LAUSR

Abstract This paper revisits the problem first studied by Jaworski and Dowell, namely, the free vibration of multi-step beams. Previous authors utilized approximate method of Ritz as well as the finite element method with attendant comparison with the experimental results. This study provides the exact solution for the Javorsky and Dowell problem in terms of Krylov-Duncan functions. Additionally, the Galerkin method is applied and contrasted with the exact solution. It is shown that the straightforward implementation of the Galerkin method, as it is usually performed in the literature, does not lead to results obtained by Jaworski and Dowell using the Ritz method. Moreover, the straightforward application of the Galerkin method does not tend to the results obtained by either exact solution or experiments. A modification of the Galerkin method is proposed by introducing generalized functions to describe both mass and stiffness of the stepped beam. Specifically, the unit step function, Dirac’s delta function and the doublet function, are utilized for this purpose. With this modification, the Galerkin method yields results coinciding with those derived by the Ritz method, and turn out to be in close vicinity with those produced by the exact solution as well as experiments.