Bending analysis of elastically connected Euler–Bernoulli double-beam system using the direct boundary element method

•A direct BEM solution is established for static analysis of Euler–Bernoulli double-beam system.•Fundamental solutions, integral and algebraic equations are established.•Influence matrices and load vectors are explicitly shown.•Results confirm the effectiveness and correctness of this proposed BEM formulation. Double and multiple-Beam System (BS) models are structural models that idealize a system of beams interconnected by elastic layers, where beam theories are assumed to govern the beams and elastic foundation models are assumed to represent the elastic layers. Many engineering problems have been studied using BS models such as double and multiple pipeline systems, sandwich beams, adhesively bonded joints, continuous dynamic vibration absorbers, and floating-slab tracks. This paper presents for the first time a direct Boundary Element Method (BEM) formulation for bending of Euler–Bernoulli double-beam system connected by a Pasternak elastic layer. All of the mathematical steps required to establish the direct BEM solution are addressed. Discussions deriving explicit solutions for double-beam fundamental problem are presented. Integral and algebraic equations are derived where influence matrices and load vectors of double-beam systems are explicitly shown. Finally, numerical results are presented for differing cases involving static loads and boundary conditions.