A space-time finite element formulation for geometrically exact shear-deformable beams

Abstract

We present a space-time finite element formulation for the transient analysis of geometrically exact shear-deformable beams. The formulation treats space and time within a unified finite element framework and employs a mixed approach in which translational and angular velocities are introduced as independent fields. The rotation field is parametrized using nodal rotation (pseudo-)vectors and a suitable objective interpolation of the triad field is employed. The resulting formulation supports generally curved beam structures, including geometric kinks and rigid joints. Furthermore, time-dependent material domains can be represented directly through the geometry of the space-time surface, enabling the treatment of non-material boundaries without modifying the underlying beam formulation. Numerical examples demonstrate convergence to solutions obtained with classical time-stepping schemes, objectivity of the formulation, and the influence of the space-time stabilization. Finally, the sliding spaghetti problem illustrates the applicability of the proposed approach to axially moving continua.