Inverse Analysis of Large-Displacement Beams

Abstract

The goal of the present work is to introduce a finite element model for the inverse analysis of large-displacements beams in the elastic range. The problem consists in determining the initial shape of the beam such that it attains the design shape under the effect of service loads. This formulation has immediate applications in fields such as compliant mechanism synthesis where flexible links can be modelled as large-deflection beams, among others. The element will be implemented in the MECANO mechanism analysis package and an example to a structural problems is given.