Geometrically non-linear free vibration of fully clamped symmetrically laminated rectangular composite plates

The geometrically non-linear free vibration of thin composite laminated plates is investigated by using a theoretical model based on Hamilton's principle and spectral analysis previously applied to obtain the non-linear mode shapes and resonance frequencies of thin straight structures, such as beams, plates and shells (Benamar et al. 1991 Journal of Sound and Vibration 149, 179-195; 1993, 164 295-3M 1990 Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Recent Advances in Structural Dynamics, Southampton: Moussaoui et al. 2000 Journal of Sound and Vibration 232, 917-943 [1-4]). The von Karman non-linear strain-displacement relationships have been employed. In the formulation, the transverse displacement W of the plate mid-plane has been taken into account and the in-plane displacements U and V have been neglected in the non-linear strain energy expressions. This assumption. quite often made in the literature has been adopted in reference [2] and (El Kadiri et al. 1999 Journal of Sound and Vibration 228, 333-358 [5]), in the isotropic case and has been mentioned here because the results obtained have been found to be in very good agreement with those based on the hierarchical finite element method (HFEM). In a previous study, it was assumed, based on the analogy with the isotropic case, that the fundamental carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) plate non-linear mode shape could be well estimated, by using nine plate functions, obtained as products of clamped-clamped beam functions in the x and 3, directions, symmetric in both the length and width directions [3]. In the present work, a convergence study has been performed and has shown that, although such an assumption may yield a good estimate for the non-linear resonance frequency, 18 plate functions should be taken into account instead of nine in the first non-linear mode shape and associated bending stress patterns calculations. This allows the anisotropy induced by the fibre orientations to be taken into account. Results are given for the fundamental mode of fully clamped CFRP rectangular plates, for various plate aspect ratios and vibration amplitudes. The non-linear mode shows a higher bending stress near the clamps at large deflection, compared with that predicted by linear theory. Some experimental measurements are presented which are in good qualitative agreement with the theory. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.