Nonlinear Variational Asymptotic Sectional Analysis of Hyperelastic Beams

The goal of the present work is to develop an efficient simulation tool with high-fidelity to help the engineers design and analyze smart slender structures with embedded piezoelectric materials. Actuation and sensing capabilities of piezoelectric material embedded in smart beam including geometric nonlinearity will be explored. The dimensional reduction process has been carried out using the powerful Variational Asymptotic Method. Starting from the exact three-dimensional electric-mechanically coupled enthalpy functional, the asymptotical analysis is done on the functional itself with respect to the naturally occurring small parameters. The original three-dimensional electric-mechanical problem of the slender structure is decomposed into two separate problems: a two-dimensional analysis over the cross section and a one-dimensional analysis over the beam reference line. The coupled cross-sectional analysis is being implemented in VABS, a versatile cross-sectional analysis code.

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The Timoshenko-like Theory of the Variational Asymptotic Beam Sectional Analysis

44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference ◽

10.2514/6.2003-1419 ◽

2003 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wenbin Yu ◽

Dewey Hodges

Keyword(s):

Variational Asymptotic ◽

Sectional Analysis

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Verification of the Variational-Asymptotic Sectional Analysis for Initially Curved and Twisted Beams

Journal of Aircraft ◽

10.2514/1.c031539 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 861-869 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Ravi Kumar Kovvali ◽

Dewey H. Hodges

Keyword(s):

Variational Asymptotic ◽

Sectional Analysis

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Structural Design, Analysis, and Testing of a 10 kW Fabric-Covered Wind Turbine Blade

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13123276 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 3276

Author(s):

Dong-Kuk Choi ◽

Bong-Do Pyeon ◽

Soo-Yong Lee ◽

Hak-Gu Lee ◽

Jae-Sung Bae

Keyword(s):

Wind Turbine ◽

Turbine Blade ◽

Wind Turbine Blade ◽

Structural Testing ◽

Modal Testing ◽

Mode Shapes ◽

Variational Asymptotic ◽

Design Loads ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Sufficient Strength

Reducing the weight of a wind turbine blade is a major issue. Wind turbines have become larger in size to increase power generating efficiency. The blade has also grown in length to take more wind energy. A fabric-based wind turbine blade, introduced by General Electric Co., reduced the blade weight. In this study, a small fabric-covered blade for a 10 kW wind turbine was developed to verify structural ability. The blade was designed on the cross-section using variational asymptotic beam sectional analysis (VABS), structural analysis was carried out using MSC.Nastran for the design loads. A modal analysis was performed to compare the modal frequency and mode shapes. Static structural testing and modal testing were fulfilled. The analysis results were compared with the testing results. The fabric-covered structure was confirmed to reduce the blade mass with sufficient strength.

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