Free vibration analysis of rotating composite Timoshenko beams with bending-torsion couplings

The free vibration of rotating bending-torsional composite Timoshenko beams (CTBs) with arbitrary boundary conditions is analyzed. The composite material coupled rigidity, Coriolis effects and the separation of the cross-section’s mass and shear centers are considered and they will cause the bending-torsion coupled vibration of the beam. Based on the Hamilton’s principle, the governing partial differential matrix equation of motion of the beam are formulated with variable coefficients. Those equations containing variable coefficients are expressed in a special matrix form in terms of the flexural translation, rotation of cross section and torsional rotation of the beam. The differential transform matrix method (DTMM), which is an improved approach from the traditional differential transform method (DTM), is proposed to deal with the governing matrix equation with corresponding boundary conditions. The mode shapes and natural frequencies of the beam are obtained. Cantilevers are calculated as examples to verify the present theory and investigate the dynamic characteristics of the rotating CTB. The present results are consistent with those reported in the literature and those calculated from COMSOL. The influence of the composite material rigidity, rotation speed, hub radius and axial load on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the beam are studied, while the frequency veering and mode shift phenomena are observed. Furthermore, the beam’s critical buckling loads corresponding to the axial load are found.