The Development of B-Splines for CAD

When analyzing the deformation of a symmetric prismatic member subjected to bending by equal and opposite couples, it becomes clear that as the member bends, the originally straight lines on its wider faces curve into circular arcs, with a constant radius centered at a point known as Point C. This phenomenon helps to understand the stress and strain distribution within the member more clearly.
When the member is segmented into tiny cubic elements, it is observed that the primary stress...

The mechanics of deformation in curved members, such as beams or arches, under bending moments, involve complex responses. When such a member, symmetric about the y-axis and shaped like a segment of a circle centered at point C, is subjected to equal and opposite forces, its curvature and surface lengths change significantly. This alteration results in the shift of the curvature's center from C to C', indicating a tighter curve.
The important part of bending analysis for such a member...

The design of prismatic beams, structural elements with a uniform cross-section, focuses on ensuring safety and structural integrity under load. The design process begins by determining the allowable stress, either from material properties tables, or by dividing the material's ultimate strength by a safety factor. This safety factor is essential for accommodating uncertainties, and varies depending on the material—timber, steel, or concrete—with each having unique strength and...

It is essential to understand how structural members behave under plastic deformation when the bending stress exceeds the material's yield strength. This state of deformation permanently alters the shape of the member, in contrast to the linear elastic behavior observed before yielding. The strain at any point in the member is expressed in terms of maximum strain. Notably, the neutral axis, which coincides with the centroid during elastic bending, shifts away from the centroid under plastic...

When a structural member undergoes plastic deformation due to bending, it is crucial to understand the position of the neutral axis and the stress distribution. This member, characterized by a single plane of symmetry, exhibits a uniform stress distribution, with negative stress above the neutral axis and positive stress below. Notably, the neutral axis does not align with the centroid of the cross-section. This misalignment is typical in cases where the cross-section is not rectangular or...

In curved beams, unlike straight beams, the stress distribution across the cross-section is not uniform due to the beam's curvature. This non-uniformity arises because the neutral axis, where stress is zero, does not align with the centroid of the section. In a curved beam, the strain varies along the section as a function of the distance from the neutral axis.
Consider the curved member described in the previous lesson. According to Hooke's law, which relates stress to strain within...