Application of the DTM to the Elastic Curve Equation in Euler–Bernoulli Beam Theory

Adrian Ioan Botean ()
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Adrian Ioan Botean: Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Automotive, Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Mathematics, 2025, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the differential transform method (DTM) in solving complex solid mechanics problems, focusing on static analysis of beams under various loads and boundary conditions. For cantilever beams (BSM1), DTM provided exact polynomial solutions for deflections and slopes: a cubic solution for concentrated end loads, a quadratic distribution for applied moments, and a fourth-degree polynomial for uniformly distributed loads, all matching established theoretical results. For simply supported beams (BSM2), DTM yielded solutions across two intervals for midspan concentrated forces, though required corrective terms for applied moments due to discontinuities. Under uniform loading, the method produced precise polynomial solutions with maximum deflection at midspan. Key advantages include DTM’s high-precision analytical solutions without additional approximations and its adaptability to diverse loading scenarios. However, for cases with pronounced discontinuities like concentrated moments, supplementary methods (e.g., Green’s functions) may be needed. The study highlights DTM’s potential for extension to nonlinear or dynamic problems, while software integration could broaden its engineering applications. This study demonstrates, for the first time, how DTM yields exact polynomial solutions for Euler–Bernoulli beams under discontinuous loads (e.g., concentrated moments), overcoming limitations of traditional numerical methods. The method’s analytical precision and avoidance of discretization errors are highlighted. Traditional methods like FEM require mesh refinement near discontinuities (e.g., concentrated moments), leading to computational inefficiencies. DTM overcomes this by providing exact polynomial solutions with corrective terms, achieving errors below 0.5% with only 4–5 series terms.

Keywords: differential transform method; beams; boundary conditions; deflection; slope (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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