Dynamics of a Cracked Cantilever Beam Subjected to a Moving Point Force Using Discrete Element Method

Abstract

This work aims to investigate a cracked cantilever beam subjected to a moving point force using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). A novel approach to mathematically include a moving force in discrete element formulation of a cracked beam is the main contribution of this paper. The local reduction in the stiffness of the cantilever beam due to the presence of a crack has been accounted for by a popularly used result from fracture mechanics. Hence, the present work provides an alternative approach to numerically evaluate the forced vibration of cracked beams under the application of a moving point force. The methodology has been verified by comparing some of the results obtained here to those obtained using an already published analytical method. In the end, the effects of crack length, crack location, and force-velocity on the dynamic behavior of the cracked beam are studied using the proposed methodology. The proposed method can provide an effective alternative for the analysis of cracked beams subjected to a moving point force.