of 3N simultaneous
equations

pY
t1xx zC t 3xx
b1

pZ
t 2 xx + yC t 3xx
( A +PB ) b2 =
P

b m + p y p z + GI t

I
Z C
Y C
t 3xx
3 x
zC t1xx + yC t 2 xx + S t 3xx
A

(29)

In the above set of equations the matrices A and B are evaluated from the expressions
EI Z

A = EIYZ
0

EIY
0

0
ECS GIt T3xx

T1xx
0
zC T3xx

yC T3xx
B=
0
T2 xx

IS
zC T1xx yC T2 xx
T3xx
A

EIYZ

(30)

(31)

where EIY , EI Z , EIYZ , ECS , GIt are N N diagonal matrices including the values of the EIY , EI Z ,
EIYZ , ECS , GI t quantities, respectively, at the N nodal points. Moreover, pY , p Z and m x are vectors
containing the values of the external loading at these points.
Solving the linear system of eqns (29) for the fictitious load distributions b1 , b 2 , b3 , the displacements and
their derivatives in the interior of the beam are computed using eqns (28).

Buckling equation
In this case

it

is

3 = 3 = 3 = 3 = 3 = 3 = 0

(homogeneous

boundary

conditions)

and

p X = pY = m x = 0 . Thus, eqn (29) becomes

b1
( A + PB ) b2 = 0
b
3

(32)

The condition that eqn (32) has a non-trivial solution yields the buckling equation
det ( A + PB ) = 0

(33)

4 NUMERICAL EXAMPLES
On the basis of the analytical and numerical procedures presented in the previous sections, a computer
program has been written and representative examples have been studied to demonstrate the efficiency, wherever
possible the accuracy and the range of applications of the developed method.
For comparison reasons, a simply supported thin-walled beam of length l = 1.0m ( EIY = 355.6kNm 2 ,
EI Z = 1568.0kNm 2 ,

EIYZ = 297.5kNm2 ,

ECs = 1.6338kNm4 ,

GI t = 1.352kNm ,

A = 9.68 10 5 m 2 ,

I S = 4.60 10 8 m4 , yC = 9.09 10 3 m , zC = 10.43 10 3 m ), as shown in Fig. 3, has been studied. In the

case of a simply supported beam eqns. (1)-(3) are simplified to

EI Z

d 2v
dx 2
d 2w

+ EIYZ

d 2w
dx 2
d 2v

+ P ( v zC ) = 0

(34)

+ P ( w + yC ) = 0
dx 2
d 2
I

GIt + P S zC v + yC w = 0
ECS
2
A

dx
EIY

dx 2

+ EIYZ

(35)
(36)

S
C

Figure 3. Cross section of the thin-walled beam.

and an analytical solution can be obtained by setting[9]
v = A1 sin

x
l

w = A2 sin

x
l

= A3 sin

x
l

(37a,b,c)

Inserting the above expressions and their derivatives into eqns. (34)-(36) the following homogeneous system
with respect to A1 , A2 and A3 is obtained

2
P EI Z 2
l

2
EI
YZ 2

PzC

EIYZ
P EIY
PyC

2
l

2
l2

PyC

2
IS

P
ECS
GIt
2
A
l

PzC

A1 0

A2 = 0
A 0
3

(38)

For a non-trivial solution, the determinant of the above system must be equal to zero. Thus, a cubic equation
is obtained, leading to three positive roots Py , Pz , P , from which the smallest one is of importance in
engineering design.

In Table 1 the computed buckling loads Py , Pz , P for the aforementioned case are presented as compared
with those obtained from the analytical solution, in which the bending stiffness EIYZ is excluded and included in
turn. From the obtained results the influence of the inclusion of the product of inertia is remarkable leading to the
conclusion that the aforementioned stiffness has to be taken into account. Moreover, the accuracy of the obtained
results using the proposed method is also remarkable.
EIYZ = 0
analytical
computed

EIYZ included
analytical
computed

Py

3.447

3.447

2.807

2.807

Pz

13.809

13.809

13.743

13.744

70.267

70.269

72.934

72.937

Table 1 : Buckling load ( 10 3 kN ) of the beam of example 1.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The main conclusions that can be drawn from this investigation are
a. The numerical technique presented in this investigation is well suited for computer aided analysis for
homogeneous beams of arbitrary cross section, subjected to any linear boundary conditions and to an
arbitrarily distributed or concentrated loading.
b. Accurate results are obtained using a relatively small number of beam elements.
c. The displacements as well as the stress resultants are computed at any cross-section of the beam using the
respective integral representations as mathematical formulae.
d. The general character of the proposed method is verified from the fact that all basic equations are formulated
with respect to an arbitrary coordinate system, which is not restricted to the principal one.
e. The developed procedure retains the advantages of a BEM solution over a pure domain discretization method
since it requires only boundary discretization.

Acknowledgments
Financial support for this work provided by the Pithagoras: Support of Research Groups in Universities, an
EU funded project in the special managing authority of the Operational Program in Education and Initial
Vocational Training.

REFERENCES
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