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Publications [#282472] of Lawrence N. Virgin

Papers Published

  1. Plaut, RH; Virgin, LN, Three-dimensional postbuckling and vibration of vertical half-loop under self-weight, International Journal of Solids and Structures, vol. 41 no. 18-19 (January, 2004), pp. 4975-4988, Elsevier BV [014], [doi]
    (last updated on 2023/06/01)

    Abstract:
    The stability and vibration characteristics of a flexible and inextensible half-loop are investigated. The loop is fixed at two base points, which are separated by a specified distance, and is only subjected to gravity loading. If the length of the loop is sufficiently small, the loop stands upright in a vertical plane. If the length is increased past a critical value, the planar equilibrium shape becomes unstable and the loop droops to one side (i.e., laterally). This out-of-plane displacement may occur smoothly (supercritical bifurcation), or the loop may suddenly jump to a severely-drooped configuration (subcritical bifurcation), depending on the constitutive law. Linearly-elastic and softening materials are considered. Prebuckled and postbuckled equilibrium states are determined numerically with the use of a shooting method. Droop caused by an applied torsional moment is also analyzed. Then small vibrations about the prebuckled (planar) states are studied. Three basic types of vibration modes occur: in-plane, out-of-plane (symmetric), and twist about a vertical axis through the center of the loop. Experiments on a fiber-optic rod and a curtain wire are carried out to qualitatively verify the numerical results for both types of constitutive laws. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Keywords:
    Vibration control;Fiber optics;Elastic moduli;Vectors;Velocity measurement;Approximation theory;Mathematical models;