Non-linear analysis of the flexural-torsional stability of slender tropical glulam beams

The main objective of this manuscript is to model the flexural-torsional buckling of slender tropical glulam beams using the finite element method. The non-linear approach to quantify both the buckling strength and the lateral geometrical features of wooden beams is proposed. A very rigorous methodology is used which is based on the kinematic Vlasov’s theory to determine the displacement field of the beam section by considering an updated Lagrangian description. For the finite element discretization, the Author develop a single wood element characterized by 14 degrees of freedom, i.e. seven degrees for each nodal point, and derive non-linear stiffness matrices by using the virtual works principle. The model is implemented in MatLab and the numerical results are compared with results based on the classical linear stability theory of slender wood beams. The selected case-studies are a cantilever beam and a beam on two supports.