Three-dimensional vibration analysis of thick rectangular plates using Chebyshev polynomial and Ritz method

This paper describes a method for free vibration analysis of rectangular plates with any thicknesses, which range from thin, moderately thick to very thick plates. It utilises admissible functions comprising the Chebyshev polynomials multiplied by a boundary function. The analysis is based on a linear, small-strain, three-dimensional elasticity theory. The proposed technique yields very accurate natural frequencies and mode shapes of rectangular plates with arbitrary boundary conditions. A very simple and general programme has been compiled for the purpose. For a plate with geometric symmetry, the vibration modes can be classified into symmetric and antisymmetric ones in that direction. In such a case, the computational cost can be greatly reduced while maintaining the same level of accuracy. Convergence studies and comparison have been carried out taking square plates with four simply-supported edges as examples. It is shown that the present method enables rapid convergence, stable numerical operation and very high computational accuracy. Parametric investigations on the vibration behaviour of rectangular plates with four clamped edges have also been performed in detail, with respect to different thickness-side ratios, aspect ratios and Poisson’s ratios. These results may serve as benchmark solutions for validating approximate two-dimensional theories and new computational techniques in future.