On the Determination of the Centers of Twist and of Shear for Cylindrical Shell Beams

TLDR: In this paper, the authors proposed new definitions for the centers of twist and of shear, in terms of influence coefficients for tip-loaded cantilever beams, applied in conjunction with a minimum complementary energy method for the approximate determination of the influence coefficients of the problem of thin-walled open and closed cross-section beams, with the possibility of a continuous transition from closed cross section to open cross section.

Abstract: : The authors have recently proposed new definitions for the centers of twist and of shear, in terms of influence coefficients for tip-loaded cantilever beams. These definitions are here applied in conjunction with a minimum complementary energy method for the approximate determination of the influence coefficients of the problem of thin-walled open and closed cross section beams, with the possibility of a continuous transition from closed cross section to open cross section. The result is an explicit formula for the coordinate of the centers of twist and of shear of beams the cross sections of which have one axis of symmetry. This formula includes as special cases the known elementary formula for open cross sections, an extension of this formula so as to include the case of flat plates, and a known formula for closed cross section thin-shell beams. (Author)