Thedynamicresponseofastrain-softeningbeamsubjectedtoatransverseimpulsiveonitstipisinvestigated.Asofteningmoment-curvaturerelationisassumedforthebeamandaclosedformsolutionisobtainedforaspecialkindofload,whichshowsthatthereexistsasofteningregioninthebeamandthisre-gionpropagatesalongthebeam.Thisresultindicatesthat,exceptforthepossiblediscretesofteningpointswithrotationdiscontinuitycausedbythedeformationlocalization,theexistenceofthesofteningregionanditstravellingalongthebeamaretheessentialfeaturesofthedynamicresponseofastrain-softeningbeam.Theresultsalsoshowthatthefailureofthebeamshouldtakeplaceunderaspecialloadandthecriticalconditiononwhichthedynamicfailureoccursisgiven.
