Free vibrations of planar serial frame structures in the case of axially functionally graded materials

This paper considers the problem of modal analysis and finding the closed-form solution to free vibrations of planar serial frame structures composed of Euler–Bernoulli beams of variable cross-sectional geometric characteristics in the case of axially functionally graded materials. Each of these beams is performing coupled axial and bending vibrations, where coupling occurs due to the boundary conditions at their joints. The numerical procedure for solving the system of partial differential equations, after the separation of variables, is reduced to solving the two-point boundary value problem of ordinary linear differential equations with nonlinear coefficients and linear boundary conditions. In this case, it is possible to transfer the boundary conditions and reduce the problem to the Cauchy initial value problem. Also, it is possible to analyze the influence of different parameters on the structure dynamic behavior. The method is applicable in the case of different boundary conditions at the right and left ends of such structures, as illustrated by an appropriate numerical example.