Nonlinear In-Plane Stability of Heterogeneous Curved Beams under a Concentrated Radial Load at the Crown Point

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the stability problem of shallow curved beams provided that the beam is made of a heterogeneous material. It is assumed that (a) the radius of curvature is constant and (b) the Young’s modulus and Poisson’s number depend on the cross-sectional coordinates. We have the following objectives: (1) derivation of a model more accurate than those available in the literature, (2) determination of the critical load assuming that the beam is subjected to a constant radial dead load at the crown point, (3) comparison of the results obtained with solutions valid for homogeneous beams.