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In the paper, it is represented a linearization method for the stress-strain curves of nonlinearly deformable beams and circular plates in order to generalize the pure bending vibration equations. It is considered composite, on average isotropic prismatic beams of a constant rectangular cross-section and circular plates of a constant thickness made of nonlinearly elastic materials. The technique consists in determining the approximate Young’s moduli from the initial stress-strain state of beam and plate subjected to the action of the bending moment.

The paper proposes two criteria for linearization: the equality of the specific potential energy of deformation and the minimization of the standard deviation in the state equation approximation. The method allows obtaining in the closed form the estimated value of the natural frequencies of layered and structurally heterogeneous, on average isotropic nonlinearly elastic beams and circular plates. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the resources in the vibration analysis and modeling of these structural elements. In addition, the paper shows that the proposed linearization criteria allow to estimate the natural frequencies with the same accuracy.

Since in the general case even isotropic materials exhibit different resistance to tension and compression, it is considered the piecewise-linear Prandtl’s diagrams with proportionality limits and tangential Young’s moduli that differ under tension and compression as the stress-strain curves of the composite material components. As parameters of the stress-strain curve, it is considered the effective Voigt’s characteristics (under the hypothesis of strain homogeneity) for a longitudinally layered material structure; the effective Reuss’ characteristics (under the hypothesis of strain homogeneity) for a transversely layered beam and an axially laminated plate. In addition, the effective Young’s moduli and the proportionality limits, obtained by the author’s homogenization method, are given for a structurally heterogeneous, on average isotropic material. As an example, it is calculated the natural frequencies of two-phase beams depending on the component concentrations.

This paper presents the development and verification of a finite element algorithm for modeling nonlinear deformation in the functional spinal unit (FSU) of the human lumbar spine. The study is motivated by the increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and the need for improved predictive methods for spinal motion segment behavior under various loading conditions and pathologies.

Current modeling approaches often employ simplified geometry and linear deformation laws (Hooke’s law) for all spinal elements, including the intervertebral disc. However, these models inadequately represent human anatomy and the physical properties of the intervertebral disc, which comprises the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus exhibiting pronounced nonlinear and viscoelastic characteristics.

To address these limitations, the authors propose a mathematical model wherein vertebrae are treated as linearly elastic, heterogeneous bodies, while the intervertebral disc is modeled according to nonlinear deformation theory. An anatomically accurate 3D reconstruction of the lumbar spine was generated from computed tomography (CT) images. Volumetric tetrahedral finite elements were employed for discretization. The intervertebral disc behavior is described using thin plate bending theory based on Kirchhoff-Love assumptions.

The algorithm’s key feature is a two-step solution procedure: an initial linear elastic solution is obtained, followed by the calculation of additional nodal forces for disc elements, enabling efficient nonlinear analysis without stiffness matrix modification.

Model verification was performed using two geometric representations of the lumbar spine: a simplified version comprising parallelepipeds and cylinders, and a patient-specific realistic model derived from CT data. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that incorporating nonlinear properties of the intervertebral disc substantially alters both deformation patterns and magnitudes compared to purely elastic models, producing nonlinear segments on stress-strain curves. The discrepancy between results obtained with the proposed algorithm and those from Comsol software did not exceed 10%, confirming the model’s validity. This algorithm shows promise for investigating lumbar spine biomechanics under normal conditions, degenerative changes, and post-surgical states.