EXACT BUCKLING AND VIBRATION SOLUTIONS FOR STEPPED RECTANGULAR PLATES

This paper is concerned with the determination of exact buckling loads and vibration frequencies of multi-stepped rectangular plates based on the classical thin (Kirchhoff) plate theory. The plate is assumed to have two opposite edges simply supported while the other two edges can take any combination of free, simply supported and clamped conditions. The proposed analytical method for solution involves the Levy method and the state-space technique. By using this analytical method, exact buckling and vibration solutions are obtained for rectangular plates having one- and two-step thickness variations. These exact solutions are extremely useful as benchmark values for researchers developing numerical techniques and software for analyzing non-uniform thickness plates.     

The flexural vibration of rectangular plates with point supports

Orthogonally generated polynomial functions are used in the Lagrangian multiplier method to study the free, flexural vibration problem of point supported, thin, flat, rectangular plates. The analysis applies to isotropic and specially orthotropic plates having any combination of clamped, simply supported or free edges with arbitrarily located point supports and to plates which are continuous over line supports parallel to the plate edges. Numerical results are presented for a number of specific problems, illustrating the accuracy and versatility of the approach, and which include natural frequencies and nodal patterns for a point supported plate which is continuous over two perpendicular line supports.     

A reduction method for problems of vibration of orthotropic plates

It is shown that the problem of vibration of an orthotropic plate can be reduced to that of another orthotropic plate by a simple co-ordinate transformation, and reduction formulae are obtained. To justify the reduction formulae, fundamental natural frequencies of orthotropic rectangular plates with various boundary conditions and of a clamped orthotropic elliptical plate are discussed. As an example, an exact natural frequency of a simply supported generally orthotropic skew plate with special flexural rigidities is obtained from that of a simply supported isotropic rectangular plate.     

Vibration and buckling of tapered rectangular plates with two opposite edges simply supported and the other two edges elastically restrained against rotation

The paper describes an application of a method of power series expansions to the free vibration and buckling problems of isotropic rectangular plates with linear thickness variation. The plates are simply supported on the two opposite edges parallel to the direction of thickness variation and the other two edges are elastically restrained against rotation. By the present method, one can solve exactly the governing equation with variable coefficients. The choice of the origin for the power series expansion plays an important role in obtaining rapid convergence and accurate results. The effects of thickness variation and rotational stiffness of the elastic spring on the eigenvalues and mode shapes are shown numerically and graphically on the basis of new results obtained by the present exact analysis.     

Transverse vibrations of thin,elastic plates with concentrated masses and internal elastic supports

The fundamental frequency of vibration of a plate carrying concentrated masses and with internal elastic supports is determined. The case of an orthotropic, rectangular plate elastically restrained against rotation along the four edges is tackled first by using simple polynomial approximations and the Galerkin method. Then, vibrations of clamped and simply supported isotropic plates of regular polygonal shape are studied by using the conformal mapping technique coupled with the variational method. Finally the case of a circular plate elastically restrained against translation and rotation is considered.     

A comprehensive approach to the free vibration analysis of rectangular plates by use of the method of superposition

The authors have found the above techniques to constitute a powerful means for solving rectangular plate problems. At the time of writing, solutions for plates with two adjacent simply supported edges and two adjacent free edges have been obtained. The first 20 eigen-values for plates with all edges clamped have also been determined for a full range of aspect ratio and they are shown to be accurate to within less than one half of one percent. It will be appreciated that solutions for any combination of clamped-simply supported edge conditions can easily be obtained from the all-clamped solution by simply deleting appropriate solutions from the all-clamped combination. In Figure 2 contour lines for first mode vibration of a plate with two adjacent clamped and two adjacent simply supported edges is presented. The higher density of the contour lines along the simply supported edges will be noted.The method of superposition is currently being used by the authors to good advantage to obtain solutions of any desired degree of accuracy to all of the problems discussed. It is found to be easily utilized and unlike more complicated methods is readily comprehensible to the practicing engineer. Eigenvalues for all modes, aspect ratios, and boundary conditions are readily obtained. Modal shapes are expressed in terms of familiar analytic functions. Results of these studies will be made available in future publications.     

