A size-dependent Reddy-Levinson beam model based on a strain gradient elasticity theory (Q2510335)

First, for the title problem the governing equations and boundary conditions are derived by using Hamilton's principle. The model contains three material length scale parameters, which can effectively capture the size effect in the micron or the sub-micron range. This model can degenerate into the modified couple stress model or even into the classical model if two or all material length scale parameters are taken to be zero, respectively. In addition, the present model recovers the micro-scale Timoshenko and Bernoulli-Euler beam models based on the same strain gradient elasticity theory. To illustrate the new model, the authors solve the static bending and free vibration problems for a simply supported micro-scale Reddy-Levinson beam. The results are compared with those of the reduced models. Numerical results reveal that the differences in the deflection, rotation and natural frequency predicted by the present model and the other two reduced Reddy-Levinson models become larger as the beam thickness is comparable to the material length scale parameters. These differences, however, are decreasing with the increase in the beam thickness. This study may be helpful to characterize the mechanical properties of small-scale beam-like structures in a wide range of potential applications.