Non-linear buckling and postbuckling of elastic arches

摘要

This paper investigates the non-linear in--plane buckling and post- buckling behaviour of elastic arches using a curved finite element model for the non--linear analysis of elastic arches, which includes the effects of prebuckling deformations and second-order terms in the deformed Curvatures and bending strains. It is found that the effects of prebuckling deformations on the buckling of shallow arches are significant, that the existence of a linear bifurcation buckling load is not a sufficient condition for linear bifurcation buckling to occur, and that the non-linear buckling loads of shallow arches may be much lower than their linear buckling loads. The effects of the higher--order terms in the deformed curvature on the buckling and postbuckling behaviour of arches are also investi- gated. It is found that these effects are important, particularly for deep arches.