The dynamic analysis of a cracked Timoshenko beam by the spectral element method

The aim of this paper is to introduce a new finite spectral element of a cracked Timoshenko beam for modal and elastic wave propagation analysis. The proposed approach deals with the spectral element method. This method is suitable for analyzing wave propagation problems as well as for calculating modal parameters of the structure. In the paper, the results of the change in modal parameters due to crack appearance are presented. The influence of the crack parameters, especially of the changing location of the crack, on the wave propagation is examined. Responses obtained at different points of the beam are presented. Proper analysis of these responses allows one to indicate the crack location in a very precise way. This fact is very promising for the future work in the damage detection field. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.