Free vibration analysis of cantilever plates by the method of superposition

The method of superposition is employed to analyze the first five symmetric and antisymmetric free vibration modes of a cantilever plate for a wide range of aspect ratios. It is shown that this method provides a simple, straightforward and highly accurate means of solution for this family of problems. Convergence to exact values is shown to be remarkably rapid. The first two symmetric and antisymmetric modal shapes for a square plate are accurately described by means of contour line drawings. The numerous advantages of this method over previously used methods are discussed. It is shown that it lends itself readily to the entire family of rectangular plates with classical edge conditions: i.e., clamped, simply supported, and free. Its applicability to a wide family of rectangular plates with boundary conditions other than the classical type is also discussed.     

DSC ANALYSIS OF RECTANGULAR PLATES WITH NON-UNIFORM BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

This paper introduces the discrete singular convolution (DSC) for the vibration analysis of rectangular plates with non-uniform and combined boundary conditions. A systematic scheme is proposed for the treatment of boundary conditions required in the proposed approach. The validity of the DSC approach for plate vibration is tested by using a large number of numerical examples that have a combination of simply supported, clamped and transversely supported (with non-uniform elastic rotational restraint) edges. The present results are in excellent agreement with those in the literature.     

Free vibrations of a generally restrained rectangular plate with an internal line hinge

This paper deals with the study of free transverse vibrations of rectangular plates with an internal line hinge and elastically restrained boundaries. The equations of motion and its associated boundary and transition conditions are rigorously derived using Hamilton’s principle. The governing eigenvalue equation is solved employing a combination of the Ritz method and the Lagrange multipliers method. The deflections of the plate and the Lagrange multipliers are approximated by polynomials as coordinate functions. The developed algorithm allows obtaining approximate solutions for plates with different aspect ratios, boundary conditions, including edges elastically restrained by both translational and rotational springs, and arbitrary locations of the line hinge. Therefore, a unified algorithm has been implemented. Sets of parametric studies are performed and the results are given in graphical and tabular form.     

An exact analytical approach to the free vibration analysis of rectangular plates with mixed boundary conditions

A comprehensive analytical technique is developed for the free vibration analysis of rectangular plates with discontinuities along the boundaries. For illustrative purposes a solution is obtained for plates with edges partially clamped and partially simply supported and plates with edges partially and partially simply supported. A vast array of first mode eigenvalues is provided for these families of plates. Solutions to the equations are obtained by exploiting a mathematical technique described by the author during an earlier publication. It is shown that eigenvalue matrices are easily generated for a wide range of plates with discontinuities in boundary conditions.     

Exact vibration solutions for cross-ply laminated plates with two opposite edges simply supported using refined theories of variable order

This paper presents exact solutions for free vibration of rectangular cross-ply laminated plates with at least one pair of opposite edges simply supported using refined kinematic theories of variable order. Exact natural frequencies are obtained using an efficient and unified formulation where the solving set of second-order differential equations of motion and related boundary conditions are expressed at layer level in terms of so-called fundamental nuclei having invariant properties with respect to the order of the plate theory. The nuclei are then appropriately expanded according to the number of layers and the order of the theory and the resulting equations are transformed into a first-order model whose solution is obtained by using the state space concept. In this way, the mathematical effort needed to derive analytical solutions is highly reduced. Both higher-order equivalent single-layer and layer-wise theories are considered in this study. Comparisons with other exact solutions are presented and useful benchmark frequency results for symmetric and un-symmetric cross-ply laminates are provided.     

