a b s t r a c tMany shear correction factors have appeared since the inception of Timoshenko beam theory in 1921. While rational bases for them have been offered, there continues to be some reluctance to their full acceptance because the explanations are not totally convincing and their efficacies have not been comprehensively evaluated over a range of application. Herein, three-dimensional static and dynamic information and results for a beam of general (both symmetric and non-symmetric) cross-section are brought to bear on these issues. Only homogeneous, isotropic beams are considered. Semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) computer codes provide static and dynamic response data for our purposes. Greater clarification of issues relating to the bases for shear correction factors can be seen. Also, comparisons of numerical results with Timoshenko beam data will show the effectiveness of these factors beyond the range of application of elementary (Bernoulli-Euler) theory.An issue concerning principal shear axes arose in the definition of shear correction factors for non-symmetric cross-sections. In this method, expressions for the shear energies of two transverse forces applied on the cross-section by beam and three-dimensional elasticity theories are equated to determine the shear correction factors. This led to the necessity for principal shear axes. We will argue against this concept and show that when two forces are applied simultaneously to a cross-section, it leads to an inconsistency. Only one force should be used at a time, and two sets of calculations are needed to establish the shear correction factors for a non-symmetrical cross-section.

a b s t r a c tWe present a rigorous verification study and an extension to an existing semi-analytical finite element formulation for analysis of end and transition effects in prismatic cylinders. End and transition effects in stressed cylinders are phenomena associated with the difference between results that are predicted by the Saint-Venant solutions and the actual point-wise conditions. These differences manifest themselves as self-equilibrated stress states. Notwithstanding certain well-known exceptions (e.g., restrained torsion of open thin-walled sections), such effects in isotropic cylinders are usually confined to a very small neighborhood of a terminal boundary or transition zone, and are typically neglected. For anisotropy, as in the case of most smart/active and composite material systems, they can persist much further into the interior of the structure, and need to be quantified to design geometry transition zones and to fully understand the delamination effects. In the semi-analytical approach, we first discretize the governing equations within the cross-sectional plane of the cylinder. The end-solution fields satisfy the homogeneous form of the resulting semi-analytical system of ordinary differential equations. This leads to an algebraic eigenvalue problem, and an eigenfunction expansion of the stress and displacement fields due to end effects. Unique to the present study, we formulate a procedure to quantify the transitional effects for end-to-end connected cylinders for which the displacement and stress continuity along the transition interface need to be enforced. The semi-analytical approach has several distinct advantages: (i) It is computationally efficient, as only the cross-sectional geometry is discretized; (ii) it can be applied to arbitrary cross-sectional geometries and the most general form of anisotropy; and (iii) it yields direct measures for the decay lengths (or decay rates) of any end-or transition-solution field. Analytical solutions to endeffect problems are scarce. Those that exist are for simple geometry and material constitution. We use these analytical solutions, as well as solutions obtained using three-dimensional finite element models, to verify our approach and to assess its efficiency.

In this study, the effectiveness of blast deflectors used in protective footwear against antipersonnel (AP) mines was investigated. The tip angle of a V-shaped deflector and the overall shape (symmetrical, unsymmetrical) were chosen as the design parameters to be examined, whereas parameters such as deflector material and wall thickness were kept constant. Both explicit dynamic finite element analysis (LS-Dyna) and blast tests were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of these design parameters. The analysis results were also verified with the blast tests. A visual (qualitative) comparison between the analysis results and the blast tests showed a good agreement on the final deformed geometry of the deflector, which suggested that the simulation was able to capture the energy absorption mechanism of the deflector. The analysis results showed that the peak force transmitted to the leg decreased tremendously with the addition of blast deflectors. When compared to the case with no deflectors, an unsymmetrical and symmetrical deflector reduced the peak force by a factor of 24 and 36, respectively.

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