Strain analysis of a prelwisted elastic cylinder with an arbitrary cross-section

Abstract

Based on well-understood engineering models of an untwisted cylindrical structure, a suitable displacement field for a twisted cylinder is established. This allows for longitudinal, bending, and torsional deformations together with warping to occur and, in particular, local twisting to take place about a variable direction. The procedure requires a geometric framework that varies along the length, which is modelled using a vectorial approach. Direct and shear strains are derived for the continuous system.