Boundary condition identification of tapered beam with flexible supports using static flexibility measurements

This paper investigates a boundary condition identification method for tapered beam with the specific flexible boundaries using static flexibility measurements. The specific flexible boundaries are modeled by two translational springs with a particular interval which are connected at one end of the tapered beam, and the purpose of this paper is just to identify the stiffnesses of the two translational springs. According to the static equilibrium equation, it is proved that the static flexibility of the beam is a function of the flexural rigidity of the beam at its constrained end and the stiffnesses of the two translational springs. Then, using three different static flexibility measurements, a set of linear equations are established to identify the stiffnesses of the two translational springs. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are demonstrated using both simulative and experimental examples.