Multiple three-dimensional equilibrium solutions for cantilever beams loaded by dead tip and uniform distributed loads (Q2564440)

For an initially straight, prismatic beam of orthotropic material with non-circular cross-section, a system of differential equations is set up to describe the deformation of one segment in terms of initial conditions. The system is solved numerically by means of the Stoer-Burlisch method. If the beam consists of more than one segment, the connectivity is obtained by observing force and geometric compatibility at the interfaces. In the case when not all conditions are known at one end, an iterative shooting method is proposed with the unknown values estimated initially and then iterated through a Newton-Raphson false position method. As an example, the multiple postbuckling shapes (planar as well as three-dimensional) of a cantilever beam with rectangular cross-section under tip load are presented.