On the stability of non-conservative plane mass loaded beam structures (static approach with the load-distribution method)

Stability problems can generally be regarded as kinetic problems since it is a matter of investigating the behaviour of a disturbance-induced motion away from the equilibrium position. Loading, mass distribution, frictional forces and the nature of the disturbance are thereby of importance. For most conservative problems a simpler calculation can be applied using the static instead of the kinematic equilibrium. For the static stability criterion, the methods of energetic and force equilibrium are available. In the absence of non-conservative problems the kinematic stability criterion is commonly applied. ork shows that, when applying the load-distribution method a number of solutions for non-conservative mass loaded systems can be found. Thereby, the static stability criterion is used under the prerequisite of infinitesimal deformations.