A direct vector simulation for the analyses of nodal and undulating elastica

A non-linear vector equilibrium/constitutive differential equation governing an elastica is directly simulated without decomposition. The solution is obtained using repeated applications of a truncated Taylor's expansion to advance along the elastica. Lacking a vector data type in Fortran 77, the complex data type is used for direct two-dimensional simulations. Rapid convergence and good accuracy are observed for sufficiently small increments using single precision. Numerical results for both nodal and undulating elastica are presented. Good agreement is shown with existing alternative solutions.