Vibrations of heated plates with two opposite edges simply supported

Vibration analysis of the family of rectangular plates with two opposite sides simply supported can be simplified by assuming mode shapes. In the present paper a vibration analysis of such plates which are heated so as to have a temperature varying in the direction parallel to these sides is presented. A steady state temperature which satisfies the Laplace equation is considered. Due to the assumption of mode shapes the governing plate differential equation, which in general is a function of the x and y co-ordinates, becomes a function of one co-ordinate. This equation is analyzed by a finite difference method and solved by a standard simultaneous iteration technique. The accuracy of the method is ascertained by comparing the results for some well known boundary conditions when there is no temperature effect with the standard solutions available in the literature. From the results an attempt has been made to correlate the natural frequency with the temperature. Plates of uniform thickness with different length to breadth ratios have been analyzed. The assumed linear temperature distribution satisfies the Laplace equation and the plate is free to expand in its plane at its edges so that no thermal stresses will be induced.     

Analysis of the flow-induced vibrations of viscoelastically supported rectangular plates

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical model for the flow-induced vibration of viscoelastically supported rectangular plates. In particular, the influence of the dynamic mechanical properties of the elements supporting the plate was investigated. The case of a homogeneous rectangular plate supported along all four edges by a complex viscoelastic element was treated. The Rayleigh-Ritz method was used applying beam functions as the trial functions. This approach ensured a fast convergence rate, which is advantageous for vibration analysis of high order modes. The flow-induced vibration of the plate was calculated using the Corcos model for the surface pressure loading. The results suggest that there is an optimal support stiffness that minimizes the flow-induced vibration response of the plate.     

Improvements of the smearing technique for cross-stiffened thin rectangular plates

New developments in the simplified smearing technique for modeling vibrations of cross-stiffened, thin rectangular plates are presented. The computationally efficient smearing technique has been known for many years, but so far the accuracy of, say, predicted natural frequencies has been inadequate. The reason is that only the stiffeners at a right angle to the axis of angular motion are taken into account when calculating the bending stiffness, whereas the stiffeners that are parallel to this axis of angular motion are neglected. To improve predictions, the parallel stiffeners are taken into account in this paper. The improved smearing technique results in better accuracy for predicted natural frequencies of flat stiffened plates, as demonstrated for both simply supported and clamped boundary conditions. The improved prediction accuracy is demonstrated by comparing results from a numerical model based on the current development with results from finite element (FE) simulations that include the exact cross-sectional geometries of the stiffened panel. In order to demonstrate applications of the improved smearing technique, the predicted forced response is compared with both experimental and FE results. Another improvement concerns the orientation of the stiffeners. The original smearing technique presupposes that the stiffeners are parallel to the edges of the plate, but simple considerations make it possible to relax this requirement. To test the validity of the resulting technique a series of plates are examined for stiffeners angled relative to the plate edges.     

A note on the damping of large amplitude beam vibrations

This paper presents a new series-type method for solving the eigenvalue problems of irregularly shaped plates clamped at all edges. An irregularly shaped plate is formed on a simply supported rectangular plate by rigidly fixing several segments. With the reaction forces and moments acting on all edges of an actual plate of irregular shape regarded as unknown harmonic loads, the stationary response of the plate to these loads is expressed by the use of the Green function. The force and moment distributions along the edges are expanded into Fourier series with unknown coefficients, and the homogeneous equations for the coefficients are derived by restraint conditions on the edges. The natural frequencies and the mode shapes of the actual plate are determined by calculating the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the equations. The method is applied to a cross-shaped, an I-shaped and an L-shaped plate clamped at all edges, the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of the plates are calculated numerically and the effect of the shape is discussed.     

Refined vibration and damping analysis of multilayered rectangular plates

Refined vibration and damping analysis of a general multilayered rectangular plate consisting of an arbitrary number of layers of orthotropic materials has been developed by considering extension, bending, in-plane shear and transverse shear deformations in all the layers and taking into account the rotary and longitudinal translatory inertias along with the transverse inertia of the plate. The solution for a multilayered plate with simply supported edges has been taken in series summation form and resonating frequencies and associated loss factors for plates with alternate elastic and viscoelastic layers have been evaluated by application of the correspondence principle of linear viscoelasticity. Results for three-, five- and seven-layered plates obtained by the present refined analysis are compared with the results obtained by conventional analysis of multilayered plates.     

