Mathematical Model for Vibrations of Non-Uniform Flexural Beams

A simplified mathematical model for free vibrations of nonuniform viscoelastic flexural beams is presented. The mass intensity, the material damping intensity and the flexural stiffness of the beam are assumed varying as power functions along the beam. An analytical solution for the fourth order differential equation of beam vibration under appropriate boundary conditions is obtained by factorization. Mode shapes and damped natural frequencies of the beam are obtained for wide range of beam characteristics. The model results agree with those found in literature for uniform beams.