Characteristic solutions for the statics of repetitive beam-like trusses

This paper concerns two major points: (1) decomposition of functional solutions for the static response of repetitive pin-jointed beam trusses under end loadings into spectrum of elementary function modes; and (2) a mathematical classification of the last. The governing finite difference equation of statics is written as a single matrix form by considering the stiffness matrix of a representative substructure. It is shown that its general solution can be spanned by only 2R individual modes, where R is the number of degrees of freedom for a typical nodal pattern inside the truss. These modes are divided into two primary classes: transfer and localised. A unique set of "canonical" transfer solutions is found by a method based on Jordan decomposition of the transfer matrix. Also, a technique of constructing transfer matrices for a wide class of trusses is presented. The canonical modes can be further subclassified as exponential, polynomial and quasi-polynomial. The complete set of 2R canonical transfer and localised modes uniquely represents the basic structural response behaviour, and gives a basis for the characteristic (non-harmonic) expansion of static solutions. Several illustrative examples are considered. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.