Free Vibration Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates Using Finite Element Method

In this work, the natural frequencies and mode shapes of a number of cantilever glass fiber reinforced polymer composites (GFRPCs) and carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites (CFRPCs) are numerically obtained using the commercial finite element analysis software (ANSYS). The laminates under study include 8 ply cantilevered plates having a plate aspect ratio of 2 and fiber volume fractions of 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6. The finite element analysis procedure is described. The natural frequencies and mode shapes calculated using ANSYS are first validated with the results obtained from previous literature. The agreement between the two results is found to be excellent. The effect of change in the matrix material, hybridization, and laminate stacking sequence on the natural frequencies and mode shapes are also investigated. It is found that hybridization and orientation of the outermost layer has more significant influence on the natural frequencies of the laminated composite plates compared to fiber volume fraction and change in the matrix material.