Damage mechanics in a uniaxially-loaded elastic tapered bar

Abstract EN

The principles of damage mechanics are used to predict the displacements and stresses in a uniaxially-loaded one-dimensional elastic tapered bar.

The variation of the damage variable along the length of the bar is studied.

A random distribution of the damage variable along the length of the bar is also considered.

It is shown how the displacements and stresses are obtained in closed-form solutions whenever possible.

Otherwise, finite element analysis is employed to solve the resulting problem.

The computer algebra system MAPLE is used to write a symbolic finite element program specifically for this problem with the random distribution of the damage variable for which there is no closed form solution.