Post-flutter analysis of beams subjected to subtangential forces

Abstract This paper presents an analytical study of the post-flutter behavior of beams subjected to both distributed and concentrated subtangential forces. First, Hamilton's principle is used to derive the variational equation of motion. Next, the Ritz-Galerkin method is applied to yield a discretized system of equations. The linear terms in the system of equations are then uncoupled by transforming the system into its quasi-canonical form before the method of multiple scales is utilized to solve for analytical solutions. It is observed that for ideal beams without damping, the post-flutter behavior depends on the initial conditions of beams.