Stress and strain analysis of rotors subjected to surface and body
loads, as well as to thermal loads deriving from temperature variation
along the radius, constitutes a classic subject of machine design.
Nevertheless attention is limited to rotor profiles for which governing
equations are solvable in closed form. Furthermore very few actual
engineering issues may relate to structures for which stress and strain
analysis in the linear elastic field and, even more, under non-linear
conditions (i.e. plastic or viscoelastic conditions) produces equations
to be solved in closed form. Moreover, when a product is still in its
design stage, an analytical formulation with closed-form solution is of
course simpler and more versatile than numerical methods, and it allows
to quickly define a general configuration, which may then be fine-tuned
using such numerical methods.
In this view, all subjects are based on analytical-methodological
approach, and some new solutions in closed form are presented. The
analytical formulation of problems is always carried out considering
actual engineering applications. Moreover, in order to make the use of
analytical models even more friendly at the product design stage, a
function is introduced whereby it is possible to define a fourfold
infinity of disk profiles, solid or annular, concave or convex,
converging or diverging. Such subjects, even derived from scientific
authors' contributions, are always aimed at designing rotors at the
concept stage, i.e. in what precedes detailed design.
Among the many contributions, a special mention is due for the
following: linear elastic analysis of conical disks and disks with
variable profile along its radius according to a power of a linear
function, also subjected to thermal load and with variable density;
analysis of a variable-profile disk subjected to centrifugal load beyond
the material's yield point, introducing the completely general law
expressed by a an n-grade polynomial; linear elastic analysis of
hyperbolic disk, subjected to thermal load along its radius; linear
elastic analysis of a variable-thickness disk according to a power of a
linear function, subjected to angular acceleration; etc.