VIBRATION CHARACTERISTICS AND TRANSIENT RESPONSE OF SHEAR-DEFORMABLE FUNCTIONALLY GRADED PLATES IN THERMAL ENVIRONMENTS

Free and forced vibration analyses for initially stressed functionally graded plates in thermal environment are presented. Material properties are assumed to be temperature dependent, and graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. Theoretical formulations are based on Reddy's higher order shear deformation plate theory and include the thermal effects due to uniform temperature variation. The plate is assumed to be clamped on two opposite edges with the remaining two others either free, simply supported or clamped. One-dimensional differential quadrature technique, Galerkin approach, and the modal superposition method are used to determine the transient response of the plate subjected to lateral dynamic loads. Comprehensive numerical results for silicon nitride/stainless-steel rectangular plates are presented in dimensionless tabular and graphical forms. The roles played by the constituent volume fraction index, temperature rise, shape and duration of dynamic loads, initial membrane stresses as well as the character of boundary conditions are studied. The results reveal that, when thermal effects are considered, functionally graded plates with material properties intermediate to those of isotropic ones do not necessarily have intermediate natural frequencies and dynamic responses.     

Free vibration of rectangular plates of arbitrary thickness with one or more edges clamped

Frequencies of free vibration of rectangular plates of arbitrary thickness, with different support conditions, are calculated by using the Method of Initial Functions (MIF), proposed by Vlasov. Sixth and fourth order MIF theories are used for the solution. Numerical results are presented for three square plates for three thickness ratios. The support conditions considered are (i) three sides simply supported and one side clamped, (ii) two opposite sides simply supported and the other two sides clamped and (iii) all sides clamped. It is found that the results produced by the MIF method are in fair agreement with those obtained by using other methods. The classical theory gives overestimates of the frequencies and the departures from the MIF results increase for higher modes and larger thickness ratios.     

Free vibration of super elliptical plates with constant and variable thickness by Ritz method

In this study free vibration of simply supported and clamped super elliptical plates is investigated. This class of plates includes a wide range of external boundaries varying from an ellipse to a rectangle. Although studies on the upper and lower bounds of these plate geometries, namely circle and rectangle, are quite extensive, contributions on the mid-shapes, especially for simply supported boundary edges are very limited. The Kirchhoff plate model with isotropic and homogeneous material is studied. The super elliptical powers are chosen from 1 to 10. The Ritz method is employed for the solution of the energy equations of the plates. The effects of Poisson's ratio, which should not be neglected for simply supported plates with curved boundaries, and the aspect ratio of the plate are both examined in detail. The effect of thickness variation is also considered in this study. In order to avoid long computational run times, physically pertinent trial functions are utilized. The frequency parameters obtained are presented and compared with published results for plate shapes that match the current cases.     

A variable kinematic Ritz formulation for vibration study of quadrilateral plates with arbitrary thickness

A new variable kinematic Ritz method applied to free vibration analysis of arbitrary quadrilateral thin and thick isotropic plates is presented. Carrera's unified formulation and the versatile pb-2 Ritz method are properly combined to build a powerful yet simple modeling and solution framework. The proposed technique allows to generate arbitrarily accurate Ritz solutions from a large variety of refined two-dimensional plate theories by expanding so-called Ritz fundamental nuclei of the plate mass and stiffness matrices. Theoretical development of the present methodology is described in detail. Convergence and accuracy of the method are examined through several examples on thin, moderately thick, and very thick plates of rectangular, skew, trapezoidal and general quadrilateral shapes, with an arbitrary combination of clamped, free and simply supported edges. Present results are compared with existing three-dimensional solutions from open literature. Maximum and average differences of various higher-order plate theories and three-dimensional results are also presented with the aim of providing useful guidelines on the choice of appropriate plate theory to get a desired accuracy on frequency parameters.