Method of and apparatus for analyzing linear object and recording medium having linear object analyzing program stored thereon

An apparatus for analyzing a linear object, comprising:

• setting means for performing such setting as to divide a linear object having a cross-sectional shape which is substantially uniform along its length and having a length long enough in comparison with a diameter of the linear object into a plurality of elements with predetermined spacing along the length;
• shape determining means for determining, when the linear object is deformed, a shape after the deformation;
• stiffness equation deriving means for deriving for each of the elements, which are obtained by the setting in said setting means, a tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in a local coordinate system using the element as a basis in the shape determined by said shape determining means;
• stiffness equation translating means for translating the tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in the local coordinate system, which is derived by said stiffness equation deriving means, into a tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in a global coordinate system using the linear object as a basis;
• global stiffness equation deriving means for deriving a global stiffness equation for the whole linear object from the tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in the global coordinate system which is obtained by the translation in said stiffness equation translating means;
• and
• calculating means for calculating at least one of the displacement and the load of each of the elements on the basis of said global stiffness equation for the whole linear object which is derived by the global stiffness equation deriving means and the shape determined by said shape determining means.

A computer readable recording medium having a program stored thereon for calculating, when a linear object having a cross-sectional shape which is substantially uniform along its length and having a length long enough in comparison with a diameter of the linear object is divided into a plurality of elements with predetermined spacing along the length, the displacement of each of the elements, the program controlling a computer so as to:

• determine, in a case where the linear object is deformed, a shape after the deformation;
• derive for each of the elements a tangential stiffness equation in a local coordinate system using the element as a basis in the determined shape;
• translate the derived tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in the local coordinate system into a tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in a global coordinate system using the linear object as a basis;
• derive a global stiffness equation for the whole linear object from the tangential stiffness equation for each of the elements in the global coordinate system which is obtained by the translation;
• and
• calculate at least one of the displacement and the load of each of the elements on the basis of the derived global stiffness equation for the whole linear object and the shape after the deformation.