Free Vibration Analysis of Composite Plates

Abstract

A series of plate elements, based on the modified complementary energy principal, are developed to study the free undamped vibration response of laminated composite plates. The Mindlin thin plate theory is selected to govern the general characteristics and behavior of these plate elements. A series of in-plane strain functions are assumed from which the corresponding in-plane strains and corresponding stresses for each lamina are determined. The transverse stresses are then computed by satisfying the equations of the equilibrium. Eight-noded isoparametric elements are utilized to describe the displacement field. These hybrid plate elements are used to form the stiffness and the consistent mass matrices. The fundamental natural frequencies are then computed by solving the generalized eigenvalue problem and their application demonstrated via a number of examples. [S0094-9930(00)02603-7]